Rowing

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 131, 27 February 1929, Page 8

Rowing

By ’

"SCULLS"

Coming Events. March 2.—lnterclub “eights," at Wellington.

March 9. —Wanganui Regatta. March 16. —Inter-provincial “eights,” at Lyttelton.

Championship Regatta. Despite rather poor entries in some of tlie events, as well as the uon-‘appearanee of several contestants, the championship regatta at Plcton last Saturday was remarkable for the number of close aud exciting finishes, some of the races being won by a matter of inches only. The four championship races, as was to be expected, were indeed interesting to watch ami particularly so when o.ie remembers all the forecasting of results by some of the wise people. Turner impress ed very much in the single sculls, showing a lot of improvement since last year's championships on the Wanganui River Except for twice catching his sculls in tlie choppy water he gave a tine display of sculling and forced the defending "hampion to the very utmost over the whole distance, finally wearing the latter down. It would have been unfortunate for him it the “crab” just near the finishing linn had lost him the championship, and ld< win by six inches was very popular after his fine effort against Jackson. Jackson’s chance came in the ehampion doubles, when, with Traill, he annexed the title for the second successive time against the ex-champions, St. Clair and Molesworth, of Hamilton. Hamilton’s Win.

Hamilton's performance In the champion fours —the classic of New Zealand rowing since 1887, when the annual championships were inaugurated by the then newly-formed New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association —was a triumph for the river club. The crew rowed with almost faultless precision over the entire distance of two miles, end when once ahead of the others simply let them make the pace—first Plcton and then Wanganui Union being tlie pace-makers Union’s effort over the second mile was Indeed worthy of the retiring champions, for they were a good two lengths to tlie bad at half-way, yet chased Hamilton to within three feet at the finish Their second defeat later in the day in 'he Marl borough Plate was surprising at the rime, for it was not generally known but a substitution had taken place in .‘he forward end of the boat—Moss having dropped out. Kruse taking his place at 2, and Traill acting as substitute bow. This undoubtedly affected their combination in the second event.

Good Win by Star. Star’s wiu iu the champion pairs was not generally anticipated, for the rest of rhe contesting crews were either champions or ex-champions. Cooke and Williams (the Star crew) had beaten the defending champions at the Christchurch regatta two weeks previously, true, but it was to be expected that the Avon would improve witli their week’s training at Pieton. Instead, they were nowhere in the race after a quarter of a mile had beeu covered. Again, Star had not had any opportunity of testing themselves out against Wairau or Hamilton this season. Their sensational win came as the result of forcing the pace to the utmost right from the start, which tactics were deserving of great credit considering the company In which they competed. Their win was very popular, particularly since it was the first championship for 24 years to come to the Star Boating Club—indeed, the first to come to Wellington during that time. The lasi occasion was in 1905, when the Star Club (Bayfeild, Bendall, Hughes, and Oswin) won’ the champion fours on the Korokoro course near Petone. Mr. A. D. Bayfeild was an interested spectator last Saturday and expressed the keenest pleasure nt tlie result, he having worked hard for the eluli and the sport of rowing for many years. Cooke and Williams, as a crew, will not lie aide to defend tliclr title next season, for the latter Is leaving very shortly for England, in order to enter the Royal Air Force. For that reason also he has bad to stand down from the Wellington provincial “eight,” which was recently selected to compete at Lyttelton on March 16. The Season’s Champions.

Summarised, this season’s champion are: Champion Fours. — Hamilton Rowing Club: G. W. St. Clair (str.), B. Sandos (3), W. Bayly (2). E. A. Waters (bow). Champion Pairs.—Star Boating Club: G. C. Cooke (str.), G. E. Williams (bow). Champion Double-Sculls. —Union Boat Club (Wanganui): A. K. G. Jackson (str.), E. O. Traill (bow). Champion Single Sculls.—Tauranga Rowing Club: W. Turner. Cooke. Williams and Turner, being newcomers to the ranks of Hie champions, will lie presented with the coveted "red coats offered each year by the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association to the winners of the four championship races, and regarded as the highest honour attainable in the sport of rowing la the Dominion.