ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 12

ROWING.

(Dγ MuncuiiT.^

'■'-,;■■':';■ : ;- ■ : ■/ fixtures.-'..^■■;:'.; .l ; ;.i'-.4:< In session.—W.R.C. Senior and junior- Pours.: ■December,'4.—S.B.C. Senior and Junior Double- ■ ■.'Sculls.-' ';/-.' : .' ■■■' :•:;■'■■;'" , ••!■: ,"l '. ":■<!' :' : ] December 16,—Akaroa Regatta. \ ' ■ ,;.:,:.■". January. 15.—Wellington ltegatta. ,; K ; .. »■.: ,-' January 22.—New .Zealand. Championship Re- , ~gatta.: , -.;:.-V;V ; ;,v; : ..;- ;.». ■■■.[:) ■;-:. : .;; : ,.;; Owing; to. the acceptance by the Maryborough Association'"of Anniversary , : Day as the date of the New Zealand 'Championship B'egatta; the Wellington Rowjng Association has altered; the date of- its. annual fiiture from December 29 to. January .15; ■■.■':" ■.■'.;•..- ' , ' ■ • • As reported, F. S. HagneyiiT. A, Kemp', and Robert Green (not Richard, : ex-Australiau champion as stated, 1 but' his son)' arrived iu ! Wellington / oil' Wednesday last. Thoroughgood and Mitchell: follow ..as soon, as. possible after their match, probably on November. 23. Messenger is doubtful whether ho can get away, and Pearce and Day,have definitely decided.nbt to come. ' The reason'for this latter defection is that. s the New Zealand-party' has been outbidden by the/Westraliaris, who. aro Tunning' a big carnival at I'erth at.Christmßs time,' and hiivo put on a sculling race:-for the Australian" ohampionship: The money -. offered is ■• JSS6 for the winner, ,■ pE7O for ■ the loser, and £2& expenses per man, ligairist. which the-New Zealand stake , did not look sufficiently'alluring, so the Dominion has been; tnrned down, ; ■' In the absence of any local happenings, con-sequent-upon the most unsatisfactory state of the weather during the past'fortnight, tho following;notes upon the doing.of the Canterbury oarsmen will; be of: interest;-; The"AknToa Eogatta is on December 16, which means'that the Christcliuroh dubs , have to. get their, .iorews in racing trim before -Wellington olubs,'. Of course, they are nblo.to do, this on : account of the river, and its,accompanying advantage- ofregularity .of training.'.-Local crews would be in , a ! state: if.-they- : were, required -to rnco so early; This:is proved by the deplorable fact that■-• there '.has . beou . only,, ono rowing ; : night:.-■during; the ' past- : fortnight t to'date'.of : Avriting—that is to : soy, a night upon', whioh. a crow- could v row over U mile .course.-'-.Of: course, .there... have ;beeh op- , portuuities ol :pptterinß'.. : abqut between the

tees of the wharves,. but that is sorry train-, ing for a regatta crew. - However, to return to our southern friends, the "Press", mentions eventa as 6et out.'in ( the succeeding ■ paragraphs!— '■ ■".'■■ ■ ; '~■■■,.■■■ ■"':■■ '■■'■-.■■■■:■■■.; .-•■ .;:.■>■•'•. ■ "Canterbury's senior crews for Akaroa will probably be:—Fours—E. R. Guthrie (stroke), J. S. Guthrie (3),' G, Beauohamp (2), andH. R. Brittan (bow): : R. Guthrie (stroke) and J. S. , Guthrie, Double: Sculls—G. Beauchamp (stroke) and H. 11. Brittau." "The New Zealand: champion pair, O'Brien and Fry, have been out together lately, and appear to, go better , thap ever, although they, are only doing slow work. They .are'; verywell together, rowing cleanly, and their boat runs very: evenly and. steady..; They should; be an improved couple this season,?and their opponents will no doubt • find this so. when they como to measure blades'against them." "Canterbury's likely junior-four for Akaroa this year—Fitzer (stroke), Burn, Dbugall, and Parson—are _ shaping Very .well in their work, and are evidently determined to be at their best, on December 16. Parson—who is eligible for the; youths'. class—hail, made wonderful strides at the game, and :ls a solid bow with Elenty of strength and. gameness. He has oniy ad- uno season's rowing, i;and was-.. No. 3 in the winning; crew 'of the President's Fours stroked by Fitzer." ;., .. • . '. "Great enthusiasm is being shown in rowing this season, and never has the river been so alive witli crows training for dub races and thxv coming Akaroa regatta; and plsasurc boats. The,' river is in splendid order, but ploasnro. boats are; very troublesome; in not keeping to their proper.sides. It is very annoying • for crews training to be-stopned in their work by the thoughtlessness of pleasure parties.";.- -, .- ; ;' V. ';>':'■.. •■••.'■ ; . It is, of course, as the Christchurch writer remarks, annoying; that training should bo interfered with as indicatedi "but how much more, annoying is the lot; of the lo'cal oars, man, whose' training is'interfered with by the -weather. Picnic parties can bo dealt with and brought to the enormity■ of. their offence, Vrat' who is to point;out. the error of their ways to the Wellington zephyrs? L.he Wellington Club is .losing the services of W.. Hulbert, bow, in the. regatta juniorfour, who, has been moved from the city. "Mercury" has not yet heard •■ whother his place has been: filled. ... . .-'. ' ■ ■-■' :-

