ROWING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 18

ROWING

Wellington Regatta On February 4 WANGANUI FORM Likely Guide To Success At Championships

(By

Stroke.)

Coming Regattas. February 4— Wellington regatta. February 11 —New Zealand championships, Picton. March 4—Napier regatta. Large Entries Expected. As it is held only a week before the Dominion championships at Picton, the Wellington regatta on February 4 is sure to attract large entries. Auckland is reported to be sending a strong contingent and there is the possibility of an eight from Tauranga. After their successes on Saturday, Wanganui clubs are bound to enter in all classes and with crews from the South Island competing as well, the entries may well reach record proportions. Wellington is deserving of this support because, though the prize-money is nothing out of the way, all classes of oarsmen are well catered for. Wanganui Regatta.

The Wanganui regatta wits held in ideal condition.-:, and except for the choppy water from the start to the Aramoho Bridge the crews had everything in their favour. The races went off well to time, as though time was lost in some events, it was made up in those following. In the maiden fours, a great deal of surprise was expressed when the first three crews were disqualified for finishing outride the buoy. Wanganui, who started in V’. 4 position from the town bank, actually passed the judge first, about two lengths ahead of Wellington, and Napier, who were No. 6 and 7 at the start. Whether Wanganui forced the other two crews outside the buoy could only be decided by the umpires, but the crew- came from fourth position to practically the outside, and must have either forced the other two crews off their course, or else led the Napier and Wellington coxswains to believe that the finish was actually the other side of the buoy. The umpires evidently were satisfied that nil crews could have finished correctly, and accordingly awarded th e race to Star, who were a fair way back fourth. The second place went to Wanganui Union. The Wellington crew rowed well and showed considerable improvement on their Picton form, when they were beaten for second place by Star.

Champions Win. The senior fours provided a great race for spectators on the 'bank. After passing the Aramoho Bridge it could be seen that two crews in blue were ahead of all others, and Wanganui Union supporters had high hopes of their crew lowering the colours of last year’s champions. However, as the race approacheel the finish, the Clifton crew could be seen in an unassailable position, and with three lengths to spare they passed the judge with Wanganui Union crew in second place. The Clifton crew on Wanganui form should again carry off the champion fours at Picton. They passed the post without being pushed, and gave a fine exhibition of rowing. ■ The Petone and Star crews found the opposition too strong. As expected, Hegglun, of the Wellington club, had no trouble in beating the opposition in the maiden singles, and he won by some eight lengths from J. Colway, Wanganui Union. This young sculler just paddled in, obviously saving himself for the junior sculls later in the day. in the junior sculls, Hegglun had ’’a much harder proposition in K. Boswell, Petone, who ran him to threequarters of a length at the finish. However, the double was his, and he opened his account in the sculling world. In the lightweight maiden fours, Star had to be content with second place to Wanganui Union, who passed the post a length to the good. Napier were well back third. The senior sculls drew only four entries and, with Luke, of the "Wellington club, unable to travel to Wanganui, only three men faced the starter. It. looked as though Abbott and Campbell would fight out the finish with Beasley, New Plymouth, as an unknown quantity. Great was the surprise of the onlookers when it was announced through the loudspeakers that Beasley had a comfortable lead after coming through the bridge. However, the announcer had not allowed for Campbell, of Aramoho, leaving the rest behind and crossing over to the town bank to come in an easy winner by six lengths from Abbott, Petone, who appeared off form. Beasley actually withdrew at the Aramoho shed. Win for Star.

Star wort the welterweight junior fours comfortably by three lengths from Aramoho and Wellington, who had a hard fight for second money. The Wellington cre_w surprised, as, with two substitutes in, they were a long way back with a quarter fo a mile to go, but they cracked on the pace for the rest of the distance and wgje going well at the finish. . With only three entries the maiden double sculls turned out to be an easy win for the Wanganui Union crew, who finished nine lengths ahead of Aramoho. Napier’s win in the junior fours was popular, and they won comfortably by a length and a haiyrom Star and Wellington, who dead-heated for second. Napier and Star were fighting it out neck and neck over the last quarter, but Star could not stand the strain and went to pieces, enabling Wellington to come up fast at the finish and share second money.

YVanganui Union produced as fine a looking crew as was seen on the day, apart from the senior events, in their youths’ crew. They rowed like champions, with perfect combination and body work, to pass the post two lengths and a half ahead of Wanganui. The Wanganui crew was watched with interest after its fine effort in the maiden fours, where it lost its win through the disqualification, but the ereiv that beat it was outstanding. Star were about six lengths back third.

The likely-looking Star pair went down to Aramoho by three lengths in the maiden pairs. The Petone crew finished third but was well back.

Superlative Crew. The Wanganui Union eight produced perhaps the finest rowing that has ever been seen in Wanganui and perhaps in New Zealand, when they beat the Petone eight in the final event. With perfect body swing and timing'they approached the finish as if one man was rowing the whole boat. No wonder Wanganui chests were thrown out and heads were held high when the flattering remarks that were passed on the bank came to their ears. Old rowing men of many years’ st_anding were in raptures over this crew and YY’ellington visitors will look forward to them giving the same display a( (he Wellington regatta. They should win at the championships and it would not surprise they weye picked to represent Wanganui (it the interprovincial regatta at Easter. The Petone crew were getting great- pace from their boat. but their body-vjijrk and timing left much to be desired.

Summing up, the regatta from the point of view of the clubs from Wellington, it seems that the abnormal winds prevailing this year are preventing the crews from giving their best and-if the water conditions’ do not improve soon it looks an though they are going to find it difficult to beat, crews who have had none of this trouble.. 4