ROWING

Evening Star, Issue 21007, 22 January 1932, Page 5

ROWING

[By Coxswain.]

OARSMEN’S OUTINGS. To-morrow.—Wanganui Regatta. January 29.—Championship Regatta at Hamilton. NO OTAGO EIGHT FOR PICTON. REASONS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING. Up till the time the O.R.A, held its last meeting on Monday night, it was thought that the only thing preventing Otago from being represented in this year’s eight-oar contest at Picton was the date, Easter Saturday, which is most unsuitable for this province. But quite a surprise was dropped the other night when' the association decided that, owing to the great expense entailed in sending a crew to Picton, it could not see its way clear to be represented this year. Imancing the trip was not discussed piior to the meeting. The association protested against Marlborough's selection of Easter Saturday as the date for the race, against the shortening of the course, and against the splitting of the £25 that the association Bolding the event must pay to the association winning it. At Otago’s request, Southland protested along the same lines as this province. Now, surely the local association was aware of its financial position prior to laying its complaint, so why should it have gone to all this trouble when finance would not permit the sending of an eight? It appears to have been a sudden realisation of the O.R.A. that it could not this year run both its regatta and pay £IOQ to finance the eight’s trip. Apd whatever the association may give as its reasons for failing to go to Picton, other associations are bound to put a different construction on the matter.

The date_ has been the principal worry, and it seems a pity that, after protesting, the O.R.A. could not have waited to hear definitely from Marlborough if there were any likelihood of the day being changed before it made its decision.

, Much of the responsibility for the O.R.A. being forced to make this decision can, however, be laid at the doorstep of the clubs. The association asked them to nominate members who would be willing to go to Picton if they were chosen in the eight. Poor response was received. Otago, North End, ( and Port nominated seventeen men among them; Drive did not send in one name. The clubs intimated that the date chosen for the eights would not suit them, and- that they would rather have their best oars with them when attending the Queenstown regatta, where there was a chance of winning much-needed funds, than nominate them for selection in the representative crew for Ricton. Clubs are hard-pushed for money at present, and it was not at all surprising to learn that they would sooner support the Queenstown fixture than