ROWING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 18

ROWING

•« ffITPOK*"

MOTHES SHIELD

TROPHY WON BY PETONE

RACING ON KOROKORO COURSE

Tho Petone Bowing Club on Saturday won the Mothes'Shield-.from Star after some very close racing. Tho trophy, which was presented in the 1920-21 season, is competed for annually by the three local clubs—Petone, Star, and Wellington. Last Saturday was the ninth occasion on which the shield had been competed "'for. Petone .have now won .it five times, Wellington three times, and Star once. The result of tho contest'was. in doubt right up till tho last race. In fact, before the start of tho Welterweight Junior Fours, the final race of the day. Star led by three points from Petone, the number of points being: Star 32, Petone 29. Petone 1 had to win that race to win the shield. Had Wellington won, and Petone obtained second place, the shield would have remained in the Star shed. It Was recognised that the Star crew stood little chance of winning, let alone even gaining second place, so Star's hope remained with Wellington., The final and deciding race was a thrilling contest, and was .closely Contested .from startto .finish.' As „,was : expected, Star dropped back early, leaving Petone and Wellington to fight' out a hard finish. The advantage lay with Wellington over,-the first half of the distance, but the last half-mile. began to tell on ( the city crew, which showed signs of distress. Their boat still kept its nose in front, though,'and led till the last 200 yards of tho journey were reached. Then Petone, with; an admirable effort, increased tho pace, and , drew easily away from the Wellington 1 boat to win by a length and a quarter. "■''■.■. " ..Generally, the'e'ntries- were'good, and one could hardly say that there was evon one race whor.e'tna winning, crew, "walked'away." 1 The best finish of the; day was px;ovidedby the maiden crews, where four boats finished with about a length covering them all. All tho clubs were represented in that race, Petone by two crews.' The race was a nock-and-neek struggle between Petone No. 1 (Horn.'s crew) and. Star. Approaching the finishing post.Petone had, a lead of., .about a length, and it seemed ..certain- that.,.they would cross ■the .line an easy, .first.' Star, challenged strongly, and drew level with Petone. In a last effort the Petone men . just "managed to cross the lino with inches to spare. Star left their challenge too late. ' ...,-. •"

. , The.Senior Fours was an interesting 'contest.." Star were.. threatened with \at the start, . whdtt,the b6w xuan got\oft" liis slide, but ho' made a 'good recovery, and in spite of the loss; ,of;two or three strokes the crew led by ;a comfortable margin at the- end of a dozen-strokes. They kept the lead till, the half-way mark was reached, when Petono drew level with them, but not, for long. Over the last quarter of a mile the Star :-crew l began to'assert ■itself, and .finished (with' a couple ofr leri'gths to 'spare. '■'■'''■■ : '<' '■, - ■■', ■ . 'v.The following-table' shows how the-■points'-we're scored (five points for first place, and two points for second):— '„ Bacc. .'. ■ Petonc. Star. Wgtn.Junior Fours ..... 2 ,5 — Maiden'S.S. :...■... 5 .. .V,2.- — - Maiden Fours .... 5. .. .-. 2 , —. ; : Senior D.S.'l ......-.7-.■.-.:■ .2 ■ . .5 ■ L.W.- Maiden :F!s. ,5 .: ,-..2. , —. :; ■Maiden D.5........,', 5 ; ;• 2 ..'- — j Senior Fours ...-. -2/ ,';.;.-.; : ,5. ...-■ —- Maiden Pairs ...... 5,. 2 — Youths' Fours ...'. —-r "5 -2 Senior, Pairs'..:.-. — ,'5 2 : Welterweight J.F.s 5 — ■ .''. 2-- ■ Total -V./.y'r.. 34; 32 ' 11 .Senior Form/. . './'.■ •"'.■. ■ ... \'.'..' . . . -„-.! Surveying, .the: form of the senior fours likely!to; attend the champion-1 ship'; vegfitta; .one . cannot , but realise: ..that■;there.appears, to be nothing offer-' ing to beat., the., Wanganui crew;this, season (s.ay.s,the Auckland,:.'."Sun")., Wairau is the.-only 'combination likely ■;to,come within- .striking distance,- and ,though they:will, no doubt be keen : to turn the tables on. Wanganui, having been runners-up, last season, ..their chances are not' particularly bright. Hamilton's crow does not '•■impress,, ''though',, as is.-Hamilton's way, it.may, spring- a "surprise.. ■ None of the Welling- 1 ■tori clubs were'ablo to put a senior four. on the -water )at the' Pictbn regatta, and;. .'the-race was- between Wairau and; Blenheim. The former crew ' won by nine lengths, paddling home as it •wished. -In Christehureh. the senior' fours seen in action so far are not likely tojlaunt the AVanganui.men. . The Canterbury Club crew .did'hot take ,part in'the holiday fixtures, but though there 'are four nieinbers .' of the provincial eight/and'.tiyo.Olympic carsmei) on the club's active listi'great' things are not. expected of'the crew, which may hot visit the'big -fixture, ptagb was one' of the three favourites last season, but little 1 has been,hear/1 of the southerners so' 'far. \ ■ ''",;'.''■',,.:."' , ' . ' Sportrin.Akarpa. ■'..,-. „.■.,'.•. :' L : When Akaroa won th:e; senior four bveht. last'season 'it'; was thought that ;that would"- 1 quicken interest in the sport; in Akaroa, 'but such hopes have beeri proved groundless (says the "Lyttelt'on Times"). The Akaro.a Club, which has a fine'shed, up-to-date plant, and an ideal stretch of water, has been steadily going- back in the last twelve months. Interest 1 among active oarsmen has waned, and there has been practically no; training^ done : this season. Much of the'plant is fairly-new,.includ-ing some best and .best looats; yet they ■ have scarcely 'been used. Thd admhiistr'a't'ion of the club-has been carried on by a few of the old-time rowers, whose strenuous efforts to. interest the youngermen in the "sport have failed almost entirely.; In view; of tho declining in : terest in- the sport at Akaroa, it ;is doubtful'whether the annual regatta will be able ■to bo continued. ' Certainly it will have to be - abandoned unless^ ■thore is more interest taken in the club. It is imrprising .that interest should: have dwindled in,'a club which is possessed of such natural advantages in its harbour. The decline of the Akaroa Club is another of those disappointments apparently, natural to the sport of rowing. The KawatiriClub, on the West Coast, produced champions when it was at the height of its popularity Then it sank almost into nothingness for years,, only to be revived recently So.it lias been, with the.club at Napier and with the Lyttelton.Club. Lyttoitcm regattas wore great events.of tho year in days gone by,, and then they lapsed through lack interest.. ..Now the Lyt ,telton.Club, who sent, representatives to" compete at Akaroa, is alive and flourish ing, with some promising you ng ma [ torial to draw upon. '