ROWING

Evening Star, Issue 22193, 22 November 1935, Page 5

ROWING

PROBABLE EIGHTS REPRESENTATION AUSTRALIAN INVITATION SUGGESTED [By Coxswain.] With a full realisation of its responsibility in accepting control of the interprovincial eight-oar championship to be rowed next Easter Saturday on the beautiful reaches of the Wanganui River, the Wanganui Association seems determined to make the occasion a memorable one. This should be assured, for the same crow that steered to eminent success the 1933 national championship regatta is again at the helm. As reported hy “ Taniwha ” in the

‘Wanganui Chronicle,’ it is as yet too early to suggest that seven or eight crews will be competing in the race. It may, however, bo taken for granted that Wanganui’s support of the event in the past should ensure that all the major associations will have crews in attendance, Otago and Marlborough have not yet missed a contest, and they again appear certainties for next Easter. Auckland and Wellington will back up their sister province, and in all probability the same keenness that moved the East Coast (North Island) authorities to send a crew here last

Easter will account for representation from this quarter. WHERE DOUBT LIES. The only doubtful starters are Canterbury and Southland—Canterbury because it wanted centralisation and may not care to revert to composite representation after the assistance given by the Akaroa Club in the last race, despite its failure through swamping; Southland because it is a staunch Queenstown regatta supporter and may be unable to interest sufficient of its oarsmen - to forsake this fine fixture in order to boat a representative eight. It would be a feature for regret if either province was absent, but sportsmanship will enter into the scheme of things somewhere, and if they do not ultimately enter crews it. will surely be only after stoiit attempts to do so. Since the above was written it is encouraging to learn that, while discussing selection methods at a recent meeting, the Southland Association agreed that it should he represented by a combined crew of Invercargill and Railway Club oarsmen. The reason for this is to surmount Southland’s big training problem, and it should be of interest to note how other clubs will accept the association’s decision to call for their combined assistance to raise funds for the chosen eights’ travelling expenses. , Now is the time to strive for representation, and an admirable suggestion is repeated by . the Wanganui scribe, who urges tire invitation of an. Australian eight to compete in the contest. He adds that a- visit from such a crew would be a tremendous attraction, and would give a great fillip to the race. At present the Sydney Police Club have a rattling good eight, _ and they recently outpaced the opposition at a big Sydney regatta. They are to go to Melbourne to compete in the Grand Challenge Eights at Hcnley-on-Yarra on November 30, and if they put up a good showing it is understood they have excellent prospects of being sent to the Olympic Ganfes at Berlin. Much could be done in the .way of assisting the

crew, and an early move by the association might bring excellent results. Of course, it is principally a race of national importance, and the entry of an outsider would intensify that interest, but unless future representation were promised, in the event of the visitor’s winning the Ha'llyburtonJohnstone Cup the purpose of such an entry may not be a wise one. ASSURANCE OF FAIR COURSE. Wanganui has several alternate courses suitable for regattas, but it is not too early to explore them, as it is imperative that the best available three miles should be pegged oif for the eights. If several crews line up on the fiver for the race the problem for which a satisfactory solution must .be found is that of providing a course over which the chances of the respective contestants will be as even as possible. If there is dead water beneath the banks and a fair current midstream, the luck of the draw and not the mer.it of the performers will be the deciding factor. But wbatver faults find reference in the incomplete views of the inevitable critics, an assurance is given that" the' course selected will be the fairest obtainable, and that the race will be rowed at that state of the tide which will provide an. even chance for all. No more encouraging promise could be desired. LOCAL REGATTA SELECTIONS. Regatta crews have been picked in the two city clubs, and the time between now and the season’s first fixture at Macandrew Bay on Boxing Day will be fully utilised in training preparations. Otago’s combinations show a liberal sprinkling of experienced, oarsmen among newcomers, and it appears as though some well-balanced crews should develop, especially the senior four, which promises to be a winner. It is particularly pleasing to observe that “ Mick ” Brough is continuing as an active rower in sculling events, and it will be interesting to find how he and Bill Zaffer will work out together in the big regatta events ahead. Another good senior four should be turned out by North End, though one of its members (Hogan) has just stepped into this class, and Verngreen and Eggers are to row opposite to their customary strokeside positions. A similar change has been made in the junior crew with M'Callum, who will occupy No. 3 seat instead of his previous No. 2 position. The personnel of the youths’ four is unaltered, and its past successful performances together should stand it in good stead this season.

Down at Port there has been a little delay, and while Drive’s crews were expected Vto be announced before the week-end, the Port selectors will not be .made known until after the club’s President’s Fours, which were postponed from last Saturday till to-nior-row. It is, however, advised that, as Johnny Solomon will be. unavailable for the Christmas fixture, it seems improbable that a senior four will be boated. ■ There will be definitely no junior crew. • Port’s representatives are therefore likely to include only two youths and two maiden fours and a sculler in each of these classes. Entries will nevertheless be confined 'to the No. 1 crews, as it is deemed that the standard of the second selections will probably be too unimpressive to warrant such entries. • CLUBHOUSE CHATTER. No date has been fixed for Otago’s next club race, the Matheson Fours (for novices), and. the Drive’s only other event, the Cameron Fours, will not be decided until after Christmas. J. Falkner, who rowed for North End last season, is a new recruit to the Awarua Club (Bluff), for which he has been chosen as bow of the junior four for the forthcoming regatta season. Club captains for this season are Paul Vallis (Otago), Perce Verngreen (North End), George Thorn (Port Chalmers), D. M._ Matheson (Queen’s Drive), J. Crawford (University), and C. Rennie (Oamaru). For this season the levy to the New Zealand Association for each member is Is, the same as for last year. The capitation fee of the local association is unchanged at 2s 6d, the difference being judiciously conserved for general and representative funds, which jare now the association’s greatest drain.