ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 11

ROWING.

(Bi Meeodbt.)

l' -■'."; FIXTTIBES., :-;'.!; ; January 15.—Wellington ■ Eegatta. ;: January 2i.—Championship . Eegatta ' (Kcton).'.- .: -.. . .- ' .;;,;. ..... February. 26.—Chiistchurch Eegatta. -,-. Pebrnary — Wanganui..Uegatta. ; . . .' . -.The big affair of the New Tear holidays ■for the local oarsman , was ;the.Harlborough Eegatta; not so, much on account of its'-actual -size,, because it,really is uota big gatherint'y but on account of , its :■ promise to servo '• as : a ; preliminary test for the championship regatta on January 24. This'.promisei'was'not kept.-, Those enthusiasts who .made;the trip-over, in .the hope of' gathering • an idea : of form ; that. would aid thorn"- in" summing up probabilities for {the big ..meeting, returned no wiser than they..left/.. . ..';.!"„' Particularly was this.the : case .in" r the senior events. Of these there were .two —the fours amTpairs.; Both'wei£fiascos, ■and should never -have , been rowed in ■the state of the water/ For the fours it was especially bad,.:and' it is.-a: wonder that the'idea of postponing -the;'event' until later in -the day (wheni calmer, 'water, could have been looked for. with confidence) ; did not occur to the'executive.. There were three: entrants—Kcton, Blenheim, and Star—and, in good,wafer, a good" race ■ should' have resulted.,,, Not only was this so,: but peculiar interest was..attached to: the.' contest i,by"Jack-': sori'sjsuspension, which was.reviewed in these":columns last week. Right up.until two hours -before the,: race the" Blenheim Club officials ..were in hopes'of ;beirig able to start-their original: crew,: with Jack-, son rowing' under protest. ■;■ The umpire, fortified with a telegram from,the secretary '. of the . N.Z.A.E.A. naturally, refused'to. allow this.; ; Then the:B|enheim riien wanted the crew., to- be : .allowed to row.. down. ..with the other competitors, but not to,beMnclnded in the race. This, was.also'refused. jThen they realised that they were finally;:"up against it,", and: the, crew, was.'reorganised. ■ W. Girling moved down-from No. 2 to stroke, and '.his, place was- taken by.A. Thompson; i.who • rowed No. 2: inV Jordan's crew : last, season.'. -'':- : ■■■'•. :■'•■:',.. ■'.■.- U'y:'^' While : all;this was;'going on.the'w'ind—V a : s,teady. breeze froui the north-«'ast—was gradually '.'but. surely rising, and bringing, up ;with it\a. nasty jobble" from';;dowa the Sound.- Consequently,. when: the'starting.; time , for: the,: , big _ : race, ciune.'thero' was quite a sea outside Mabel Island.-, ..To make , matters, worse, ''the. Blenheim boat'filled'on the.way put,.and the crew .-were forced.-to go.-ashore, in Shakespeare . Bay.: X i>^:J way,, and .another, in starting,, and, by''tt'at.timegtKe.'stVatbr was much too 'badittr.:best-aad T beste. , raCT} ing. These conditions^,were j.ptculiarly' 'sujted.;to the: Picfon;representatives;vfpr this combination,:consisting- of ./the 'three. Perano-brothers.! and (Jarrick,' is. a-light,-active■ crew, averaging-very>little,'ovsr.-lO stone.'acoustomed .to.r'owing a hard;':jabbing ■ stroke-;.ot-.over 40' per 'minute; , -and' generally, reminiscent; of T;,the J-old-itime' o,'Shaughnessy-Keegan :.crew'"of,; the "Aramoho club; y.lt-wiU'bp. understood .now ; a crew, of ::thU'-de4criptioh- : nyould: ridefairly, comfortably; -'~ w hen V '.the" 1 -; heavier combinationsVwouli-'be ;:labouring;';in:. the ■ sea-way,';and ;i this", ; was],: the 'conditiori of things at;the ''gunrfire;:-'.'; :•'';•;','l';?'