HANKEY FINAL IN G.R.C. PRESIDENT’S FOURS: TIGHT FINISH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22813, 7 December 1948, Page 8

HANKEY FINAL IN G.R.C. PRESIDENT’S FOURS: TIGHT FINISH

Two fours stroked bv members of the Hankey family, prominent in the sport of rowing for the past 30 years in Gisborne, fought out the final of the Gisborne Rowing Club's four-oar scries for the president's trophies and the C. \V. Muir Cup, on the Tnruhcru River mile course last evening. The winning crew was stroked by J. Hankey, club captain, who brought his boat home by a margin of less than a length. The President's Fours is the principal club event of the season, and racing throughout was keen and close among the eight crews engaged. Results ot' races leading up to last night's filial were:—

First Round.— B. Hankey, str., D. Robinson. R. Sinton. J, Murray defeated p. h. Sceats. str., T. Muirhead. J. B. Oxenham, P. Pollard, by a length; T. Kane, str., K. Russell, R. Sayers. E. Whaitiri defeated J. Kane, str., B. Leo, B. Torr. R. Murray, by half a length; D. McGlashen, str.. R. Lecming, K. Simpson. A. Ross defeated R. Ogilvic, str.. T. Owen. H. Crosby, K. Cassin, by a length; J. Hankey. str.. J. Underwood, R. Mills, N. Mills defeated K. Norman, str.. R. Chalmers, T. Tomlinson, R. Hawkins, by a length. Second Round. —B. Hankey defeated T. Kane by three-quarters of a length: .1. Hankey defeated R. McGlashen by a length. Newcomers' Good Showing The final race, rowed under rather difficult water conditions with the tide making and a breeze raising a good chop on sections of the course, presented a strong contrast between the crews in respect of weight. J. Hankey having three big men behind him. while his opponent's crew comprised lighter oarsmen. Conditions favoured the heavier crew, but it was not until the last few strokes that the advantage told. The crews got off to a good start and J. Hankey led to the Roebuck road bridge, blit his opponent drew level at Ballance street, and gradually drew out to a short lead opposite Sheehan street. At the Derby street bridge the lighter four was still in the lead, but a punishing finish by J. Hankey wiped out the margin and brought the heavier crew home as winners.

The standard of oarsmanship was good, and a feature was the performance of novices in both crews. No. 3 in the winning crew, J. Underwood, was actually having his fifth or sixth outing only, and showed considerable promise, while J. Murray, in the bow seat of the lighter four, gave a good account of himself.

Crews stroked by J. Hankey. B. Hankey, D. McGlashen and T. Kane will represent the Gisborne club in the annual competition with P.B. club crews for the Miller Inter-club Cup, to be rowed on Saturday next.

REGATTA DATES CLASHING

At a meeting of the executive of the East Coast Rowing Association held last evening, with Mr. J. Webb in the chair, interest concentrated chiefly upon the fixing of the date for the annual L.V.A. Shield, regatta. At an earlier meeting the executive had considered a suggestion from the Wairoa club that the fixture should be held on January 22, as a carnival week attraction at Wairoa, but this date was considered too early for a major fixture in view of the difficulty of re-assembling crews after the Christmas and New Year holiday period. February 12 was tentatively chosen by the executive on that occasion. Napier Crews For Wanganui. At last night’s meeting the Napier club submitted that it had already made arrangements to send a crew to the Wanganui regatta on February 12, and would therefore be unable to participate in the East Coast regatta if the same date were chosen. Napier favoured the date already suggested by Wairoa.

In view of the importance attached to the presence of Napier crews at the shield fixture, the executive felt that a compromise was desirable- Delegates maintained, however, that it would not be possible to train crews for a January regatta. An additional factor was that it was hoped to secure the attendance of Uawa club representatives, who would need ample time to prepare their entries. The upshot of the discussion was a decision to confer with the Napier and Wairoa clubs, with February 12 and 19 as alternate dates and to hold a special meeting of the executive on December 20 to finalise the regatta arrangements. Plywood Boats v. Clinkers

Once again the introduction of plywood racing boats in regatta competition with clinker-built craft was mentioned, all delegates being well aware that possession of the new-type plywood boats would confer a major advantage on their users. Advice was received from the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association that in view of the impossibility of having clinker boats built since the war it had been decided to admit the plywood craft to regattas for maiden purposes, providing they comply with major specifications of the New Zealand association. It was decided to ask the national headquarters to supply up-to-date specifications applying to regatta craft, for the use of the East Coast association.