In the Boats

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 126, 24 November 1923, Page 18

In the Boats

SINK CLUB INTERESTS

FOR PROVINCIAL CREW

MAKE THE RACE A SUCCESS.

COMING EVENTS.

November 80—Btar B.C. Senior and Junior

Double Scults. November 30—Wellington R.C. Wareham Fours. December I—Petone E.C. Senior Fours. -

(By " Snows."!

With a vieiw to establishing a contest of a representative nature, and one that would create a large amount of interest, both from the viewpoint of the general public and those actively engaged in the sport itself, the interprovincial fours race was instituted, at a result of representation made by Auckland enthusiasts, and it was decided to make the fixture an annual one, to be rowed in the North and South Island alternately. The fixture, as it will be remembered, was rowed at Wellington last season, and this season's race is to take place under the Marlborough; Association^ jurisdiction, and will be held on Picton Harbour about March. It is pleasing to note that, the question of Wellington representation in the race is not being overlooked, and at a meeting of the Wellington Rowing Association held this week the matter was again given consideration. Delegates, however, were unable to say whether their clube would offer their entire strength for the selection of the crew, or would insist on the continuation of last year's system of selection from nominated men. The secretary was instructed to write to all clubs stressing the importance of making this season's interprovincial race a great success, and appealing to them to sink individual club interests for the benefit of the Wellington Centre and of the sport generally throughout New Zealand.

The Wellington Association is to be commended in taking up'its course, of action, and if other centres follow in the same direction and make available for selection in the crew to represent- their province all their club members, the four men ultimately picked for each crew will be the four best men of the province, and, consequently, the crews that enter for the race will contain the best oarsmen in New Zealand. AT THE WELLINGTON SHED. The Wellington Club has ordered a set of racing oars, two pair of racing sculls, and on£ pair of practice sculls, from J. M'Grath and Co., Dunedin. They are expected ta arrive within the next few days. ' ...'-.-

A large number of new members has joined tha Wellington Club. They are enthusiastic, and many of them are showing much promise. The two club races which have been got off have afforded excellent opportunities for the older members to coach the new ones in their crews, and, judging by the keenness displayed / and the improvement shown by some of these novices, their progress in the rowing world will be followed with interest. The following especially are showing much promise:--Peacock, Willetts, Case, Adams, Rose Kirkpatrick, Woulfe, Harrison, Banks, Meachem, and Warner. ■

Among those who have joined this season are R. H. Hurle, late of the Liverpool Club, Hobart, S. Leckie, an exmember of the Poverty Bay Rowing Club. Gisborne, A. Wilkie, ex-Aramoho, and A. Morris, ex-Petone. They have all had considerable experience with the oar, and will no doubt find their place in regatta crews during the season. The St. Patrick's College boys are rowing again this season, and the two crews should, ■with training and a little coaching, give a good account of themselves in intercollegiate races later in the season.

The club has two good coaches in J. R. Crawford and W. Thorn. From now on their time will be fully taken up with regatta crews and in giving advice to new members. The new pleasure boat purchased early in the season ha ß proved a boon to members. '

A couple of months ago the General Committee set up several sub-committees to control club affairs under the headings of management, plant, and clubhouse. The fact that this decision has met with success is clearly in evidence, judging by the condition of the plant, the cleanliness of the clubhouse, and the favourable position of the club from a financial point of view. A very pleasant was recently held in the clubhouse, when opportunity was taken to make a presentation to Mr. W.-Moye on the occasion of his marriage. His bride, Miss M'Dermott, is also a keen supporter of the club. Practically all those who represented the club in regattas last season will again be available this year. The following have been chosen to row at the Picton Regatta on New Year's Day :— Maiden Four: Bognuda (stroke), West (3), Moyes (2), Mawson (bow). Maiden Four (Lightweight): Van Slyke (stroke), Wilkie (3(, Morris (2), Collins (bow). Youths' Four: Van Slyke (stroke), A. Clark (3), Morris 12), Collins (bow); emergency, H. Robins.

Junior Four: Bognuda. (stroke), West (3), Moyes (2), Mawson (bow). Maiden Pair: Bognuda (stroke), Mawson (bow).

Maiden Double Sculls: Fraser (stroke) Scarfe (bow). Several club races have already been decided. In the Bert Shaw Memorial Fours seven crews entered, and some good races and keen finishes resulted. The final, rowed between Bright (stroke), Van Slyke (3), Morris (2), Willetts (bow), and Mawson (stroke), West (3), Clark '2), Peacock (bow), resulted in a -,win for the former after a close race, by one length. In the Kempthorne Fours, entries were received from six crews. The racing was again keen and interesting, the new members having benefited by the experience received in the previous race. The final, rowed between Clarke stroke), Hayes (3), Morris (2), Cose (bow), and Fraser (stroke), Moyes (3), Harrison (2), Collins (bow), resulted in a win for the former crew, who rowed a very even stroke, and kept excellent time, by two lengths. The next club race to be rowed will be the Wareham Fours, open to all club members. It will be followed immediately by the Club Double Sculls. THE MOTHES SHIELD. Finality has at last been reached in connection with the contest for the ahmld pi'eaiented n. few acae-una njo by Mr. J\. Mothes, of Fetone, for competi-