. , ,'v. '■■'■■ Blenheim nevcr.'got'.Jtojthepostiat^all; l >, After' emptying; : the'river .nien'made; another effort,;, but" conl'd ' not'.vmana'ge lithe boat, ' and 'paddled gently ,-,back';. ,'Star; who ; had shipped;a lqf'bf :water,:on,;the. way !out, iweto 'sppn'.in-itrouble, a'nd'ireally. ! never, "had"'i; run for :it;: sinking shortly) after the start'. '^< pro-: cess.'of ;elimiiiationl" , secured; : a ; twin.'' "At" the .same' -time, 1 ; the. crew,.'suited' as- it 'was-'to'-':the"conditionsi .'deserves:'all credit, for its excellent "watermanship,. arid ; this applies to all. tho Picton -represerifatives throughout the day.' -.-',: : .! '..:.; ,":;.;i'-.. : -| ;; The. pair-oared event was nearly, as bad as'.'the -'fovirs.'-;: ■ The" water' had • calmed ■ down' lipmewhat, but was etill bad enough,' for ths Star, couple not. to . risk:, their best .aid best,, : so.;they"turned.;:out in" ■ a Iclink'er,-.. witli ,a-; : coxswain, Blenheim, sora'tohsd,- and so it was' left ,: between' Star' and.'Picton. : The latteriiused : the best. ;and-. best, boat,■■'.,and;.; light;, as;.:the' ! crew.iwas,' it was''frequ"entei ? pecessary for itjto stop,rowirig..during ,thp'.'race, to .avert 'swamping. , .-:As.;a 'precautionary tactics; the Star prew Entered the. calm belt,'"at-"the finish", with •a; slight:.J.ead,' : despite their heavyi'boat and ; cpxswain, but oncoi in,, good-water the Picton represeritatiyes''got-ito , "work in :the 'shell, and.; won • jThe shorter events were not affected so much 'by,, the weather, 'although, - at the. 'mUe^end-a-half. post, the water was decidedly bad. Four crews . turned orit for. the. Junior Fours—Pictorii ■■Blenheim,"Star, and .Wellington.' "'At.'the.'start Pidton and: Star- got away 'best, : but .they Star. 'drew soon dropped- back. flis. Picton , cibw' -rowed-;rcallyv"wellj ! nsipg';.a: crisp,, hjird, stroke,' and.;. , negotiating' the ; : bad water—with- - ease - and- confidence J..-. As . a' result; they: were, soon away, in : the lead, and. won witji ease. .;Aft«r;its good.;start the; Star .crew: fared; badly, being, sadly/, '.disconct-rted by the; ba'd• -.weather, the: stroke, especially being in', difficulties. ,'H.e , ; appeared-.quite', unable to : "plear , ." his. p.ar,.; arid,' by the. Tim« the. good water: .was': 1 "reached,- it was- questionable: whetherotho' -J combination- could get .second place.-.fr.dm'i Wellington. ' A [very ; fine, race, home'ei; I 'sued,' and' Star just w.on, ;but tha-'Srejrn will:have' ,1 to show.:mueh.better form',|ifj ;if hopes • to • meet'with: sucoess. at -future' "regattes. , : :. /...'.''. ■>'■■ .-. ::.'■•■' -~.'■'-'.- ■:■■ ■■■''■';''<}'.\ '. The' Maiden; and; Youths' -.Fours,.were-i not; altogethor, convincing, Rowing ;to■ acci"dents.;tbvtfie .Star , representatiy.es Jin;,both; races.' '■ In. practice' coyered/'that the seats •ini"':the..maiden! ,-bb'at'.'were -badly-fitted,;-and ; ::that.;', they., were : continually coming, off .'the .runners,:; The necessary"., alterations' -.were-::put'; in' hand, arid- it was; .thought; .that.;; 'the; trouble had :'been '.stop'pedj.j'.ib'uytf.w.liile." ,oiit; for-a- , practice-spin : :,the' , night. , |bei'bfe:i the regatta, s.it Pccutfed'::ag'diri.:v'.;M.hatj.. UWe''-''oould.''.-be'"done , .i;btfJ'itoe;»B'pot;r v wns; , done; bub'to £o > ayßil::aSi>jSJi'.-libt)iv»,Ss' in which'?tffi*tfpafc^;wte''' i^d; let. ; .radent..'ji^pViS;.:^ v, .'ab^^fi.TtSe'fVfl.Blf ; dis i .' tance,. when "they lead,', on:the""fiold,"-.-and: the. :i same;,fute'vsfcruck; the: you,ths Vwhilst. : holding; a ; . ..Consequently/' the"Npv.-2 "iinvthe "friiaiden, race r and" the ■; siioke!in,:ithe.,'-ypu.ths;i'had ■ ;to',finish..over.-.Tialf ;'tHe:' : distance'" sitting-. on .the'. lowing '"fixed- seat/': Sp.the two we're , <??ditable: performaiices''und'ef'"' the uirciuiistaiicei! *■;■;," s'f he:, best: race j of" '.tlieV day'iwas'.'tKe., Maiden Double • Sculls,:. won < • ln^.a' , ; dete'r'r;: mined faihibn ' : by"ther Stari'-representa-! tiv«—Mi A. iTurner ;.arid ;, ,\V , v i H.\Brewer' -rby a short ■'length. !.