Notwithstanding the general satisfaction expressed, in: the. Star. Club at..the ' selection, oi tho regatta crews' challenge ■ crews and talk 01. challenge crews fill, the .air at the shed. A senior combination came together, and had a; row! on-.the fine night of the fortnight previously mentioned, but it is doubtful whether it will resolve itself into' a formal'challenge crew. The combination consists of A; D. Bayfaeld, and W. E. C.'Oswin, stroke and bow respectively of the club's champion four of 1905/ W. H. Brewer No. 3, and L. MarchantNoi 2. The.crew is-a , good one, , ;provided the-men can strike form, and it would be extremely useful: in keeping the official crew : up to tho mark. The enthusiasm of too' is ,a pleasing' feature, and as some, technical point may prevent the combination; becoming a challenge-crew, .with tho rights and privi. egos' of such, it is to be hoped-.that if,can keep/together with a view of- rowing as a second. senior' crow at the .Wellington : regatta Inoro are no fewer than two challenge maiden crows in; the field, and a junior challengo party is-also heard of.' Tho two maiden aspirants consist of S. G. Cowles (str.), N.,Aborcrombie,' M. Ohve, and ,T. Bedford; as the first to como together, and H. Lawßon, A;. Maoßcan, D Fyfo, and N._ R6bieson. -.-The' former-'of- the combinations is not at, all a bad crew, and-at present; would just: about; beat the selected , representatives, as the men are more experienced oarsmen and more likely to 'work in with one another;;, The selected crew will require more preparation.; and*, may in the end go further than .the challengers. In the- interest 'of the club, and in fairness, to the official'crew," it is to be Jijlpsd ,i that the challenge raco'will, not take place until reasonable, time has been'allowed fo'r.ltraininjj.'-'-, , .::-- .- . ■■ ~ '-': ' ''•■:..''• • ; .Tho spirit that inspires, these challenge crews'is, one that must commend itself to 1 club l'officers.i...lt is .considered in some quarters.'that the formation■ of. a: challenße-crew , indicates antagonism , to tho Selection Committed. There could not , be agreater mistake. , . The challenger,, is generally, influenced by the laudable ■ de,termination not 'to' sit down tamely, and wait : his; ehanco until, the; following;'.' year,. but : ; to 1 _T)Uck'in'''.at the; sport in.snch a'manner , as to' ( impr.ess t: the''goqdyqualities- he possesses upon 1 the ■executive,,'and to add:more to this stobk'ot good '-qualities by steady, training and, determination to acquire, merit. ,Thattho; challenge crew has an immense influence for good; both upon the challengers and the challenged, is un; ; :deriiable,''and that this'ls tecognised is appario'ntifreiii;th6 iiiaiiiftV.'in I which-the cbmmittees jofibotli ithesffwsws. : w) <$siAi. ■■ .jt-r:.... ,~; ' !"Mcrcuy7".-wns"gjad ; tbieara that the mishap sustained ?oj- It. G. Shilling, >-Np. - -- 2; in >. the , W.11.C; senior four; ; referred-to'- in these notes .last week, was'.not'sa-serious as;was as first anticipated, and that the sufferer will, be able to resume"his seat in tho.boat shortly/weather .permitting,, that- is.;. '■.',''.:■■ Vv; : ■ ■ "■', ■ ■"■■'■