ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1019, 7 January 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

PICTON REGATTA REFLECTIONS, (By Mr.nconT.J February IS.—Wellington Regatta. February 25.— N.Z. Championship Regatta, Wanganui. A Day for Watermanship. As has already been stated .in the detailed report of the Picton regatta on Monday last, tho affair was not a success. The weather was all against the successful carrying-out of any kind of a sporting function, particularly a rowing regatta. At 11 o'clock, tho time of tho first race, a big sea was running down tho sound, rain was falling heavily,. and a postponement to some later date seemed inevitable. The officials, however, wero naurally undesirous of disappointing the visiting oarsmen from Wellington, Nelson, Wairau, and Blenheim, and so postponed the first raco from hour to hour until 2 o'clock. Then the water had moderated considerably, but it was still only just "rowable," and that is all. However, the seven maiden crews entered turned out prepared to make the best (or worst) of a bad business.

That Surprising Picton Crew. The result of the races lias already been chronicled, so it will suffice now to make, a few general remarks on the happenings, at, the meeting as a whole. Tho outst.aiuli.ng event was, of course, tho. defeat of the formidable Blenheim combination in the senior fours by a young Picton crew. The Blenheim men. arrived on tho course on Saturday, and started operations immediately. Their practice form was very pleasing. Tho crew is a big oue, and well weighted—far better in this respect than last season, when tho stroke and No. 3 outweighed No. 2 and bow by about seven stone. The new man in the boat (Andrews) rows stroke, and sets a good lively rate of striking with a nice length. He will be remembered here as rowing' No. 2 in the junior crew, which so ably represented Picton last year, and which wound up a very successful season by winning tho Marlborough Plate at the championship regatta. Arthur Jackson, who stroked tho crew in Hobart, is now rowing No. 3, and the two Heggluns (both champion oars, and who also rowed in the big Hobart race) fill the other two seats.

It will be seen that tho combination-js one to inspire respect in any .company. Opposed to this galaxy of star porformers, Picton had a crew stroked by a young oar-in the youth's class, in the person, of F. Burns, who distinguished himself as a.youth and junior last season. With him wero E. Kenny, also one of last year's juniors, F. Scott, and D. Godfrey, all new to senior rowing. Even tho Picton "barrackers," who aro more optimistic than the average Pictonito on his native heath, could hot give their representatives more than the furthest removed of outside chances, even with the elements and "tho stars in thoir courses" battling for Picton., .Moreover,' Blenheim l were 'using a;>n'c\tf»t(i6ing v ship, a George -Towns boat, that was hailed as tho last thing in racing craft. The race itself calls for but. -little description. As a raco it was over in a quarter of a hiile. At the gun Blenheim got a good start, and soon had nearly a length's lead, and then their troubles began. The sea, really too heavy for best-nnd-best rowing, completely disorganised tho combination, and, by the time 100 yards had been covered, the crew was shipping water, and in trouble generally. Mennwhile the ligher Picton representatives were hitting their boat along with a quick, short jab, averaging nearly 40 per minute, and seemingly quite at homo in. : the jobble'. And so tho procession wended its way to tho winning post. Blenheim -nover got going at nil, and the men finishejl up literally .without getting warm. It was a great performance ,for Picton. and" stamps tho crew as worthy of a "go" at the; championship, but, .as a test of Blenheim's capabilities, the race furnished no criterion. It js still the writer's belief that the crew which beats this one at Wanganui will win the championship.

The Beaten Men Jeered At, "While on the matter of .Picton's good win. there was a side to it that is. not' so pleasant to refer to. This is the dccidcd unsportsmanlike attitude that was taken by some of the club's supporters at the finish of tho race —and, sad to relate, by somo of the club's rowing members. As is known, there is great rivalry between Victim and Blenheim, particularly in rowing matters,' and, naturally enough", the Picton faction woro greatly elated at their crew's, success, but this does not excuse the jeering that greeted the beaten crow on its landing. It is hard sometimes to tako a beating gracefully, and, seemingly, it- is oven harder in somo cases to take a win gracefully. There are some things that ono docs not like to seo in sport, and tho taunting of a defeated rival is ono of them.

And How Fared Wellington? Of the local crews Star were the only ones to meet with any measure of success. Tho club's innings consisted of two firsts and four seconds, out of six starts, and tho pecuniary emoluments attached' to tho day's work.-amounted to ,£l7, as against Picton's ,£GO, Blenheim's £i, and I'otono's £2. On the whole, the Star crews performed creditably. The two winning combinations, the junior double sculls (Turnbull and Brewer), and tho maiden pairs (Alexander and Abercrombie), both gnve good displays. The junior pairs deserved a better fato. Their boat was damaged in launching, and tho Blenheim boat—a smaller and lower rigged craft—was kindly placcd at their disposal for tho race. Even in the strange boat tho Star pair led until about 100 yards from home, when their craft filled, and lost them the best of.winning chances: The maiden double sculls was only lost by inches, and that after tho stroke, M'Kay, had finished a -hard race in the youth's fours, less than five minutes' previously. The maiden and youths' fours got good seconds against good crews and good fields, nnd both combinations showed promise of better things, with a littlo more rowing together. These two crews should be hard to beat in tho February regattas. Tho junior four had a ball run—as, indeed, did all tho craws in this division. On the first attempt to row this race, not a boat reached tho start-ing-post. Evjry ono swamped except tho Star crew, which paddled home in a sinking condition. On the second attempt only two crews ventured out—Picton and Petone (the Star men had to leavo by tho steamer).- Petone was left at the post, and Picton scrambled home first through the sea nnd sleet. Tho Wellington Club crews did not appear w-Miml ill) to. rn-ing form, nnd their slow stroke was quit© unsuitcd to the joblily water. The I'etouc men .wero rather disanpointing, although, as stated above, the junior crew did not. get an opportunity to show their capabilities. Fogwell a Spectator. Among the spectators on tho "follow-the-raco" boats wero .T. Corby, the bow in tho Wanganui Union champion crew, who was keenly interested in the form of the Blenheim seniors, and "Billy" Fogwell, the Australian sculler. Tho latter lias gone to Aknroa to endeavour to clinch a return match with George Whelch. If successful, lie will stay in New Zealand, but. if not, he intends leaving shortly to preparo for the big sculling handicap on the Parrumatta, in tho first week in March'.