ROWING AFFAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 117, 13 November 1935, Page 15

ROWING AFFAIRS

CODING REGATTAS

CENTRALISATION OF EIGHTS The opinion t^t the association should cease its er-deavours to have the annual inte::proyjncial eight-oar championships central^ed in Wellington was expressed by i'.r. R. G. Duncan at a meeting of the executive of] the Wellington Bowing Association' last night. j "I think we had better forget abo<t i the centralisation of the eights," saia! Mr. Duncan. "My impression of the opinion of the delegates present at the recent annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association was that they will not stand for it. it only prejudices cur chances of getting the eights each year if we keep on bringing up this proposal. We may be able to get the eights if we run the regattas properly." Mr. C. J> Mac Gibbon, secretary of the Wellington association, said that if it had not been for the fact tha 4 Wellington applied for the champjft. ship regatta they would probabj'-have secured the eights. Mr. Duncan ;=aid he bought the association should con£ a t u i a te the Wanganui association ?f securing the interprovincial eights' Wanganui were the present holder^ the championship, and, no dou)t, it would be a big boost to the spot'; n that town to have the race rowg i; ie re. Any crew to beat Wanga^i ou their own course would havfto do their job properly. Referriig to t::.e championship regatta, 1W; Duncan said the Wellington associfton had the opportunity of ProYng that it could control a national pJampionship and make a real success of it STANDARDISATION OF EIGHTS. Appreciation c.f the work of the Auckland association in connection with plans for :he development of eight-oar rowing in New Zealand was also expressed by Mr. Duncan. The Auckland proposal, he said, which was approved by the !Mew Zealand association, made maiden oarsmen eligible to row in the best-and-best eights held in trust by the various provincial associations from the parent body. The alternative would have meant purchasing a special type of boat for maiden oarsmen, and in view of the fact that practically no association or club could affo;:d to make such a purchase the number of rowers eligible to row in eight-oar boats would be comparatively small. Mr. Duncan saad he could not help noticing at the B.:inual meeting of the New Zealand association the wonderful case which the Auckland delegates brought down in regard to eight-oar rowing, and its possibilities in the future, lie thought they had definitely helped eight-oar rowing in New Zealand. Officials were: appointed for the Norton Cup regatta, which is' set down for December 7. The events, which start at 1.45 p.::.i., comprise Senior Double Sculls, Maiden Fours,- Junior Pairs, Welterweight Junior " Fours, Senior Singles, Youths'' Fours, Senior Fours, Lightweight Maiden Fours, Maiden Pairs, Junior Fours, and Senior Pairs. Notice was received from the Wanganui Rowing Association that the Wanganui regatta had been fixed for Boxing Day. Tlie programme, it was stated, would be the same as in previous years, v«ith the exception that maiden double s::ulls would replace maiden single sculls. The University Rowing. Club advised that the New Zealand University eightoar championships would be rowed on Wellington Harbour on Easter Saturday. It was pointed out by Mr. Duncan that this would not affect any local arrangements, but that it would clash with the :.nterprovincial eights, which were to be held at Wanganui on the same day. RESIGNATION OF CHAIRMAN. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. R. G. Duncan intimated that on account-of his transfer to Dannevirke he would have to ■ resign his position as chairman of I he Wellington association. . . . '. : Mr. MacGibbcn said he was sure the members of the association would agree with him. when he said they were very sorry to see Mr. Duncan go, They all knew what he had done for the sport. He had done many thing; that perhaps they might not have agreed with, bun, nevertheless, he had the sport of rowing at heart, and had done what he considered the best foi it. Under the circumstances there was only one thing they could do, anc that was to accept Mr. Duncan's resignation wit':, regret. Other members of the associatior also expressed :regret at Mr. Duncan's resignation. Mr. A. E. White said tha Mr. Duncan wi=s one of the few mer who, when they ceased to be actively interested in Vie sport, came aloni and tried to assist the sport from th< > administrative point of view. It wa: a pity that his; lead had not beei followed by many others. In reply, Mr. Duncan said he hac ■ been interested in rowing since 1919 The sport had .not only benefited hin physically, but had brought him inti contact with a fine body of men. Mi Duncan said tliat although he wa being transferred to a town wheri rowing was not possible he would re tain his interest in the sport, and fo the time being at.any rate would con tinue as a member of the New Zealam Council. Mr. A. E. • White (Petone) wa unanimously elected chairman of th Wellington association in place of Mi Duncan.