tion among the three local clubs, Petone. Star, and Wellington. It has been customary to hold two regattas, one early ln the New Year and the other towards the end of the season, to decide which club shall retain the trophy, but that scheme was regarded unfavourably by the Petone Club members, who desired the first regatta to be held in December. They argued that from the beginning of the season, about the end of September, till the New Year, a period of three months, there was no local competition other than the Bedding Shield contest, which is held on opening day, and they considered that a regatta held in December would tend to incveass interest among the clubß, and would also go a long way to creating interest a.mong outsiders. On paper, their argument seems sound enough, But it has bean the experience of oarsmen on the southern shores of the harbour that during the three months preceding the New Year the prevailing wind seriously interferes with rowing activities, and they consider that the suburban club, situated on the northern shore and enjoying more favourable weather in the early part of the season, would have an -advantage. Therefore, the two regatta* were held in January and March, when the weather was mora or less settled, one regatta on the southern course and the other on the northern course. However, following «n a notice of motion from the Petone Club, the resolution passed by the Wellington Rowing Association two meetings ago was rescinded at a meeting of the executive committee of the association this week, and a motion that the contest should be held in one regatta, -was carried. The date for the regatta was fixed for the 2nd February next. After a great deal of haggling among delegates something at last seems to have been reached, and it is to be hoped that now the "Mothes Shield controversy," as it was fast becoming known, . has been settled, the regatta will be given the consideration by clubs that it deserves. .

There 13 certainly something to Bay in favour of the fact that the second regatta held in the later part of the season interferes with the training of the regatta crews, whereas the one regatta enables the crews to continue undisturbed with their regatta training after the fixture. One of the reasons for the two regattas ■ was that Petone' should have a Regatta on their beach as well as Wellington. This would give enthusiasts in both part* of the city the opportunity of witnessing part of the contest. Now, of course, the venue of the regatta will be dependent on the state of the weather; if northerly, then the fixure will be held at Petone, and if southerly, the regatta will be rowed on the town course, Oriental Bay. The following programme has been decided: —Junior Fours, Maiden Double Sculls, Maiden Fours, Junior Double Sculh, | Lightweight Junior Fours, Maiden Sculls, Senior Fours, Maiden Pairs, Youths' Fours, Senior Pairs, and Lightweight Maiden Fours. The Mothes Shield is the only competition held after opening day to interest the local clubs, and it usually creates a large amount of interest. It ha 3 been rowed for three times since it was presented to the local | association, and has been won. once by i Petoue and twice by the Wellington Club. Last season Star were in a hopeful position after the first regatta, a few points behind Wellington, with Petone. third, but in the final regatta Wellington improved their position and won with a large number of points to spare. This season it remains to be seen whether the Wellington Club will retain the trophy, or whether Star, who have not yet held the shield, can enter crews strong enough to wrest it from its present holders. PETONE CLUB. The Petone Club's trial pairs* and fours were brought to a conclusion during the week. In the final of the fours, A. Hickson (str), G. Nicholls (3), A. Jones (2), and F. Cropp (bow) were beaten by A. White (str), A. Maude (3), L. Boyd (2), R, G. Duncan (bow). The race was one of the best club fixtures seen on the beach for some time, and over the entire course there was never more than a length separating the boats. White's crew won, after a liard tussle, by a canvas. In the eecond I round of the trial pairs, C. Jl'Laughlin (str) and J. Collins (bow) beat H. Adamson (str) and D. Smellie (bow) by about three lengths, after an interesting "race. A. White (str) and N. Kirk (bow) defeated G. Gardiner (str) and T. Slinn (bow) by two and a half ! lengths. R. G. Duncan (str), and A. Jones (bow) beat K. Rodger (str) and N. Dickens (bow) by several lengths. In the third round, C. Drummond (str) and | G. Palamountain (bow) beat White's crew by two lengths, and Duncan defeated M'Laughlin by four lengths. The final between Drummond and Duncan was well contested, and resulted in a win for Drummond by two feet. Drummond and Palamountain rowed: very well together, and their win was popular. Drummond had not met with success for some time in club races, and it was pleasing to sea that a man who was thought to be approaching the veteran stage could" still hold his own. Palamountain, his bow, is a young and likely oarsman who did very well. A. Jones,, who rowed bow with Duncan, has been very unfortunate this season, in that he has won seven heats in the two races he has contested, and his crew has been beaten in the finals by a small margin of two feet in one case and a canvas in the other. NOTES. It had been proposed that the annual Wellington Begatta should be held during Carnival Week, 19th-26th January, but it was considered that either of those dates would be too early for a regatta. here. The committee of the Wellington Association again considered a request that a regatta be held during Carnival Week, but the dates available were thought to be too early for the Mothes Shield. The association felt that it would be impracticable to conduct a special regatta for Carnival Week alone. The Wellington Club inquired to the local association recently as to the status of a now member who had been successful in a maiden four-oared race in Australia, asking whether the man had lost his maiden status so far as New Zealand races were concerned. The question was referred to the New Zealand Association for a decision.

The next Star Club fixture will be the senior and junior double sculls, for which crews have been picked as follow:—Senior: Davis and Caroll, Diehl and Johns, M'Gowan and Bentley, Herd Hnd Wakelin, Oborn and Hereford, Anyon and Blundell, Hart and Fenton. Harris and M'Kinley; junior: Newton and H. Waugh, Cooke and Higgins, Lutz and Vile, Hinge and Taylor, Barraclough and Nicholl, M'Lean and' Woodcock, Steward and Knowles, Zohrab and Hill, Campbell and Curtis.

An »«*e «? .-.V1.-UW pl anl y^d, nbout 700 teas of tubieco.