ROWING

Evening Star, Issue 23128, 30 November 1938, Page 5

ROWING

OAMARU REGATTA USEFUL “PIPE-OPENER" TO SEASON TROPHY FOR SUCCESSFUL CLUB [By Riooek.] From all accounts the second annual regatta of the Oamaru Club, to be held on Saturday, will be another feather in its cap. The success of last year’s outing has swelled the number of those travelling from Dunedin, for each club reports keen interest and healthy support for the fixture. No doubt the prospect of a shorter regatta season this year prompted the better support, but Oamaru has always been regarded as a ,f pipe-opene ” to the season. The awarding of a trophy to the club obtaining most points should make for keener club competition, _ while the Oamaru committee’s decision to base the points on the entries from each club, while it might have its faults, also possesses its very definite advantages. The Oamaru Club has announced the personnel of five crews which will_ compete, and these are in solid training. Round the harbour intending competitors have availed themselves of what good water there has been, and, provided next Saturday is suitable for oarsmen, Oamaru should add another date to its list of successes. The following crews have been selected to represent the Port Chalmers Club $t the Oamaru regatta:—Youths’ fours: L. Nelson, P, Wheeler, J. Docherty, H. Reeves. Novice fours: J. Nelson, P. Wheeler, E. Goudie, 0. Glengarry. Senor fours: G. Mitchell, J. Wheeler, A. Alcock, J. Abernethy. Maiden double sculls: E. Hill, J. Wheeler. Junior double sculls; A. Alcock, J. Abernethy. Senior single sculls: G. Mitchell.

The Otago Club contingent will comprise;—Senior fours; Binnie, C. Brown, Lysaght, Barclay. Junior fours: Williams, Wilson, Irvine, Harvey. Maiden fours: Laing, Hall, Moore, Pirano. Youths’ fours: R. Marshall, L. Marshall, Mitchell, M’Kewen. Novice fours: Crawford, Lyons, Manderson, Swift. Maiden double sculls: Harvey and Pirano. Youths’ double sculls :R. Marshall and Mitchell. Senior single sculls: J. K. Barclay. Maiden single sculls: W. N. Williams.

Waihola Course Approved. The return to Waihola for a regatta course will be an interesting experiment if nothing else. The rough water experienced by the Dunedin Regatta Club at its recent fixtures has tended to stifle initiative and enthusiasm, but although boisterous weather was experienced when the Inspecting Committee visited Waihola, the water was not considered to be unduly rough for rowing. Southland clubs have been approached to support the fixture, and should they agree to send a contingent their support will probably have a hearing on the date.- It is expected,. JiqWt ever, ■ that the regatta will be held about the end January;

Jhe Walter Fours. The Otago Rowing Club opened its racing season last Saturday with the Walter Fours. First heat: Laing, L. Marshall, M'Kewen, and Pirano beat Mitchell, Wroblenski, Irvine, and Barclay by one and a-half lengths; Second heat: Moore, Hall, Lysaght,. and Cossens beat .Williams, Wilson, 0. E. Johnson, and Baird by two lengths. Semifinal: Brady, Caradus, R. Marshall, and Bewley beat Laing’s crew by 2ft. This was a particularly good race, each boat taking the lead on the stroke all the way, but Brady put in the last stroke to win by 2ft. In the final Moore’s crew beat Brady’s by 2ft. Clubhouse Chatter. The Auckland Rowing Club’s new eight was recently given a trial spin and behaved splendidly up and down the mile course. As one of the crew stated, she did not take in a cupful. The boat, which has come in for very favourable comment by the critics, has been named “ Hinetere ” (swift lady). It is unfortunate that rowing has not secured a greater hold in secondary schools in New Zealand. However, efforts are being made to foster rowing in districts where the facilities exist, and the day may coipe\when a big secondary schools regatta will be an annual event. Both the Wanganui Technical College and the Wanganui Collegiate School have done much to foster rowing by competition with schools in other centres. Siltation in the river has caused the Wanganui and Union Clubs much trouble during the past two seasons. When the present season opened members of the Union Club bad a working bee and cleared out a large area in front of the pontoon, and since then members have been able to use their pontoon even at tide. The Wanganui Club’s pontoon is high and dry some time before the tide is out, and difficulty is experienced in launching boats. A best and best eight built for the New Zealand Army crew of 1919 continues to give good service. The boat has stood up to the strenuous racing in a wonderful manner, but Wanganui’s Union Club has decided that a complete overhaul, with the. replacement of many of the internal fittings, is long overdue.

An energetic committee lias been formed to stage a fixture at.Uake Forsyth this season.