Avon retains lead in rowing

Press, 22 January 1979, Page 3

Avon retains lead in rowing

Although no points tallies are yet available, Avon still holds a fairly comfortable lead after the Canterbury Rowing Association's second pennant regatta was raced at Kerrs Reach over the week-end.

The pennant series is held between Christchurch clubs and Timaru. The other outside clubs take part merely for the competition. The difficulty over the points table arises in races where no Christchurch club has been placed. At the C.R.A. meeting tomorrow evening a decision will be made on whether to allow points for the next fastest times where visiting crews have taken the three placings. The regatta was also the first to be held in Christchurch under the new status classification. From now on what has been known as the : maiden class becomes intermediate, junior class becomes senior and senior becomes premier. The novice division remains under the same. name. The best finish of the regatta came in the final of the novice fours with Canterbury just pipping Avon by .09s. The Avon No. 1 crew had a comfortable win in the premier eight

final. At the line it was more than 10s clear of Oamaru. However, Oamaru performed creditably in the premier fours, being beaten by Avon No. 2 but finishing 14.3 s clear of Avon No. 1. It was a fine effort from the young?, relatively inexperienced Oamaru crew. The senior single scull final was an all-Blenheim battle with three oarsmen from the Wairau club all winning through the heats.

Another notable effort came in the final of the ; novice eight. Cure (Kaiapoi) beat Canterbury by threequarters of a length for a well-deserved win. The club bought the boat used by the English eight at the world championships at Lake Karapiro — a plastic design — and it seems to have been a great boost to the club.

Conditions were ideal for rowing, with a very light n or t h-e asterl y breeze blowing down the course. All women’s events were held over 1000 m, and the men’s races were over 1800 m. The third and final pennant regatta will be on February 17-18. Saturday Senior pair.—Union 7:24.3, 1:

Canterbury I 7:30.5, 2; Canterbury II 7:45.7, 3. Premier pair.— Avon I. 7:0.0. 1; Timaru, 7:02.8, 2; Union, 7:22.0, 3. Intermediate pair.—Oamaru, 7:50.2, 1; Avon, 8:18.0, 2; Timaru, 8:36.4, 3. Women’s pair.—Avon I 1, Avon II 2. No time taken. Sunday

Junior four.—Timaru, 6:34.6, 1; Canterbury, 7:93.5, 2; Union, 7:25.8, 3. Intermediate singles.— Canterbury, 7:25.0, 1; Union, 7:51.0, 2. Novice eight.—Cure 6:07.8, 1: Canterbury, 6:10.4, 2; Avon I 6:21.4, 3. Women’s four.— Avon I. 3:47.5, 1; Canterbury I 3:54.0. 2: Avon II 4:08.3, 3. Lightweight singles.—Union 7:32.5, 1; Canterbury I 7:38.0, 2; Canterbury 11, 8:15.0, 3. Senior fours. —Avon I. 6:31.3, 1; Avon 11, 6:40.5, 2: Canterbury, 6:43.0, 3. Light-weight eight.— Canterbury, 6:31.3, 1; Union, 7:16.4, 2; Avon, 7:26.8, 3. Novice lour.—Canterbury 11, 7:23.0. 1; Avon II 7:23.9, 2; Union I. 8:09,2, 3. Premier- singles.-—North End, 7:08.2. 1; Avon I, 7:10.4, 2; Avon 11. 7:49.1, 3. Intermediate eight.— Union. 6:22.5, 1; Canterbury, 6:26.3, 2; Oamaru, 6:35.3, 3. Premier fours. —Avon 11, 6:09,2, I; Oamaru, 6:14.5, 2; Avon I, 6:38.8. 3. Senior singles.—Wairau 111. 7:24.0. 1; Wairau 11, 7:25.0, 2; Wairau I, 7:42.5, 3. Light-weight fours. —Canterbury, 7:9.5, 1; Oamaru, 7:16.5, 2; Union, 7:30,3, 3. Intermediate fours.—Oamaru I, 6:57.6. 1; Canterbury 11, 7:7.0, 2; Union, 7:17.0. 3. Premier eight.—Avon I, 5:48.6, 1; Oamaru 6:5.4, 2; Avon 11, 6:9.3, 3. Senior doubles. —Union, 6:32.2, 1: Wairau, 6:34.0, 2; Canterbury, 6.45.7, 3. Premier doubles.— Avon 6; 16.6. 1, Wairau I, 6:21.3. 2: Union. 6:44.0. 3. Intermediate doubles.—Timaru. 7:22.3, 1; Canterbury I, 7:40.7. 2; Union. 8:07.2, 3, Women’s doubles.—Avon I, 4:40.0, 1: Canterbury, 4:56.0, 2.