ROWING

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10753, 26 November 1928, Page 7

ROWING

OPENING OF. SEASON.

BRILLIANT SCENES' ON THREE

RIVERS

“Puts me in mind of Home/’ commented an immigrant watching the gay scenes on the* rivers on Saturday afternoon, on the occasion of the opening of the 1928-29 rowing season. The spectaoletovas-' indeed an animated one.. Ovemead a clear, blue sky and? brilliant sunshine, and scores of rowing and pleasure boats scattered on the. Taruhera, ..Waimata and Turanganui rivers*. The vivid colors of the racing oarsmen, and the dresses.* of lady patronsj. and. enthusiasts in pleasure Craft, made a pleasure picture, which was enhanced by hundreds of spectators promenading on the green sward of the river bank. Towards half past two, the heet of fours, double sculls, skiffs, launches, pleasure Moats, and Canadian canoeto drew near to the bandstand .on the river bank, to await the official opening of) thd season. . Tlie arrangements - were carried out in a very satisfactory manner under an energetic committee with Mr. R. J Patty as marshal. During the afternoon the proceedings were enlivened by selections by the Gisborne City Band, under Bandmaster Mur- ■ The Mayor (Mr. D. W. Coleman?’', in declaring the season open, expressed las pleasure at being present at the function. It was some years since the rowing season had been officially opened; the oarsmen had simply gone on with their racing. Tlio idea of, the official opening was to bring before the public oi Gisborne the fact that there were rowing clubs in the district. Gisborne had two line clubs, the Poverty Bay and the Gisborne Clubs. They were not of recent growth. The Gisborne Club had, he understood, been in existence fifty-three years, and the . Poverty Bay Club close on forty-six years. P was, therefore, quite fitting that the season should be opened with a public function. If one,were to look at the rolls of past members one would be struck by the fact that they contained the names of prominent citizens. The men who had b.uilt up the rowing clubs had later taken part in the building up of Grisbome; hadone much to make Gisborne what it is to-day. '' It • could, therefore, rightly be claimed that' rowing. had contributed its quota in the building up of Gisborne. , In addition to club■ and inter-ciub races, continued the Mayor, three valuable shields' are. competed .for. The L.V.A. Shield was donated to be competed for by the, Poverty Bay, Gisborne, Wairoa. and Uawa. Clubs. Hut the latter club, he understood, did not now compete. The L.V.A, Shield was at • present held by the Poverty Bay G'iub. The Colley Shield for double sculls is held by Wairoa, and the Neill Shield for single sculls by Poverty Bay. The two clubs in Gisborne, continued the Mayor, have 150 members. The great bulk of them are in training,' and are being built up in sucb a way that it must be reflected in their after life and fit them for useful positions. These clubs, however, cannot be -maintained without considerable cost.' The Gisborne Club’s latest boat cost £7O. so it was easy to see that the. maintenance costs were considerable. He, therefore, commanded the sport to the public, and he would like to see them come, forward and assist. He wished the clubs a successful season and hoped the best teams would win. The Mayor then declared the season opened.'

At the conclusion of the swimming race for the DeCosta Cup, the trophy, was presented to the winner, J Crawford, by the donor Mr. H. H. DeCosta. After congratulating the winner, Mr. DeCosta said the. cup had been presented with the idea of encouraging distance swimming. It was hard for a swimmer to commence the season with a -long distance race, so that under these ciicumstances the winner’s performance was all the more creditable. Mr. DeCosta then handed the cup to Crawford. Following are the results of the races:—

Fours.—Trades 1, Firms 2. Won by a length. _ Youths’ Doubles.—Gisborne 1, Poverty Bay 2. Won by a length. . Challenge Fours.—Fire Brigade 1, Power Board ? 2. Won by three quar ters of a length. Married ' Men’s Fours.—Poverty Bay l f Gisborne 2. Won by a length. Senior DouMle Sculls—Poverty Bay 1, Gisborne 2. Won by half a length.

Veterans’ Fours.—Gisborne 1, Poverty Bay* 2, Gisborne 3. Won by two feet.

Fours (10st:). —Poverty Bay 1, Gisborne 2. Won by two lengths. Junior Single Sculls.—Gisborne 1, Poverty Bay 2. Won By. a length. Youths’ Fours.rt-Poverty Bay 1, Giisborna 2. Won by- two lengths. Single Sculls (10s t.). —Gisborne (Goffe) 1. Poverty Bay (lloache) was disqualified for entering the wrong water.

Single Men’s Fours.—Poverty Boy 1, Gisborne 2. Won by two feet. Swimming Race. Peel street bridge to Point, 300 yards (DeCosta Cup).— •3. Crawford (Gisborne Club), losec., 1; A. Clarke (Olympic), losec,, 2; B Slioue (Olympic), Sosec., 3; J. Knox (Olympic), 3osec.. 4. Won % sixyards, third fifteen yards back, and fourth competitor a similar distance away. Time, 3.57. A speed boat race was set down on the programme, but did not eventuate owing to a mishap to the engine of one of the intending competitors.