ROWING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 7, 9 January 1915, Page 10

ROWING

(By "Scull.")

The Marlborough Regatta was held at Picton on New Year's Day, in good weather. There were no representatives from Wellington, Wanganui, or Nelson, but Blenheim and Wairau sent competitors for the Maiden and Youths' Fours. Poor entries had so much to do with Picton' s success that they won four out of six races without meeting opposition. So accustomed have the Marlborough enthusiasts become to seeing good entries from outside clubs for their regatta that they were keenly disappointed when on New Year's Day they opened their programme and found the entries were almost purely local. There was hardly cause for regret, however, when we consider how all our big clubs are sending men to the war, with a consequent depletion of active rowers. Disappointing though the regatta was, still something was done by Picton in the Maiden Fours to prove that they still possessed some stubborn defenders. They won with two lengths to spare, but they had to be thoroughly roused, by Wairau before they put forth their best effort. The fog which hung over the Lyttelton regatta and which rose and fell as if in sympathy with the strike in 1913 and war in 1914, lifted to mark a continuance in the annual meeting. On New Year's Day in lovely weather Lyttelton distributed £99 in prize-money amongst Akaioa, Sumner, Avon, and Union. One | boating club, Kaiapoi, were successful in winning the R. B. Grange Gold Medal ; and Cleary Shield, Canterbury being ' awarded the Regatta Committee s medal for second place. Union won £33 by i annexing four firsts, two seconds, and four thirds; Sumner £32 for three firsts ' and three seconds ; Avon £22 for three firsts, tw£ seconds, and two thirds ; and Akaroa £12 for one first, one second, and one third. C. Towns, who defeated S. Kemp last Saturday in a match for £200 a-side, has never actually won a superior title to the championship of New South Wales, which he at present holds. He held the championship of the world for a brief period on a forfeit from his brother George, but was defeated by W. Webb in his first race in defence of the title. Hannan, who has lodged a challenge to row Webb, took his boats to Picton last week, but has since returned to Wellington, where he will again indulge in some casual sculling in order to keep fit. H. Young, who has 1 been rowing in the bow seat of the Star Club's junior regatta four-oar crew, is now unable to row owing to his frequent absence from Wellington. His place has not as yet been, filled.