ROWING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1931, Page 20

ROWING

BY "ST/lOKE '

THE NEW SEASON

CLUB ACTIVITIES

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

With the advent of finer weather Wellington crews have been able to do more training on the water than is usually the case about this time of the year. After the opening day regatta there is not much to attract local oarsmen till the end of the year, but the more congenial conditions are being taken advantage of by novices, and also by clubs to get ahead with the programme of club racing. Rowing enthusiasts and supporters in Wanganui will learn with a certain amount of re-gret that the championship regatta of the 1931-32 season will not be held at Wanganui unless something occurs to cause an alteration to the New Zealand Council's decision (states the "Wanganui Chronicle"). The allocation of tho regatta to the Auckland Rowing Association was not unexpected, for the Wanganui application was so belated that thero did not appear much chance of sufficient support being obtained. No doubt there will be several crews from Wanganui if tho regatta is held at Hamilton next February. Speaking at the recent annual meeting of the Auckland Rowing Association, Mr. V. St. George, secretary of the Hamilton Rowing Club, expressed his appreciation of the successful efforts made by the Auckland Association to have the championship regatta rowed at Hamilton this year. "Tho time has arrived wher) the southern rowing clubs should show a •little reciprocation in the matter of travelling to regattas," he said, "as rowing clubs in the Auckland Province have gone as far south as the Bluff to support championships." Overseas Visits. Tho view expressed by Mr. A. Gray at tho recent meeting of the Wanganui Association with regard to tho elimination of New Zealand crews in Olympic events evidently did not meet with support at the meeting of tho New. Zealand Association (states the "Chronicle"). Tho recent performances of the New Zealand oarsmen overseas were held up as shining examples. Mr. S. G. Styche, chairman of the association, is reported to have said that he sincerely hoped that funds would bo available to send a crew to the next Olympic Games. He had to admit, however, that the difficulty was finance, and that it was going to be a very difficult proposition to raise funds. Although Mr. Gray's opinions may not have carried the noto of enthusiasm that some would have liked, there is no doubt that what he says is true. One is very much inclined to support his views that support of the Olympio and Empire Games should be waived, and that efforts should be concentrated on New Zealand and Australian rowing, especially for the next few years. There is no doubt that local associations are still feeling tho effects of the effort for the last crew which was sent away. Mr. Styche himself admitted that the local associations were "up against it financially" as a result. Local associations aro going to have hard work even to make rowing attractive in New Zealand itself, by sending their crews to compete in regattas and tho provincial eights, and so advertising tho sport to attract supporters and new oarsmen, let alone sending men overseas. That would only bring about tho result of still further adding to tho burden of local associations. Therefore, although Mr. Gray's remarks may not bo very enthusiastic or even "pleasing," there is no doubt that thoy carry a lot of coinmon-senso. One Appeal.

"One appeal only has been before the council during the year, that of the North Shore Rowing Club, Auckland, who appealed against tho decision of the A.R.A. in dismissing their protest against disqualification by tho umpire of their crew in the Junior Fours, at Auckland Championship Regatta," states the annual report of the New Zealand Rowing Association. "The laws of boat racing clearly stato that the ruling of an umpire is final and without appeal, but there may be instances when, owing to unavoidable delay, breakdown of a launch, or for some other reason, an umpire is prevented from following a race from, start to finish. In such cases an umpire, when ho is called on to give a decision, should hesitate to do so unless he is quite sure that all the competitors havo kept oil their course until the time that they came under his direct observation. Disqualification of a competitor is a severe penalty, and should only be imposed when the offence is quito clear and beyond any doubt."