Rowing.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5175, 21 March 1888, Page 2

Rowing.

POVERTY BAY V. NAPIER.

Tho annual boat races between the Poverty Bay and Napier orews were rowed yesterday afternoon. The weather was beautiful, while a better course oould not have been chosen. Th» course was two miles from the Bluff in a straight Lino, the starting post being near the railway crossing at the top end of White-road, so that a fairly good view of tho races was obtained by spectators, the attendance of whom was very large indeed. There was scarcely a ripple on the water. The first race was between the Poverty Bay crow and a second Napier crew. The following were tho crews : —Poverty Bay : Lee (stroke), Hansen (3), Nesbitt (2), and Reed (bow). Napier: Tabuteau (stroke), Brooking (3), Liddlo (2), and R. Duncan (bow). This proved a moral for the visitors, who rowed in fine style, and looked in grand form. The Napier men, on the other hand, "did not appear in such good condition. Tho Poverty Bay crew soon went away with tho load, and gradually increased the dis- i tance between them and the local boat. The race was never in doubt, for it was won very easily by about three hundred yards. GISBORNE V. NAPIER. Tho other race was between the first crew of the Napier Rowing Club, and the Gisborne Rowing Club's representatives, the crews being as under:—Gisborne: Bourne (stroke), Smirdle (3), Miller (2), and Booth (bow). Napier: Stycbe (stroke), Gollan (3), Smith (2), and Crowley (bow). There was a great delay at the starting post. Eventually a start was effected, and one of the best boat races ever witnessed in Napier ensued. Both crews appeared to be in good condition, and wero evidently determined to make a hard struggle. For some time the two boats kept well together, and both crews were pulling a steady stroke. After a little more distance had been traversed the Gisborne men's boat edged ahead slightly. The Napier men at once responded with a spurt and somewhat decreased the distance separating the two boats; both orews now pulled hard for supremacy. Tho Napier crew were not to bo denied, however, and when the Fire Brigade station was reached thoy held a load of about three-quarters of a length and were rowing well within themselves. In tho series of spuria up to this point Napier always had the most to say, and rowing a fine long stroke dospite every effort on the part of the Gisborne crew, who were rowing with great determination, Napier won ,byi _, length. Both crews heartily cheered each other at the finish. DINNER. In tho evening tho visitors were entertained at a dinner at tho Criterion Hotel, where a pleasant gathering took place.