ROWING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 23

ROWING NOTES

MOTHES SHIELD

KOROKORO REGATTA

STAR & WELLINGTON CLUBS

The performances of the Wellington Club crews at the Mothes Shield regatta were reasonably good on the •whole, although there were indications that physical fitness was not a feature of their rowing. Strict adlierence to training is essential in Order to keep a seat in a regatta crew. Themaiden four did particularly well to

finish first after losing two lengths early. The No. 3 man, K. Fish, came off his seat in the same manner as at Picton. He appears to shoot his slide so far at the third stroke that he sits on the edge of it, thus causing the back to lift and jamb. Otherwise he rowed a very solid race. This is without a doubt the best crew in the club this year.

The' lightweight crew had ■to give away to Petone by a few feet in a most exciting race. It is a pity they are not a trifle heavier; but what they lack in weight they make up for in determination.

There was another great tussle between the Wellington and Star junior pairs, the latter again winning by a small margin after the Wellington crew faded at the finish when the pace was on. The junior four won ,a most determined race from the Pctohc crew who were coming up fast at the finish. They will have a real test at Napier today. J. Luke and H. Spoor made no mistake about the senior doubles race, but Pctone were without the valuable services of P. Abbott. Star Club. The performances of crews in the Mothes Shield regatta, held last Saturday on the Korokoro course is one that reflects credit on all those competing. The Star Club were unfortunate in that substitutes ' had to be made use of at the last moment in two races, in one case through illness and in another through a member, selected to row, failing to turn up on the course. Also in the maiden fours, the No. 1 crew had the misfortune to break1 a stretcher after two or three strokes and thus the contest lost most of its interest for the club followers.

The No. 2 maiden four rowed good races for an inexperienced crew, but showed lack of combination over the last quarter-mile and were unable to raise the necessary sprint that might have carried them to victory. The bow man, H. Hall, should watch his length as the race progresses, as he has a tendency to shorten over the later stages of a race. He should remember to swing out, at all costs to keep a good length.

The No. 1 welterweight four again rowed a good race in their class, but were rather fortunate to beat the Star No. 2 crew by a length. The latter crew showed a lack of training, otherwise they would have been close up at the finish. K. May, the stroke of the No. 1 crew, once again displayed his fighting qualities as a stroke and he worked his crew up to a magnificent finish. The junior pair rowed well-judged races and never once throughout the journey did they shorten their stroke. They came away over the last 100 yards to win by half a length.

The youths four showed excellent combination and won in a most impressive manner from the Petone four, who were considered by their supporters to have a great chance <rf winning the event. The Star junior four were outclassed in their race, the reason for this appearing to be n lack of combination in the boat. -Stroke and No. 3 rowed well together in the fours, but stroke does not appear to have quite as much hunch as he has in the pairs.