-'■ On:-the'-stiengtH'/iof. this, iperformance.", : H Brewer will '.Tery; liiely row. with .veteran A. DJ Bayfield in tho,Senior Double. Spills, ton regatta .on, January.,ls. -"■'-. . :' ' The'.final.score-sheet.for;the Picion Eegatta read—Picton,; eix: wins, one second, .£46; .Star,'. one:■ first, .six .seconds, : £30i Wellington/and Blenheim,: no:.scoreV Pe-. .tbrie,: although -entered : : for several:pf. the": events, did not ■ compete. : . '' : ; -It is. reported • that :,the. Canterbury clubs. will not be largely represented 'at either , the Wellington ] or..championship regattas, although 'the ..Union' Cjiib:'his , made ■ a : f nil.-enby. •-..',. .. 'X'- '■)■''■}: •'• - ~'■ .The Lyttelton'Eegatta, was,' as "usual, held bn.>.New. Years,; Day,' all Rowing events ■:■ being" got. off .in stumps.' Of; .the 1 twelve- events Akarba captured eight firsts, winning,,: JE6l,.:and' , ,.two special trophiesl TJnion were" next !■with three firsts ■ and eight seconds, worth .£4O, and Lyttelton annexed a first and a second. AUthe senior events went-to Akaroa—the champion paiiWiar aid. double-sculling combination of the DommionA/TnelTnion representatives: met with their, third L de-; feat in both,races this.season. Strangely, enough, the. crew that beat them on, the present occasion,, although, representing Akaroai was not the same as', constituted at , Akaroa..; Westenra's crew;: which .won at'Akaroa, could only get third , at:liyt-. telton, .the Winners being the veterans Ditely.; and Kearney,' ex-pair-oar,'cHam-ipions.'-', '" '.'. ■" ' •'•.-■' :: :'-- : ".' " ;,; ' l: ' :'The■"Canterbury Times" has.the"-'fol-lowing,'regarding the/Jackson, affair:— "Some three months back-I.'was'placedin possession,. of the alleged- facts, and was asked for an:opinion. :.At the Game-time th'e. information: was/advanced .that, .if any. action' were .taken to place the' caee before the Rowing ■ Association, it -would be : from' reasons of jealousy and'spito; arid,.that' the, statement'would .be u\ places, contrary to fact, .i How far this is; truo\ I; cannot ,sav, for. I .am'in~ ignorarico of the.contents of .tho chargo , laid before"; tho . Now .Zealand; '. Association. . Tliie" week a .written-: statement of the case from the Jackson 'side 'came'into my possession, and if that' statement is it is' yeix, patent that Jack-

son ~has .been ..most.-, cruelly dealt .with. Whether Jackson has forfeited his status .or'not, the' fact' remains: that the iiile of the.association which, permits a charge against: a': man to.be dealt.with.by.;the council and.prevents that , man from sen ting a; defence-to the general meeting until a month has elapseu, thus, robbing Mm of the best part of a season's racing, is altogether too arbitrary." . --.;.-.■ ■On Wednesday evening Mr. J.'.Kerslake, popularity known where rowing men most do congregate as "Gyro,"' was the reci-, pient of a presentation from his friends m thei. Star Club, the object <of:the pre-. sontatibn being .to mark, their sense 'of. regret at his. approaching departure from Wellington.: Apart from'- his . personal popularity, Mr. Kerslafce has.been a use-' ful member from ■ a rowing standpoint, arid' will be much 'missed ' from' 'regatta crews..- •.Hβ hasjrepresented the club\ in regatta! races froin the youths' class upwards, and, this season, was rowing jNb.>. 3 in.the- Junior Fouiv""A 'fair of success; in 'club- racing;'has.also: fallen to his.lot, his last achievement being the winning, of., the senior club, double sculls just'before ■Christinas'. ~ Altogether,' ;hls genial presence wiirbenva6h : misse'd from' all- the : club's institutions; and'he-car-ries with, him the best wishes.of all his clubmates for his future success-and < a speedy ; return, to..Wellington. - : ,''-. : '.'; ' ' ' ■■' .' '■,-■' ■'• s ' '■:■'-■':'"• "''.)''"'.'■ -.■■'.