ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 966, 5 November 1910, Page 12

ROWING.

(BY Mducory.} Star 'Club's First Scries. If tho weather has been unpropitiousfor the preparation of crews for tho Star Club s first scries of races—and it has— there can at least be nothing to*cavil at iu tho conditions for the racing lu&t Saturday. The .southerly cour.-o was at its ! best, and .tho harbour consequently assumed quite a regatta day appearance. Six preliminary heat?. were' disposed of— oue novk'e pair, three junior and two sniicr four events. Since then, however (up'to the time of writing) the clerk of the weather lias again turned his back to rowing men, and none of the events have come further than preliminary stage. C'on.-;2Ciueiitly the racing notes that follow rol'er to Saturday's work only. The senior, races are dealt with first. In the first heat E. C. Little's crew, stroked by Kric Johnson, turned out against' C. 11. Lawrence's combination, and won comfortably. More on account of the failure of their opponents to strike anything like racing .form than their own exceptional ability, the winners were not extended at any time, and their performance gave no indication as to their workmanship if hard pressed. As it was they swung along nicely enough, but the work was not altogether convincing. Stroke, for example, was getting the water not nearly as far iu front of tho rigger as lie might, and the . rate of striking was not fast enough to compensate for the consequent loss of length. However, as mentioned, tho crew was obviously not all out/ 1 and perhaps had not struck its racing gait.

Lawrence's crew did not row well at I all. This is not Lawrence's fault, neither | can the members of the combination bo blamed entirely. Rather can a large | proportion of tho censure be laid against : the unfavourable weather conditions. In the draw Inwrenco. had the bad. luck to strike men whose styles do not coincide either with his own or with one another's. . This . rendered a long and careful preparation necessary to weld the quartet together—a preparation in. the main consisting of long steady rowing. This, of course, has been impossible, and the result was only too apparent on Saturday. There was no cohesion in tho work, and no run in the boat. § Lawrence rowed, very fairly, but evidently felt the individual strain, and got short in ths latter- stages. Stansall, at No. 3, rowed a dogged race, but was uot happy, in his swing, his finish being jerky. Lawsou and Galvin did their best in the adverse circumstances, but wero evidently weighed down by them, arid have both showed to better advantage. Tho Race of the Afternoon. Tho second senior race was the best of the afternoon's work, and was fought out by the respective quartets of M. A. Turner arid K. M. Brewer. The former's crew was stroked by P. Alexander, originally drawu as No. 2, Turner taking the No. 3 seat himself, and' Abercrombie being retired to No. 2, and, in making the {transposition, Turner evidently "knew 'something," as will appear later. Brewer, who won this event the season before .last, occupied the seat of authority in ids boat himself. The boats got away well together, but Alexander got his stride the sooner, and, in fclie first, quarter-mile, had made the advantage that ultimately won the race. At halfway be was still this margin—about one length—to tho good. .At the mile tho position was the same, and at the finish there was no alteration. Briefly, this describes the race, but there was moro to it than that.

• Brewer is a' hard stroko to beat. There is no "let up" in his methodslie spares neither his .crow nor himself. And so it was on this occasion. At about half-way he began a series of challenges that he sustained right up to the .final flurry. .In'each effort, ho gained something, only to lose it again in the steady work in between whiles. Then he would make another call an his men, and close up tho gap appreciably, but, as soon as ho dropped into his regular stride, out would steal the opposition, until daylight was just visible .between. tho boats. And so it wont to llio end. Alexander was not to be bustled. 1 In getting his length's lead, lie. also got his opponent's measure, and judged his-race wisely and well, lie was in the comfortable position of being able>-to-watch-.every "move of tho-opposi-tion nearly all tho Way, and thus to prqvide a check for every move. His rowing- was very pleasing, being bright, crisp, and clean. A possible fault was that the body was. not swung quite far enough forward, but this can be corrected as the season advances. He was ably backed up by Turner, who .worked hard, and knitted his men together' well. Ilis rowing was (bar 1 an : intermittent spell of suspicious slide work) very sound, although his habit of "pigeon-winging" his elbow detracts from his style, if. not from his work. Abererombie, at No. 2, did his part honestly, but would get an easier finish and better swing if he sat • up more at the end of his slide work. Millington, in the bow, mado few mistakes. His time was good, albeit he was . a bit short at times, both fore and aft, which would seem to show that he .does not get his blade through-as hard as ho might. In all, tho, crew gave a verj-' crcditablo display.

The necessary and well-deserved tributo has already been paid to Brewer for his doggedness and pugnacity. Had it not been.for these-attributes his crew would have. been badly beaten. Their work did not tako the eye as did their opponents'. Both the stroke and No. 3 (the Browcr Bros.) fail to appreciate the value of good slide work, ami both fail to do themselves full jnstico accordingly. All the determination and grit in the world cannot take the place' ot. a. properly-used slide stroke iii a boat—these qualities should bo accompaniments to proper slido -work, not substitutes for it. If K. M. Brewer's slido work was on a par with 'his other qualifications, ho would be a good stroko indeed. As it is, this fault of his (and his brother's) mars his whole rowing, -and, what is oven worse, makes it so hard, for tho men behind him to combine with bim without themselves offending in tho same way. And this tells the whole story of Saturday's race. .

