ROWING

Evening Star, Issue 21879, 16 November 1934, Page 6

ROWING

[By .Coxswain.]

EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME NORTH-SOUTH EIGHTS INCLUDED

Additional dominion-wide interest will attach to the big rowing programme for the Otago Harbour on Easter Saturday, as, apart from the interprovincial and interuniversity eight-oar championship contests, there is to be a race between crews representing the North and South Islands. Last Easter at Wellington everything was prepared for a North-South eightoar race—even, the crews were picked —but rough water pretented its decision. Strangely enough the Otago Association then viewed the race more or less with scorn, principally on account of the hotch-potch selection of the eights before the selectors had even seen the men they chose in action. Hun along the proper lines, such a race must serve a good purpose in strengthening the popularity of the sport, and for that reason the selection of the crews should be a very serious business.

Similar arrangements to those made for the race in Wellington have been discussed by the association, which will invite nominations from those available for selection. Those oarsmen will lie watched by the selectors during the mterprovincial contest, and later the crews will be announced. ' Otago intends to make strong representatio to the New Zealand Council for the right to have at least one member among the dominion selectors on this occasion.

Fortunately tho Otago Association realises that Easter Saturday will be, it* opportunity to “ gather in the sheaves.” It is going to serve the public _ with .the interprovincial eights, which will almost certainly be something worth writing about, as well as the North-South event, and it also is going to try and have the interuniversity race included on the programme. Doubtless its endeavours will bo rewarded in this respect. As to the holding of other events of an interclub nature, this has not yet been definitely decided. Mention, however, has been made of the matter. Arrangements also are to be made for an excursion from Southland. Two association members have been delegated to go to Jnvercargill by the next Sunday excursion to talk the matter ■over with Southland Association members. It is a thoughtful action, and it is to be hoped that the Southland;rs will support it. Really there should bo little doubt as to the success of the venture, which will add vigour to the "barracking on a day that should be a memorable one in. New Zealand rowing history.

Clubhouse Chatter. Unfortunately the Macandrew , Bay Club has closed its doors for this season. Support was so discouraging at the special meeting held to decide the club’s fate that this course had to be followed without alternative. Unemployment has affected many members, ,who have been unable to pay their full fees, whilst other young men have been forced out of the district into camps. To such stalwarts as Bill Robinson and S. Whitburn, who have been the life blood of the club almost, the decision to close the club must have been a severe blow. Generally, the oarsmen and executive officers all. earnestly hope that by this time next year , the club will be flourishing afresh. Macandrew Bay’s M'Pherson racing four has been purchased by. Otago, which club was indeed lucky' to secure such a fine boat at a reasonable figure. ■Macandrew Bay’s convertible sculler is being stored at the Otago boathouse in the meantime. • The non-return of D. Clark, C. Macdonald, and L. Olsen to the Drive Club this year has caused a dearth of juniors, and it is doubtful if any crew can be boated. Work at the lighthouse makes it impossible for Clark to get to Port for training, Olsen is working out of town, and Macdonald will not be doing any regatta rowing this season.

Drive’s. Cameron Fours, the first club race of the season, will be rowed to-morrow week, crews to be picked from those present. Regatta" crews will then be selected.

Whereas Drive has practically no juniors, Port has seven, and on present indications there will be sculling crews. Training has been consistent during the past week, the novices doing good work, and it has been pleasing to members to have a number of the old times taking a renew-d interest m their activities. Regatta crews were to have been selected last night.

, . North End’s Committee Fours will be rowed to-morrow afternoon, crews to be picked at the shed at 2 o’clock. During the past week the maiden and junior crews have been training assiduously, but the youths’ four has been handicapped, some of its members having been unable to attend. J. A. Irvine, a maiden oar from the [Wellington Club, has joined the ranks of the Otago Club.

Oamaru has called off its regatta till after Christinas. This decision was not brought about by the association’s suggestion that the prize money be jitilised to provide transport for crews, and that a non-status fixture be held. Apparently finance could not be satisfactorily arranged, but it is hoped to continue with the project after the holidays. Almost certainly it will be a nonstatus fixture, and if so local clubs .will guarantee it good representation. “ Tiny ” Eastwood was one of the dominion’s best-known coxswains, and it was sad indeed to learn of his death at Christchurch last week. Every rowing man takes off his hat in remembrance of a good little sport. He was cos of the Christchurch Roys’ High School crew in 1917-18, and coxed the Canterbury interprovincial fours in the following three seasons. He visited Australia as cox of the New Zealand eights in 1925, and in 1930 travelled with the New Zealand crew which competed at the British Empire Games at Ontario, Canada. He also steered the Canterbury interprdvincial eight crew. After quite a successful tour, the Wanganui Union Club' eight and the two New Zealand scullers are due at Auckland from Sydney to-morrow. The Wellington regatta has been fixed for February 16. The programme will be similar to that of last season, but the prize money, £IOO, represents an increase of £2O on the donations for the previous regatta. Advice of . a great revival of rowing in Tauranga has been received. Prize money for the Boxing Day regatta has been increased to £9O.

The College Club _ has opened a subscription fund for an eightoar boat, and hopes to hare the craft by Easter time. A total'of 357 oarsmen is at present attached to the Auckland Association, no fewer tha7i 11 clubs being affiliated. It is hoped that the Whakatane Club will affiliate this year. Levies paid last year by Associations affiliated to the New Zealand Association amounted to £42 12s 6d—Auckland, £8 18s Cd; Canterbury, £7 13s; ®apganui, £5 16s; £5 Is;

Otago, £4 17s 6d; East Coast, £3 19s 6d; Marlborough, £3 15s 6d; Southland, £2 11s 6d. Much interest has been .taken in the building of a new type of pair-oared, unsinkable racer, for a Melbourne Club. The boat is closed in under the slides with very light timber, and the only portion not covered is between the stretcher and the seat. If the experiment is satisfactory, there is no reason why a four or even an eightoared boat could.not be built similarly. The weight for extra timber is only about 16 ounces.