SHIP’S BOAT RACES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 139, 8 March 1929, Page 13

SHIP’S BOAT RACES

NORTHUMBERLAND’S CHAMPIONS .CADETS BEAT FIREMEN Following the two ship’s boat races between the junior and senior cadets of the training snip Northumberland, which were rowed on Tuesday, the championship contest was virtually decided yesterday afternoon. The race was to have been rowed on Wednesday, but was postponed owing to the bad weather. Yesterday’s race was rowed in the Northumberland’s accident boats, betweencrews representing the cadets, and the ship’s firemen. The keenest interest in the event was displayed by the whole ship’s company, and in addition to them, it was watched by the crews of other liners, and many waterside spectators. Boat work being part of the cadet s duties, gave their representative crew something of an advantage, and it comprised five lads who rowed in the senior cadets’ race on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the engine-room department strongly fancied the firemen’s crew, who had spent much time at various ports of call on the coast, in training for the event. The crews were as follow: —Cadets.— C. N. Gibb (stroke), N. R. Whitwell, F. R. F. Wilson; P. R. D. Tutt Jbow), G. D. Lyver (cox). Firemen. —G. Knights (stroke), J. Thomas, T. Hill, C. Purcell (bow), F. Plunkett (cox). Captain H. L. Upton, commander of the Northumberland, acted as starter and judge, and got the boats away wel together. Pulling in smooth water, and against a light southerly wind, they made good time across the harbour, and reached the turning-point off Clyde Quay Wharf practically level. Here the training of the cadets served them well, and having the inside position, they, got round quickly. The firemen had to go wide to avoid a foul, and they lost more time when the stroke man and the coxswain changed places. The cadets kept their lead on the home stretch, notwithstanding the best efforts and the good rowing of their opponents, and won by about four lengths. Both crews were heartily cheered for their fine display of oarsmanship. On board the Northumberland, the cadets crew _ are now regarded as the ship s champions, though they have yet to row against an officers’ crew, who yesterday were not very sanguine about their chance.