The Junior Events. ■ The junior races were not exciting: In all three cases the victories were of the runaway description. In tho lirst'rnce C. Hobinsou deieatcd J. Cowlos decisively. Tho winning crew is a heavy, strong combination, and Kobinson set them a stroko that suited them well—a good steady swing with plenty of length. Hutton, No. 3,- pulled sturdily, his ■ ' work being marred by a tendency to meet his oar at the finish. . Jacobscn, ou tho No. 2 seat, gavo what is perhaps his best exhibition so i'ar, and 1 Beaumont, bow, gavo all tho assistance ill his power. This poivcr, however, would bo increased if he wore to sit up more, 'and spring ou his beginning, and brighten up his recovery. - Of tho losing combination J". Cowles, the stroke, rowed well enough to deserve a better'fate,-and was well backed, up by Hall, his No. 3. The other half of his crew, however, failed to rise to the occasion, and showed worso form than in tlieir training rows. The second heat saw N. J. Jl'Kav settle D. Fife with ease and dispatch. "Fife's crew rowed very disappointingly after their practico work, No. 3 being seriously at fault with the .time of his bladoworli, and swing. No! 2 was alsu moro at fault thnn usual.. His defective rowing was no doubt to a certain extent owing tn No. 3's eccentricities in this department, but his slide work was very poor. Tho.stroko has rowed much better—in fact, tho crow as a whole was at sixes and sevens. This was tho moro apparent, because of. tho pleasing display given by the winners. H'Kay's.'performance as stroke should earn him his regatta seat. Alters, his No. 3, gave a sound exposition, although his work with his hands needs polishing up. Jl'CttW, llio No. 2, was satisfactory and tho bow, if he did not shift a great deal of water per stroke, sat up well and niado no mistakes that mattered .materially.

The third heat provided a surprise. K. Wardrop's :crcw fell to that stroked by T. MTjean. The winner Ims a big trio behind him, but has been vowiiiK very sluggishly in frniniiifir ami it was thought tlmt his livelier opponents would beat Vim. However, the Wardrop combination proved not so lively as reported ,and strength and doggednoss carried the day. 'L'he only noviee pair event saw W. Kirkcr anil T\ Sl'Master beat D. M'lvay and W. CI. RadelilFe after a tough struggle in which the. losers were unfortunate in being blocked en route by a pair-oar. containing two senior oars, who should have known heller.

Summing up the racing form, the best

displays in tho respective divisions were nindo by F. Alexander, M. A. Turner, E. C. Little, C. 11. Lawrence, W. J. M'Kay, J. Cowlcs, K. C. Akers, F. Jacobseu, i''. Craig, A. Hall, and W. Kirlser. Season's Regatta Personnel. The Wellington Club is still left lamenting at tho lack of an opportunity to begin in the club four fixture, and as I have not heard lately from any Pctonc correspondent as to tho doings at the northern end of tho harbour, I lie budget this week consists mainly of Star Club items. In this shed speculation is already rifo as to the personnel of tho coming season's regatta crews. The official selection is to be made at the conclusion of tho present racing, and in the meantime, "Alercury" advances the I'ifllowing suggestions, with becoming diffidence:—lt is fairly certain that there !will not be a senior crew chosen. Of last year's crews llclTer is now in Fiji, and Barron is in the bonds of matrimony. Transfers among likely successors to these two have seemingly-settled the proposition, at all events, for the present. E. Ilacdn has gone to Singapore, L. A. liarchant is in Hokitikaj and there aro other defections. Tho senior pairs and double sculls could be filled by pairing Little off with W. U. Brewer, and letting thorn put in their whole time at those events. If the question of senior fours is waived then the remaining four-oared crews should be of a high standard. For instance the following make a good junior quartet: Lawrence (stroke). Turner (3), H. 11. Bridge and R. M. Brewer, or C. Holmes. This would be the best selection, but both Bridgo and Holmes are still' available for the youths' fours, and both desire to keep to that class. This clears tho way for Brewer, while the remaining seat could bo filled by F. Turnbull, failing E. Lambert, last year's bow, who is at present resting by doctor's orders. The maiden combination should be something on these lines. Alexander (stroke), Akers No. 3, Craig No. 2, and oit'her Abercromhie, Dean, or Stansell bow. Alexander has rowed as a maiden previously, Akers and Craig are still juniors in the club, but their physique and rocent form entitled them to every couadoration, Another likely member, who has yet to be "tried out," is Wallace, a recent member of tho Canterbury Club, who is available as a maiden, and who occupied a re'ratta seat for the C.R.C. last season. D. Hunter, who is beginning his first year as a senior club oar, may row himself into regatta form later on, and altogether, tlioro is ample choice of good maidens. Tho youth's four should be e=necially strong. Of last year's crew Bridge, the stroke, and C. K. Holmes No. 3, are still available, and there is abundance of nood talent in addition. Of the new the writer recommends that N. J.' M'Kay should be given the stroke Feat. Last yenr's stroke erred on tho side of slowness, while Mliay's present showing is such as to hold out every prospect of an ininrovement in this direction. Holmes, la«t year's No. 3, could fill his old place. Bridgo could be No. 2, and Hall would make a irnoil. if somewhat heavy, bow,' thoiHi, if his weight were considered a disadvantage, he and Holmes could ehnnse places without affecting the combination to any extent.