ROWING

Evening Star, Issue 20943, 6 November 1931, Page 5

ROWING

[By Coxswain.]

DATES AG A] X A PUZZLE. Dates for the championships ami the inieprovincial eights are probably going to cause some anxiety' again tnis season. Rule 18 of the N.Z.A.R.A. stipulates that the former event must not be held prior to January 31, whilst a new rule states that at least one month must elapse between the two fixtures. Last season there was some feeling over this matter, owing to the championships being held over till the middle of February, leaving but a short time before the holding of the eights. January 31 fell on a Saturday last season; therefore that date will be a Sunday in 1932. It is proposed to hold the championships earlier this season, and a suggestion that January 30 he fixed has (according to an exchange) met with disfavour in the South Island. “ The objection by the southern associations on the score of it being too early is hardly sporting, considering that the championships were once held on the first day of January at Invercargill,’’ declares the ‘New Zealand Herald.’ There is another suggestion that Monday, February 1, he chosen. If neither of these dates suits, it is hoped the Auckland Association will not leave the matter too long and hold the racing too late in February,- for de- - laying tho_ championships will mean a corresponding delay for the eights at Marlborough. And this is not desired, there being a fear that the season is too far through to he depended upon as the end of March draws nigh. ' OTAGO CLUB. Conditions have not been too good foxtraining during the past week, but inside work has been indulged in when crews have been unable to take to the water, and amongst the keenest members are the novices, who are said to be shaping well and showing good form. The first club race will be held tomorrow afternoon (the Walters Fours), and immediately at the conclusion, of the event the regatta crews will be selected. It would bo advisable for all members desirous of competing in Christmas regattas to be at the shed to-morrow to row in the Walters Fours, for the Selection Committee feels that, owing to the prospect of prize money being reduced, no experiments can be made, and so only crews considered to he the best will be chosen to represent the club. NORTH END CLUB. Nine new members have gained membership in the North End Club so far this year, and they have been receiving •any amount of coaching from seasoned oarsmen. A heavy loss lias been sustained by the club in the removal from the distx-ict of the deputy-captain, H. Livingstone. On Saturday, November 14, the first club race (the Trial Fours) will be rowed off, and from the form shown regatta ■ crews will be picked. PORT CHALMERS CLUB. The members of the Port Chalmers Club are still actively engaged ’breaking in the novices, there being a larger number than usual this season. If some of them keep on improving as well ns they have done up till the present they should have no trouble in finding seat® in regatta crows. It is pleasing to note some of the older rowers turning out again this season, and the prospect of having crews in each class is particularly bright. The club hopes to be represented by a strong senior crew this season, and a win in this class would be of great benefit to, the club. As the regatta crews will be picked very shortly it behoves all members to turn out and give the selectors some idea of their form to work upon. MACAXDREW BAY CLUB. Prospects do not look too good down at Macamdrew Bay, the club being very short of active members. Only four new men have been initiated. How regatta crews are going to be selected is puzzling clubmen, though they have confidence that at least a strong youths’ four will bo sent out from the shed. Even if the club does not take part in regattas, it intends to carry on until the sun shines again. JOTTINGS. Now that crews are getting into form for the regattas, it is time that the education of coxswains should be seriously considered by club coaches. In the past the success of some crews has been marred by faulty steex-ing, thus throwing away all the good work which has been put into the actual training of the crews. That was not so much the fault of the hoys, but it has to be recognised that the matter of good steering is of vital importance to crews, besides lessening the possibilities of fouls occurring during the races. From a reliable source “ Coxswain ” has received some pleasantly surprising information, which, if it materialises, should also he welcome news to oarsmen. There is some likelihood of a gala day being held at Lake Waihola, and it is understood the programme is to include rowing. Good prize money will possibly bo offered, and, apart from the outing and the certain amount of novelty attaching to the holding of such an event at Waihola, some fair sport should result. The lake, the scene of many a notable struggle of yore, provides one of the fairest as .well as one of the straightest and longest courses in this province. It is possible that the present cightoar best-and-hest boat housed at Wellington for the use of dominion representative crews will be handed over tq Southland. The boat is almost identical with the eights supplied to the various other associations, and it has been suggested that this craft he donated to Southland, and that, when necessary (when a New Zealand crew is sent overseas) a new eight he purchased. This has been left for the new council to decide.

Despite the conditions that have prevailed for so long, it is pleasing to note the optimistic spirit among Auckland oarsmen for a good season (says the Auckland ‘ Star ’). After weeks of hard, stead.v work members have the plants in splendid order,' and in some instances considerable improvements

have been made to the boathouses. The clubs on the southern shore show an increased membership, and. fortunately, possess the boats to meet all demands. If Bob Pearce, of Toronto, who holds all the sculling titles worth bothering about, competes in tho Olympic Games at Los Angeles next year it will have ; to be as an Australian sculler (states \ the ‘ New York Times ! ). He is a row-; ing product of the Parramatta River, mid competed for Australia in. the Olympic Games at Amsterdam in 1925. His father, Harry Pearce, was sculling champion of Australia before him. With reference to an appeal from an' Auckland club, a protest of which was not accepted by the A.R.A., the annual report of the N.Z.A.R.A. states:—The laws of boat racing clearly state that the ruling of an umpire is final and without appeal, but there may be instances when, owing to unavoidable de- . lay, breakdown of a launch, or for some other reason, the umpire is prevented from following a race from start to finish. In such cases the umpire when, called upon to make a decision shouldhesitate to do so unless he is quite sure ‘ that all tho competitors have kept to their courses until the time that they, £ came into his direct observation. Dis- *• qualification of a competitor is a severe penalty, and should only be imposedwhen tho offence is quite clear and beyond any doubt. The rowing season in New Plymouth’ will be officially opened to-morrow. That support of the Olympic and Empire Games should be waived by the dominion is the view adopted by the ‘ Wanganui Chronicle,’ which says that every effort should now he concentrated on New Zealand and Australian rowing, especially for the next few year’s. “ There is no doubt local associations are still feeling the effects of the effort for the last crew which was sent away,” continues the ‘ Chronicle.’ “ Local associations are going to have bard work even to make rowing attractive in New Zealand itself by sending their crews to compete in regattas and the interprovincial eights, and so advertise the sport to attract supporters and new oarsmen.”'