ROWING

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 139, 9 December 1921, Page 11

ROWING

CLUB RACING

MOTHES SHIELD REGATTA.

(By "Stroke.")

Training operations of the three local clubs are now in full swing, with a view to Picton Regatta, and the first of the two regattas to decide the -nothes Shield. The first Mothes Shield regatta is to take place to-morrow, either at Petone or in Wellington, according to the nature of the weather, and, judging from all accounts, competition is expected to be keen, especially bo in the junior and the maiden f«Jfe. Most of the clubs have dupl'AiS crews, and large fields are expect?U. ~The programme is as follows :—Fours: Senior, junior, maiden, light maiden, and youths; pairs: Junior and maiden; double sculls: maiden and youths. The crews as picked to. represent Petone to-morrow do not contain many surprises, and, taken, oi> the whole, are the best that could be picked from the material available. Among the new names to Appear are those of Holmes and Springer in the senior fours; both these men are late of Wanganui. Adamson, who is rowing No. 3iii the maiden fours, is also a new man to regatta crews this year, having recently returned from America. He should be a valuable addition to the' crew.

A departure was taken from the ordinary course of club routine at Petone one nighty this week, when Mr. H. K. Adamson gave a lecture to regatta crews on "Physical Fitness and Training-." The question of arranging evening lectures has been discussed by various members of the local association, but nothing has ever resulted. This is a branch of the sport which could be taken up with advantage to members. Star regatta crews, including those in training for the Mothes Shield regatta, are doing steady work after a bad beginning, due to changes in the personnel of the crews, ancl the time taken to complete the FitzGerald Fours, in which many of the regatta men were rowing. The junior crew, under the coaching of Mr. W. R. C. Oswin, and the maiden crew, under Mr. O. R. Bendall, are swinging well, and show considerable promise. The youths' crew, however, are doing very little work. They are without a coach at present, and their stroke seemß to be unable to get his men —who are all keen—into the boat together. "- The club's chances in the Mothes Shield regatta to-morrow are somewhat hard to determine, but its crews are bound to feel once more the lack of condition, in spite of their strenuous efforts during the past ten days. The FitzGerald Fours competition, commenced a fortnight ago, was concluded on Tuesday evening last, resulting in success in the final for Robb's crew over Pringle's, after a close race, by a length. Last Saturday afternoon the Ladies' Fours was rowed, through all its stages to the final. A most unfortunate mistake as to the finishing-line in the first few heats robbed the race of much of its interest, and caused some dissatisfaction among crews who had an adverse decision given them when they appeared to be leading by about two lengths. In the final, R; N. Wakelin's crew defeated his brother's by about two lengths. The winning crew was: R. Wakelin (Btroke), J. G. Duncan (3), M'Kegg (2), Jaques (bow). A record that must take some beating is' that of R. M'Kegg, one of the club's novices of this season, who has won all three of the races he has' competed in. He is a powerful youth, who should be carefully coached.