ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1067, 4 March 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

(By Mrincuitr.).

AFTERMATH OP THE REGATTA.

The Fall of the Mighty. ' Thero is an aspect of last Saturday's championship results that strikes one at ouco ami that is the failure of tho defenders of the title to hold (heir places at tho top. Notwithstanding the fact that in all eases the clubs and (with the single exception of Picton in' tho Pairs) the identical crews that held the coveted honours were competing, in only one instance did tho title "stick." This single and honourable exception was, of course, Stone, tho champion sculler. In the Pours, the defending champions— identical to a man with last year's crew —could/ only get third place. In the Double Sculls the champions were rowed out and did not finish. In the Pairs, the champion stroke was engaged, but with a new bow, and the duo were disqualified after rowing second. This turning of tho tables is, as far as tho writer's memory serves, unique in the history of our championship regattas. There have been instances when the champion crews have been absent. This year's slaughter of the 1 "red-coat men" must bo taken as an index of tho high standard of the sport in the Dominion. Last year's experienco in Australia showed us that the standard of our rowing is up to the mark, and there has been no reason to think that that of our sculling is any lower. What Think Ye? This year's lesson is that this standard is not set by individual and outstanding crews. It proves conclusively that our crews are at least as good, and perhaps a little better, than those of last year. This is a satisfactory state of affairs, and an even more gratifying feature is that the form shown by tho Junior and llaiden crews indicates that there are men coming along in the lower grades upon whom wo can safely rely for the retention of the present high standard. • ' Our aim should now be to raiso this present level. The only way this can bo done is to match our best against the best of other countries, beginning, of necossity, witu Australia. Last year as far'as was then possible this was done with extremely pleasing results to o'ui'selves. But this was only as far as fouroared rowing is concerned. Now, as is known, eight-oar work is considered to bo the Australian rfiwing man's long suit. The States individually specialiso on rowing in eights. Pair.oar and double scull work, as we know it (that is in best and best boats and as championship contests), have no placo worth considering "011 tho other side," and' it is much the eatno with four-oared'rowing. _ It is all eights and single sculls, but eights 'easily first and foremost.

Therefore our aim should bo to "try out" our best men against the Australian be.st in this branch of the sport. The difficulties in. the way are'great, and perhaps tho time is not yet, but this end should be worked for. Its attainment is perhaps nearer to hand than is generally thought. Tho Dominion has the men, Wanganui has the boats for them to train in, and tho river to train on. What is wanted is.leave for the selected eight and the monev.'

Interesting Einht-Oar Trial. Tho above reflections have be:n brought to a head by ail incident that occurred at Wanganui after the regatta. On the following morning, one of tho Wanganui Club's eights was maimed by members of the Blenheim and the Wanganui Union crews, and the spectators were treated to ail exhibition of combined rowing that was a pleasure to witness. The crew consisted _ of Cotterill and Eylands (stroke and No. 3 of the Unions) stroke and No. 7, Andrews and, Jackson.(stroke aiuj,No. q. of the Blenheims);Kosi'.6id'nd s;'tie Hegglun brothers (Blenheim) Nos. •! and 3, and Dustin and Corby (Union) No. 2 and bow. It was astonishiug how the eight welded together. There was not a flaw in the time and siring, and the combination generally was "mbre 'that of a "crow that had b:eu together for a month than that of a scratch crow. As to the pace-; well, that is another matter. It remains to bo seen whether the principles that have made this double quartette so successful in fours would avail to tho same extent in eights. It certainly looked a most formidable combination of grace and power as it swung up the river. To make the occasion mote spectacular, and to give the onlooker's a thrill, a scratch race was arranged between the champions eight, and a cosmopolitan crew from ranks of the visiting oarsmen. This latter was stroked by Stoiie, the champion sculler of three years' standing, representing St. George's Club, Auckland, and members of the Waitemata, Canterbury and Star Clubs, each, man wearing his club's colours; and, truly, neither the lilies of the licld nor Solomon in all his glorv were arrayed as • was this cosmopolitan octette.

Tho two eights rowed im tho river a little over two miles, when they turned, and the cosmopolitans took e. handicap of some three or four lengths. A more or less strenuous raco took placo back to tho sheds —tlie more on tho part of tho scratch lot, and tho less on tho part of the champions. Still the going was fairly brisk, and tho handicap proved to to a good one. The combined champions won after a grand rattle over tho last furlong by half a length, and an exchange of cheers closed a most interesting incident. Tho winning boat was "coxed" by Mr. George Marshall, the captain of-the Wanganui R.C.,< and the second boat by Mr. i. W. Cooper, an ex-secretary of the Star B.C. River Currents and tho Revving, On Monday there appeared among tho comments on the regatta a note about tiie current in the river, and its effect on tlie various courses drawn by the competing crews. In tho championship events this effect was not so noticeable—the' fields wore sufficiently small to allow each of the contestants to got a share of tho assisting tide. In the Sculls there was a big field, certainly, but, as is the rule in this event, tho competitors strung qut until each man could pick his own water. In tho Maiden and Junior events it was different. The fields in these were -so large that n crew, starting 111 a certain position, had to keep its water or risk disqualification for fouling. The trouble was that, before the-tide changed in the afternoon, there was a decided current down the river, which naturally was fester in tho centre than at the banks. In fact, at ono bank, tho No. 1 position 011 the programme, there was a slight back eddy. On the other bank it did not matter as tho river was out of bounds, and off tho course.

The result of this was that the crews in tho inside positions had no cliancc whatever from tho start. With the Star crews this had a disastrous result. In all their races but one, which they won with ease, the.v drew No. 1 positions. An analysis of_ tho results shows tho effect of this. As will bo remembered the Star Maidens rowed to within six feet of the Canterbury crew in AVellington on the previous Saturday. Last week, with a week's additional training, and rowing in better form than at the local regatta, they did not get within four lengths. Tliey had No. 1 position, and Canterbury the centre "of the river.

In the Junior clinker event it was the same. The Star men could not. get within lengths of the winner, and finished fourth. They also started from No. 1 position. Now, in the other .Tumor race against the same opposition, but starting from the centre, the same crew simply made hacks of the opposition, and won casing up by a three lengths. In fact, as an onlooker remarked, in all theso races there wcro two distinct groups at the finish, one, in front, consisting of boats starting from the middle position outwards to No. 10, and the other unfortunate group, '"wav behind," compiled of the inside division of starters. Tin's (and the weather) was the only flaw in tlio regatta, and it is hard to say, vliile rivers will be rivers and_ currents will ho currents, how the position is to lie ,t|tered. But. it is rough cn some of the competitors.