OLYMPIC GAMES OPENING TO-DAY ROWING COURSE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1932, Page 14

OLYMPIC GAMES

OPENING TO-DAY

ROWING COURSE

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITORS

United Proas Association—By Elcctrlo Tele-

graph—Copyright. (Received 30th July, 2 p.m.)

LOS ANGELES, 29th July.

After the virtual conclusion o£ a hard, determined practice period in view of the Olympic Games, the Australian Press representative in a survey finds that the Australian and New Zealand participants generally are in good condition with reasonably, fair prospects of winning their share, of honours.

A..J.Elliott, (New Zealand) Iras boen recording- good sprinting trials, but Golding (Australia) and S. A. Black (New Zealand) havo had their chances retarded owing to injuries', while tnev aro also faced with tho strongest opposition. J. E. Lovelock (New Zealand), however, has an excellent chance in the 1500 metres running event, and J. W. Saviaan (New Zealand), regarded as a remarkable distance man, is conceded to have a good chanco in the 10,000 metres event.

The. New-Zealand rowers have the material advantage of long training on a course which is a most, unusual tone. •"Boy'? Charlton (Australian swimmer) has been'confined to bed for two days with a bad attack of influenza.

ARM OF ALAMITOS BAY

The reference to the -rowing course as being "most unusual" is interesting. •Writing of the courso in an American publication, Erskine Johnson has the following to say: "Tho rowing Taccs will be one of the spectacular events of the games. They *.will take place twenty-eight miles'.from Los Angeles at Long Beach, whore, we are assured, is "one of tho finest courses in the world." Constructed at a cost of 250,000 dollars, jointly paid by the cities of: Long Beach and Los Angeles and tho '-State, the course, known as Long Beach Marine Stadium, forms an arm of picturesque Alamitos Bay, and meets all Olympic requirements as to length, width, and depth. The courso is 2000 ■ metres long, 130 metres wide, and two .and one-half metres deep. Grandstands, officials' stands, landings', and boathouses wore completed recently, making it one of the finest courses in tho world. In- addition to those who will find .seats in tho grandstands, which will accommodate'lo,ooo persons; more than 100,000 spectators will bo able to find standing room along tho sandy banks of the course.

The official opening of tho Olympic Games takes place to-day,'but so far as is known there is to bo little in tho way of competitive sport on the first day.