ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 336, 24 October 1908, Page 9

ROWING.

. (By Mehccrt.) 1 FIXTURES. : Novice Pairs and Fitzgerald Fours. . . No'vembei'3.—"W'.R.C. Club Fours. ' . November 23/-jAiistraliari-' ; " Championship,Wh'elch'v.' Thoroughgood (Hunter/River). December 15—World's Championship, Webb v. Ariisti (Wanganui). As noteid'above, -tlici': novice pairs and 1 . Fitz-; gerald fours /of ■ the Star Club are to '.Be' entered upon to-day, weather, permitting, of course. The 'weather has been urisually propitious'for the~time of year, and full advan-' tage has. been-taken of the favourable water' by the crews'' engaged.-' .■ This • factor. and the'fact that the novice element has been diverted into another channel, is re-; sponsible ;fo.r, the. forward c.ondi(;on_..of .the crews in ■ the four-oared fixture, in _ which, several are showing. very- .fair .form; indeed. Three of them especially are rowing well—R.' M. Brewer's," Kerslal?c's, arid H. D. bridge's; The 'first mentioned/; has a combination of club' senipr'i'oarsmenj- rather an outstanding feature- for- a' clulj'-racetl.crew, . arid one, by the way, 'thatgoes.to'.'indicato that the' opin-'-ion of. tho selecting-the' various crews as to the capabilities, of. the oarsmen is at variance with "thai; of the committee responsible.for grading the:men.',;This is a veritable,, heavyweight ,team, and must average, nearly. 13st., -which-,excess ; of; embonpoint will, I. fear, greatly a.ffect: ,'its chances. 'ICcrslake's, crew,; strolfod will take.; a,'.dealof showing /as ;it does' a pica. lively* stroke, : with a good, length' ; and goodslide-' work.. Tho work of Bridge's "men has rio out-" standing feature,' but/the' combination, -/time,'; and swing are all.good, and oach of. the crew has had j>re,vious racing experienced Though I have singled out these .three for special mention, they are by no means ." out on their own." Still, I am'of opinion that, the 'crews'; that beat them in the preliminary heats will battle out the final. , , ' " The, novice pairs contain some promising material, in the raw state as yet, which is being moulded,; or porhaps " welded " is .a better term, into shape in the tubs by the coachcs,..and, the result is a i to the wisdom of the Club Race Committee in putting the 'beginners into this class of boat to get rid of the rough edges. A good schooling in .the tubs, followed by a steady course in the fixed-seat fours,, is the surest, if somewhat monotonous,-road to good oarsmanship. Tho Petone Club's opening function on Saturday last was.quite up to the high standard set by the suburbanites on previous occasions, and the hospitality dispensed was much appreciated .by the .goodly number of visiting oarsmen from the town clubs. The water at the town "sheds was too lumpy to permit of the'journey being made :in the racing boats, so tho whalers and tubs were impressed as transports.'The Petone men-kindly placed their plant at tho disposal of the visitors, and. then soundly trounced them in the racing events, a performance, which should prove a favourable augury for the [ forthcoming season. .