ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1265, 21 October 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

■ « FIRST KEGATTA PROGRAMME. (Bt "Jleeodby.") It Coomes From Westport. The Westport Regatta Committee arc first in the field with a preliminary programme of events for a regatta on December 28. The prize-money for the rowing events is substantial although only i maidens and youths are cat'ercd for. In the former class, the fours aro given .£ls for first prize, and £5 for second; double scull*, £7 firet, and .£3 s-econd; single sculls £7 first, and £3 sccond. First money for the youths' fours is .CIO, and second ,£3—prize-money - which should draw entries from the Marlborough clubs at least. It is unlikely that any of tlio local club men will b'o nblo to get into The novelty is being eagerly looked for, perienco at I'icton on New Year days provtd that. Local Weather and Water. The weather conditions on the harbour have been peculiarly favourable to rowing for the time of year. This happy state of affairs has been taken full advantage of by (he 'Wellington and Star Club crews for training, and the result is to be secu in the improved boat-work of the men engaged. However, there is still a long way to go before most of the crews v.ill be ready to go to the post, and it is rather c-arly yot for detailed criticism of the individual work of the oarsmen. Many of them, in fact, are making their first essays as "wet-bobs." The Wellington Club's crows will be the first engaged in racing as their opening eveiit--the club fours—is set down for commencement oil .Monday evening. The Star men havo longer for preparation, their boat-racing starting on November i. Wellington Club's Ladder Contest. The 'Wollington Club has set afoot a new schemo for its junior scullers—new, Hint is, for rowing events. This is tho institution of a "ladder," ns is done in tennis—tho competitors mounting, or descending, rung by rung, ns they are challenged (and either win from or lose) those immediately between them on the list. Tho novelty is being engrly looked for, and its result should be fraught with interest. In a special interview with a Sydney "Sim" representative, after his recent rues in England with .Albany, "Jack"' Arnst stated that he is giving up sculling niul returning to cycling. A New Luminary Named Starr. A new luminary has appeared above tho sculling horizon in Sydney. Of tho new arrival "Rigger" in the ,r Daily Telegraph," writes:— A few months ago (he name of Frank Starr was an unknown one to the sculling world. To-day he is the proud winner of the big race at the Ulmaxra Regatta. Starr's career as a sculler dates back several months only. Being a big, strapping young man with great strength, he thought that perhaps with proper tuition ho might be able to emulate the examplo set by Arnst. In furtherance of this opinion he eamo to Sydney, and immediately got into communication with Arnst. The result was that ho shortly afterwards joined Arnst's camp and commenced learning howto «so a pair of sculls in an ordinary pleasure boat. He was very awkward at first, but as he bccamo used to them he took to it like a duck takes to water. As a consequence of this lie made rapid progress, and before very long he was pulling about in a Gladstone skiff, becoming accustomed to the use of the sliding seat and tho crankiness of the smaller boat. Having mastered these difficulties, ho took his seat in a wager boat and commenced work in real earnest. Ho made such rapid strides in the final stage that when Arnst was training to meet Pcarce to defend his title of champion of the world he had Starr as one of his pace-makers, the other being A. Felton. Train then Starr set out in earnest. Nephew of Old "Ned" Hanlan. A Sydney paper publishes the following cablegram, dated October 11, from Toronto: — E- Dnrnan, tho Canadian sculler, has accepted a challenge by "William Ilaines, of Boston, U.S.A., for a sculling'match for the championship of America. The rnco is to bo rowed on Toronto Bay. Durnan has, however, made a proviso that tho match shall not take place if Arnst, the world's champion, accents his challenge before the dato fixed for tho contest with Haines. This Tefe.rs to the Edward Durnan, a nephew of "Ned" Hanlan, one-time champion of the world, who came out to Sydney some years back, and was decisively beaten by' George Towns. 110 has since kept himself in the public eye to somo extent by hurling challenges broadcast to scullers of note—"Dick" Arnst included —but it is extremely i.mprobablo that his present engagement will bo interfered with by any action of the champion's. There are laws of the game honoured moro in tho breach than the observance (writes "An Old County Player" in "The Sportsman"). The one relating to handling the hail is broken frequently without any thought of the pains and penalties that could I)9imposed should a "needled'.' opponent suddenly tnkc it into his head to say, "How's that?" while another rtilo with which liberties are taken constantly is No. 45 directing umpires to allow two minutes for each striker to ooine in. Ido not. suggest for one moment that umpires should havo their burdens increased by clocking balsmen in and out with a stop watch, but it is really surprising the time that is wasted between iho falls of the wickets. The fielding side is r|uito satisfied in demanding that reasonable observance shall be taken of tho law governing this point, and 1 heard of a captain actually appealing against a professional for taking twice as logg as ho ought to have dot.ie to come in owing to a misunderstanding over (he batting order the other day. In such a caso as the one quoted, the blame could not lw fastened upon anybody, and nothing serious happened, but still the appeal can lio made sternly, and the batsman must lie given out for exceeding the time limit. I do not know how it would be put down on the score sheet, unless it was, "out for infringing Law 15."