In the Boats

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 91, 14 October 1922, Page 15

In the Boats

CLUB ACTIVITIES

SEASON WELL UNDER WAT.

(By " Steoke.")

The new season's rowing programme is now being considered by clubs, and so far everything is pointing to a most successful summer's sport. The ice was broken at the recent Redding.Shield regatta, and now club races are engaging the attention of members. Star is busy on the work for the novice pairs (for which a large number of entries have been received); and the senior and junior fours, which have also drawn satisfactory" entries. Petone is contemplating its' trial fours, which are open to all its club members, and VVellington's first club race will probably bo the Bert Shaw Memorial fours. Favoured with ideal weather for the greater part of this week, the vicinity of the sheds has been the scene of mucii activity. Training is now being taken up seriously, and each, evening- sees a fleet of skiffs on the water. Crews are somewhat rough at present, but should decidedly improve as a result of their work. Beside the White Horse Cup, opening day regatta included two otner cutter races—one for the Mothes Cup, and one for the Rabe Memorial Mag— between the port and starboard watches of the Wellington Navals. The Mothes Cup was woii'by the 15th Battalion (Wellington) from tiie 17th Battalion (Petone) by about seven lengths. The Wellington Navals hold Beveral cups which are competed for annually, and include the Murray Cup (presented by Mr. Murray at the end of last season), the Lloyd Swimming Cup (at present held by H. C. Clouston). All racing and sailing events are contested in the club's naval cutters^ boats about 33ft in length atad. weighing IScwt. When fully manned, which means carrying about fifty passengers and crew, they touch the two-ton mark. The extensive season's programme of races also in•eludes an inter-club sailing race for junior coxswains, and the Zealandia Cup race (trophy presented by the captain of the Home liner Zealandia).

The Wellington Navals are in possession of one of the oldest shooting belts in New Zealand, which is at present held by Bombardier G-. Stewart. The belt is a particularly fine one of solid; silver, and is valued at £100. The Wellington Navals (15th Battalion) team experienced a very successful season last year, winning every shooting trophy competed for in the central command. The club has a history which any society could well be proud of, and the Old Navals boatshed is worth a visit, even if only to study the photographs of one-time famous crews, which adorn the walls. One group of a cutter crew is of particular interest, and interwoven with its history runs the story of how that crew beat the crack cutter crew from H.M.S. Challenge in 1907. The British warship had a crew which nothing in the Navy nor Australia could touch, and when tho vessel came to Wellington a match was arranged/with the Old .Navals. Xije race occasioned a good deal of interest, which changed to boundless enthusiasm when the Wellington crew won by a length. Not satisfied with,.this defeat the man-o'-warsmen demanded that the race should be re-rowed, and that the cutters should be exchanged. The local crew then beat the sailors m their own cutter by four lengths. It is: interesting to note that Mr. A. J. Griffith, well known in local Rugby circles, coxed the Wellington crew to victory. Mr. Griffith is remembered as one of the best coxswains the society ever produced. A. A. Baynes, the Queensland amateur sculler who was defeated in the race for the Diamond Sculls at • Henley-on-Thames, is noV .in Melbourne, where he is training for the Silver Sculls, to be decided on the Victorian Henley-on-the-Yarra. Baynes, according to a report received in Sydney, said that this race may be his last. The Queensland amateur i« only twenty-three years of age. Speaking of rowing and sculling generally, Baynes, in an interview in Melbourne, said he considered the best Australian . scullers would more than hold their own with those of England. He also thinks, 'after seeing Britain's best eight-oar crew— Leander, which won the " Grand " this year—that the Murray Bridge crew which won the Australian championship at Brisbane in 1920 and at Sydney this' year, would be able to account for it. " The proposal that the Murray Bridge crew should go to Henley created no end of discussion," he said. " The' British authorities are adamant regarding the amateur definition, and ruthlessly enfoii c the regulation which prevents artisans or manual labourers ifrom competing at Henley. This year several foreign entries were rejected on this account. I did not at any time hear it mentioned that a crew from Great Britain would be likely to compete at the Olympic Games at Paris in 1924."

It will be remembered that in the race for the Champions l?airs at the 'championship regatta in March* last, the Avon crew fouled the Wanganui Union crew, and that the Christchurch Union crew crossed the finishing line first. The umpire, Mr. Swanger (remarks a Wanganui writer), was appealed to by the Avon crew, and he ordered the Avon, Christchurch and Wanganui Union crews to re-row the race. The fe-row took place on the following Monday morning, and, as the Wanganui Union crew was the only one to put in an appearance, they rowed over the course and were declared the winners. Christchurch Union protested to the Wanganui Bowing Association against the umpire's decision. The Wanganui Association endorsed a report from the umpire, and on the Christchurch Union Club being notified of thi^ they appealed to the N.Z.A.R.A. The appeal was before a meeting of the council recently, and the following communication relative thereto lias been received: —" As Rule 18, Laws of Boat Racing, provides that the decision of the umpire in all cases shall be final and without appeal, the council has no jurisdiction;' therefore the appeal .of the Union Rowing Ofab (Christchurch) and Canterbury., Association must be dismissed. You will therefore be in order in paying over to the Union Boat Club (Wanganui) the donation allotted for the race in question."