Rowing.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 14

Rowing.

(By "Scull.")

Favoured with the finest of southerly weathor, and with splendid shelter under the cliffs of Oriental Bay, rowing of lato has been most enjoyable. Cheered up by such pleasant conditions, oarsmen havo shown keen readiness to respond to the call of duty, and much willingness in sottling down to morning and evening work. j The best index of a club's health and strength is furnished by its rising talont; the number of young men who evince for tho §port a more thali usual aptitude. Judged by this test, rowing at Potone is splendidly served. " But with a shed so full of budding oarsmen, this club is experiencing great difficulty in gotting the services of old rowers who would be willing to givo these fledglings the benefit of their experience. With tho object of offering useful hints to oarsmen, young and old, I havo maximised most of the notes and comments which have already appeared in this column. I.' In practice spins, always swing and drive as you would in a Teal race. 2. Bring tho full weight of the body into all drives whenever practicable. 3. ' Avoid swaying out of position when driving tho blade home. 4. In all strokes, whether short or long, consider the arms as connecting pioces only. 5. At tho "catoh," don't over-roach yourself, or fall over the stretcher. 6. "Lift" straight from tho back and shoulders, bringing the legs into play simultaneously. 7. From "catch" to conclusion keep the pressure up throughout. Come out square, and don't feather under water. 8. Cultwato regidity of your body; let all the joints and muscles be well braced up to the work. 9. Balanoe the weight of tho stroke evonly on both feet. 10. Pay a closer attontion to sliding seat work than body movements. Don't slide too soon or fall away from your oar at tho finish of tho stroke. 11. Remdmber that the better you are able to make the leg muscles work the less will bo the strain on arm and body muscles. 12. Avoid pell-mell running about on the slidmg-plane and bruto strength in the manipulation of the oar. 13. See that the hands do not allow the oar to stray out of its course, and see that tho blado enters, faces, and leaves i/i m. water squarely and effectively. 14. Ine swing" and recovery should be steady and accurately performed; tnero is far moro actual and effective w ork done here than moots tho oye. 15. Try to corner your opponent by persistont tackling and resourceful tactics. 16> , I v , you ? hol > 1 d find that you are slightly quiokor, and possess a longer roach than your oppononts, thon watch carefully for your opportunity to shoot out and bang hard for tho load. '17. When oxhaustod at tho end of a race, get into tho most comfortable and easy position for free rospirationho back in tho boat with logs straight and knees apart. 18. Avoid strong stimulants oxoept in ceses of serious exhaustion, when the mouth may be rinsed out with whisky or brandy. f STAR BOATING CLUB. It was predicted last week that the selocted maiden regatta four would put up a, succossful defence against their ohallengers. This was realisod to the full. Tho margin of difference at tho finish (one longth) was tho result of a fine struggle, whioh lasted throughout the whole journey. Taking tho race as a whole, tho result was entirely satisfactory, for, while tho challengers did most of the pressing in the first half-mile, tho defenders balanced up matters in the second. It speaks well for Pyc-Smith's crew that they were able to place a length botween tho two boats in tho last low groups of lively strokes. •Ti 1 next cna H° n ge race to bo rowed vii between two senior orews. Tho ohallenge orew is composed of tho following:—A. D. Bayfiold (stroke), W. H Brewer (3), L. A. Marchant (2), and W. R. C. Oswin (bow). Up to tho present, this orew has had its path beset with technicalities concerning tho eligibility of one or two or its members, but now I am in tho happy position of being able to state that tho match committee has mi a * men Porfeolly eligible to row. The orew have not been out very regularly of late, but the displays they havo given havo afforded the strongest evidonce of the ability of the combination. All are well set up athlotes with muscular legs, and riohly endowed with the attributes essential to success, save In the sliding seat, work of stroke and No. 3, which is uncertain. Bayfield is a clean, resourceful back, resolute and manly, but his style cannot, as yet, be com P a rod with that of his palmy days. The selocted senior four have put into operation such a classical style of roVmg that they are sure to do well, but if one thing strikes ono more than another in comparing the work of both crews, it is the "pressure behind the strokes." The "drive" of the challenge crow is liko tho kick from a draught horse, whilst the "kick" of the selected crew is no more than that of a racehorso. The junior four-oar crew have beon out fairly constantly during the week, and have completed somo lengthy rows, but there is too much go-as-you-please about their movements for my liking. Ha.ids should be rattled away quickly over tho knees before coming forward quietly for tho next stroke. All should roach out and got on to the beginning more . determinodly. Bow should row well into the chest, and swing a trifle further back. Stroke should set upright, so that the bones of the pelvis form a sort of pivot upon which he can swing his body. He must straighten himself, and sit absolutely square at his work, and hold slide better. It will be seen that it is impossible for a man to lay out his strength to the greatest advantage with these essentials lacking. The race for tho senior and junior double sculls takes , place to-day. WELLINGTON ROWING CLUB. The senior regatta crew have been out fairly regularly, and have shown signs of strengthening weak points. A long row was undertaken as far as Petono on one day during tho week. The crew then set aside their boat, and started out for a brisk walk over several miles. Tho maiden regatta crew cannot be too .highly complimented upon their training operations. Their rows arc few and far botween, indicating a happy-go-luoky and unmethodical way of dome things. Stroke would be well advised if he took control of the crew, and ! pushed matters along more soriously. Ho j should put his heart and soul into his work, and study the welfare and conditions of his crow. If he thinks his men are behind in the matter of condition, ho should sco that they get, not only boating, but running exercise. Tho junior regatta fours are developing along sound linos, and have registered some useful rows, but a few long runs would holp them greatly. The race for tho senior • and junior fours is now occupying the time of the committee. Several heats have already i been rowed*