Sculler seeks title he last held in 1961

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33448, 1 February 1974, Page 28

Sculler seeks title he last held in 1961

The veteran Avon rower, B. Reid, aged 38. will find out today whether, after 12 seasons out of the sport, he can still measure up to the province’s top scullers. Reid will be rowing in the Canterbury championship heats at Kerrs Reach.

The last time Reid competed in a Canterbury championship was in 1961, when he was the defending champion. He rowed superbly, retaining the title. Reid will have to recapture that form to have a chance of winning the senior sculls at this year’s championship regatta. The system of qualification has been changed for the regatta — the fastest times rather than winning heats will earn places in the finals on Sunday afternoon. Reid will probably have to row his fastest 2000 metres this season to be among the three scullers in the final. His fitness will not stop him. He probably has completed more training than his contemporaries, to catch up in fitness after his long break. SEVEN ENTRIES Seven scullers have entered the senior singles, and Reid’s strongest rivals should be J. Lopas (Avon - ), the defending champion, G. Robertson (Oamaru), an Olympic rower, and the promising R. Hegglun (Wairau, Blenheim). The event will also provide an interesting contrast in styles. Reid still uses the old style, getting his power

[from his legs. The other scullers will rely on arm [movement and' all-round [strength. [ The Canterbury Rowing ■Association received a setback on the eve of the regatta when the only visiting I North Island club, Wanganui, withdrew. The nine oarsmen had to return to Wanganui because of work commitments. The rowers had been in Christchurch for the Commonwealth Games. EIGHTS DEPLETED The biggest blow is in the senior eights. Wanganui’s withdrawal means that only three crews — Avon Canterbury, and Oamaru — will line up. Avon, which badly needs competition before the national championships at the end of the month, should again have an easy victory. Wanganui had also entered the junior and senior fours, and the maiden singles. A full programme of 14 events has been arranged, and the Canterbury clubs, Avon, Canterbury, Union, Cure (Kaiapoi), and Timaru will receive competition from five outside clubs, Blenheim, Nelson, North End (Dunedin), Oamaru, and Wairau. The most popular event is the maiden fours, but some of the sting of competition has been lost as this will be run in two divisions — the three fastest from each rowing in separate finals. SENIOR RACES

Of the senior events, the pairs looks as though it will be the most hotly contested. The New Zealand titleholders, A. Earl and T. Coker (Avon), will again meet old rivals, G. Robertson and B. Johnston (Oamaru). The Union club has entered two promising combinations, P. Le Compte and R. Stokes, and G. Knight and H. Hamilton, a New Zealand colts representative.

Avon, which has one of the strongest senior classes

|in New Zealand, should have Ino problems in the senior four, and its two crews might [well fill the first two places ! A feature during the finals on Sunday will be the firs’ [demonstration, row of a [quadruple scull combination ■ The event has recently been [added to the Olympic programme, and there is a pos sibility that New Zealand will [send its first multi-scuiling •crew to Europe later this year.