ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 12

ROWING.

[By "Memcht."] THE LATEST WORD ON STYLE, "Dick." lie has arrived at the ond of his journo.y, weight 1(! stone. Which moans that "Uirit," to get down to his racing weight (l.'Ssl. 51)).), has to reduce by practically llii'fo stone, and that within three months. Thin in ft big item and a task to which tho champion and Jifs Irainpr will require to i[iv« (di)so attention. Nearly half n pound a ('my for 90 days removel tho possibility ol tho reduction being made giudually and, with a minimum ul exertion, which (in my mind) is euhi'iiliul in l.hu preparation of athletes. IJuiok seduction, with its necessary heavy exertion, has mi undoubted tendency to idiili'W'-i.i which one trusts may be avoided in this instance-. l/'iirLhcr, "Jlick" has bocn so long out of tho boat now that it will take some I'miD tor him to get properly settled down to his work and, though the date advised «'» M:t down for his meeting with /Jnrry is July '£i, "Jlcrcury" would not l»<; Hoi'iirlsed to hear later that it has been moved on somewhat. R is mid that a man is his own best i'riond, hut that is not always so with an othlete. )io need.f some ono to coax and, If needs he, fijreo him to wark, and at On> jiutfif) timo Us his true and tactful fii'-foi. "ffas boons" in ail branches of athletic* know tho value of a good and tnmt'.d trainer, and ono is sure that ho Is expressing the. wish of readers in saying thai wo hope that, in "Bossy" Phelps, whom m> are advised is to be "Dick's" trainer, "Dick" has sc-eured tho right man, Good luck to him. Style—A Long Word, But the Latest, Continuing my remarks of last week in which I stated that very careful and thoughtful consideration iiad been given by tho committee set upby the Now South Wales Rowing Association to discuss tho principles of rowing generally with a viewto uniformity, the following is a synopsis of the "points" approved and adopted as the basis on which crews should bo coached.

1,-The Seat. Sit on the buttocks, not on the "tail": adjust tho stretcher so that, when you slide right forward, you can touch tho front chocks with ease. When the elide is right back the legs aro still a little bent. Sit square; plant the feet square; and set the hands square. 2.—The Grip of the Oar. Grip tho oar with tho hand 3 about three inches apart. Grip with tho Supers —not with the palms of the handsthumbs underneath. Grip firmly, but not rigidly. A rigid grip causes cramp iu tho forearm. 3.—To Reach Out. Bring the slide right forward against tho chocks. When the slide is in this position, the body should have swung so far forward from tho hips (with tho arms straight) that the blade of the oar is well ahead of tho poppet—i.e., reach well out, but without screwing the body round after tho oar handle. 4.—To Catch. Keep the- arms straight and life the shoulders smartly from the hips, throwing the whole weight of tho body on to the oar. At the same time press tho feet firmly against tho stretcher and do not move tho slide until tho body has swung back just beyond the perpendicular. Grip the "water exactly where the blade is when you are right out. s.—To Drlvo. Almost, but not quite, simultaneously with the catch, drive both feet against the strotcher as vigorously as possible. As the elide is thus being driven back, keop the arms straight and continue to swing back from the hips (without screwing). This brings into action at tho same time the | full, Gteongth of tho legs, tho back, and I the loins. 6.~T0 Finish.

When the slide has reached th« back chocks, bend the arms and rip the hands homo to the body as hard and as fast us you can—the root of tho thumb egainst the ribs. Let the elbows pas 3 close to the sides of the body. While bringing the hands home, keep the abdominal muscles firm so as to prevent the body from sinking away or rolling (i.e., "sit up at tbo finish"). 7.—To Recover. The instant the root of the thumbs touch the ribs drop the bauds and forearm from tho elbows sufficiently to lift the Wade clear of the water. Turn on the leather and drive tho hands right out until the arms are quite straight. Do not turn on feather until the hands have been dropped. Swing the shoulders up after the hand's until the shoulders are just past the perpendicular.. Then start tho slido forward. As the slide is coming forward continue to swing the body forward from tho hips. Control both slide and body on tho recovery—(l) by keeping tho feet pressed against "the stretcher, and (2) by pressing the button of tho oar against tho poppet, llaiso the hands gradually while coming forward (to counteract, tho swinging down of the body) and keep the blade of the oar closo to the water. Turn oil' tho feather gradually when Hearing the end of the swing forward. Throughout the recovery keep tho shoulders braced firmly down and back, particularly when about to catch. The moment the slide touches tho forward chocks, without the slightest pause lift tho shoulders sharply, cover the blade, and thus being the next stroke, General Rowing Tips. Keep the blades perfectly square, and just covered from the catch to tho finish. The drive should follow tho catch bo quickly that only one movement is apparent, otherwise there will bo a break in tho stroke,

At the finish, the dropping of tho hands, shooting them out, and bringing tho shoulders up past tho perpendicular should be blended so as to appear almost as tho one movement.

It is most important that tho recovery should bo steady, and that the body should swing from the hips straight forwards and backwards along tiie line of tho keel. At tho finish avoid swinging so far back that it is a decided effort to bring the shoulders up again to tho perpendicular. The toe-straps may be used to slightly assist tho early part of the recovery. Star Club's Annua! Presentations. Locally there are no defeats or wins on the w'aier to record, the various clubs having made all snug for tho winter. Tho writer is informed that tho Star Club will make its annual presentation of prizes at a dinner at tho Hotel Windsor on tho 21th inst., and doubtless the Wellington and Petone Clubs will havo similar functions at an early date. Olympic Crow. R.M.S. Osterley, with her valuable freight and O'OO passengers, including tho Australian crew for Stockholm, is nowwell on-her journey. Eu route "tho crew" had most satisfactory rows at Hobart and on tho Yarra. At Frcmantle they will have another couple of spins, and after that no more till (hey reach the Thames. After the solid preparation given before leaving, tho spell will do no harm—ill fact, should be rather beneficial. Who Is Stevenson? The following letter appears in (he last issue of the "Referee." written to tho editor:Sir,—Would you kindly allow mo a small space in'your paper in answer to Bob Stevenson, of Wellington, New Zealand, who wishes to row mo five miles on tho Parrnniatta River? I think that it is near!;,' time now that he posted a .£25 deposit, instead of doing so much talking and letter-writing. All the advertising available can'be obtained if ho will but put up his money, nnd race mo five miles fur .£IOO or .£2OO aside. And, should lie win, that will be quite enough limelight for him, surely. Thus, unless he makes n move with some of (hat money of his, f wish, he would keen quiet. I w'ill wait fur his deposit (ill April 30. and no longer —so coble your money, friend Bob. (Signed) !•'. S. HAGNEY, Sculler. Sydney, April 19. "Mercury" would be pleased to niec-l "Bob," and have a talk on sculling mattors generally.