ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 12

ROWING.

• —.—— , (Br Mkrchrt.)

W,R,C. Club Fours. . , After many disappointments,.'the Wellington B.C. lias been enabled, , by the lull'tin the persistent "northerly," to make a start on the preliminary heats of the Club Fours. Even as it was, tho water was not at all satisfactory, and a shorter course than usual was laid out between the King's and Taranaki Street AVharves—a stretch which,' though far from being ideal, was, at least, "rowablo." The jobble, however, even under the lee of the water frontage, wns bad enough to make good rowing rather hopeless—tho more so on account of tho amount of new. "talent" engaged, and tho limited (yiportunities that havo existed for teaching it watermanship.- , But. despite all these disadvantages, tho race was a good one, Botli crews opened out at a hot clip, and stuck .to. (t wellvim and determination replacing finesso in rowing form. The going was rough, but decidedly willing. This w all the ■criticism that is really, fair, for reasons ■hinted at above. There have been so

few opportunities for coaching, and the acquiring of combination, and good form that any personal notes under these heads must of necessity be—well, critical, rather than complimentary. However, to return to the race: Both crews got away together, and kept together. First 0110 would forge ahead a trifle, only'to be temporarily hampered more than : its opponent by an extra large wave, and to losa tho advantage again. This would happen to each in turn, but neither led at any time by the length of its canvas. So it went until the last | fifty yards or so, when A. AY. Jackson— , tho club's vice-captain, and one of the strokes engaged—found an extra pound , or two of weight hitherto unappliedin his boat. By the judicious application of this he ran ''out a winner by four_ feet. He was backed up by T. Rapson (No. 3), ]?. Lacey {No. 2), and L. Howe (bow), and the opposing faction consisted of H. Reddington (str.), J. Cooper (3), P. O'Donovan (2), and J, Dobson (bow). Petone R.C.: A Regrettable Incident. My Petone correspondent writes to the effect that the suburban club has sustained a bad loss to its projected senior crew through an accident to one of its members, H. Parrant, who was to have been bow of the combination. Pnrrant sustained an internal injury while on work at one of the guns at Fort Kelburne during the recent firing series, and, although his trouble is not exactly serious, it entails a sojourn in hospital, and jan operation. It will thus be obvious , f liat he will be out of action for somfl time. Onite apart from the general aspect of the .case, it is hard luck indeed such a keen and capable oarsman as Parrant should be laid aside right at the commencement of the season, and the sympathy of rowing men will go out to tho injured oarsman and his club, wiO» hearty wishes for his speedv recovery and return to his seat in the boat.

There lias been n lull in boat work at "Petone of late. Tlie bazaar lias taken up the spare time of the club members, mid the .energy that, as n rule, acts as the motive r-ower 1 of the rac.ine plant. >i.t= been deflected into the building of stalls, etc. This distraction is tiow over, «o by tlie time these notes are due again, HiinTS will Imve cot back to tlie rowinir routine, nnrl there should be matters of interest to chronicle. . The Star B.C. Tho Stat Club's first series of races is slowly drawing fo a close. Tho Novice Pairs and Junior Fours liave been competed, and a semi-final of the Senior Fours has been disposed of since last week's notes appeared. There still remains another lieat of tho semi-final to so, and then the row-off. Turner's crew, stroked by'-Alexander, earned its nlace in. the final by decisively beating Turnlrall's combination on Friday night. Onco.again llie winners iravo a good disnlayi and strengthened their position as favourites. The race was rowed over the northerly course, and, though, at the mile and n half post, the water was not <rood, both crews negotiated it in good order.

It soon became apparent that Alexander was, going to be too lively for the opposition, and that, if his men could hold to the pace, the race was his. And so it proved. At the half mile ho held a comfortable bat, and was rowing a spirited 34 to Turnbull's 31. The mile post I saw the same rates of striking maintain-1 ed, and n wider gan between the boats, j and, at the finish. Alexander came along 1 with a. good rattle of 36 over the last minute, and ran out a winner by three or four lengths. s As on the previous occasion, the winners rowed well, and, as this was their first appearance since, the. same remarks as were, passed then still obtain. The display of Turnbull and his crew was not a bad one.' They met a stronger and more dashing combination, as fit as them-' selves, and paid the penalty. The big fault lay in the slow rate of Towing. Tn a light- boat, even a clinker, 31 strokes per minute is too slow over a course of one and a half.miles. Especially is this so with a light, active crew such as Turnbull had behind him. . Under ordinary conditions 35 should be quite within tho nowers ,of such a crew, evp« ditions this season have not been 6uch ae to give many chances ,of working up - a high rate for^av.racjng-stroke;-■ Tumor's crew, a heavv • combination, rowed 34 without nuickening up. as already stated, and this is, little enough. The crew that beats Turner will need to tow at least as. fast .a stroke as Alexnnder does, if neither "Wheeler nor Little (from whom his final opponent will be chosen by the remaining semi-final heat) can do this, Turner will 'win*

In additinn to the concluding heats of its Senior Fours, tlie Star Club also lias its Fitzeernld Fours in session. Tliere was a pood entry of 52, and the thirteen crews are selected, and in training. It is too early yet for any remarks upon possibilities, as nono of tho combinations liave' shaken ({own properly. One cr&w, however, possesses a quality that singles it out as worthy of comment—that of .npouliarity in-nomenclature. Its personnel, naming the stroke first, is: MTCay, M'Wliae, M'Caw, and M'Kny. It seems to be a fine, "braw," broad. Doric lot.