EIGHTS AT EASTER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 105, 27 January 1939, Page 5

EIGHTS AT EASTER

Otago Desires Earlier Date WELLINGTON UNWILLING “If Otago is not prepared to run the eights when they have been allotted to it, the New Zealand Rowing Council should lake the fixture away from it,” said Mr. R. J. Tregurtha at last night’s meeting ot the Wellington Rowing Association when a letter was read from the Otago association, seeking support in its efforts to have the date of Ute Intel-provincial eightoared championships altered ironi April 8 (Easter Saturday) to March 25. The reasons given by Otago tor seeking the change were: —(1) The difficulties in arranging transport of boats at Easter; (2) difficulty in arranging* accommodation in Dunedin at reasonable rates at hotels near the rowing club; (3) that the limited amount of daylight in late March and April militated against training operations, and it was considered that Easter being late good water conditions, could not be relied on ; and (4) the desire ot Otago oarsmen to attend the Queenstown regatta on Easter Saturday. Air. Tregurtha said that if Otago was not prepared to. run the eights,, perhaps Wellington could take over the fixture. It would actually cost the Wellington association less to do that than to seud a crew as far south as Dunedin. . On the motion of Mr. J. 1. Thodey, it was decided to write to the New Zealand council that the Wellington association did not favour any alteration in the date, but that if there. were no proposal from any other association Wellington would cousider running the eights at Easter.

A brief discussion took place on the cutting out of crews the Mothes Shield regatta on December 17 because of late arrival at the start. Members were agreed that the starting of Mr. A. E. White had been good, even though the regatta had been running late and it was considered that the action taken by the starter would have a salutary effect on regatta crews.

Saturday. February 25, the final day of National Fitness Week, was fixed as the date for the Redding Shield regatta.

WELLINGTON REGATTA Entries For February 4 Arrangements for the Wellington rowing regatta to be held on Saturday, February 4, on Wellington harbour were discussed last, night at a meeting of the Wellington Regatta Club, at which Mr. K. E. May presided. The secretary reported that the entries totalled 74, a decrease of 11 from the previous year. Disappointment was expressed at the poor response from the southern clubs, and in particular from Marlborough, which might have been expected to be strongly represented in view of the Dominion .championships at Picton on February 11. The entries are as follows:— Junior welter fours: Wellington, Wanganui Union, Star No. 1 and 2, Aramolio. (Nine last year.) Junior singles: Wellington, Wanganui Union, Petone No. 1 ami 2. (Five lastyea r.) Senior singles: Auckland No. 1 and 2, Petone, Aramolio. (Six last year.) Maiden fours: Napier, Wanganui. Star, ■Wellington No. 1 and 2. Wanganui Union, Petone No. 1. and 2, Aramolio. (Thirteen last year.) Senior fours: Napier, Wellington, Wanganui Union, Petone, Star, Aramolio. (Four last year.) Maiden double sculls: Wanganui Union, Star, Aramolio, Petone, (six last year.) Junior fours: Tauranga, ■Wellington. Petone, Star No. 1 and 2. (Seven last year.) Senior pairs: Tauranga, Auckland, Wa’nganui Union, Petone, Star, Aramolio. (This was not included in last year’s programme.) Maiden pairs: Wellington, Wanganui Union, Blenheim. Petone, Star, Aramolio. (Seven last year.) Youths’ fours: Wanganui, Wellington No. 1 and 2, Wanganui Union, petone 1 and 2. Star. (Nine last year.) Senior double sculls: Auckland, Wellington, Petone. Aramolio. (Not on last year's programme.) Junior pairs: Tauranga, Blenheim, Petone, Star, Aramolio. (Seven last year.) Lightweight maiden fours: Wellington. Wanganui Union, Petone, Star. (Eight last year.) Open eights: Tauranga, Auckland, Wellington, 'Wanganui Union, Petone. (Four last year.) The draw in each race has not yet been announced.