ROWING

Grey River Argus, 11 October 1930, Page 10

ROWING

N.Z. EIGHT COMMENDED. “TOUGH TO LOSE.” Canadian newspapers to hand pay a warm tribute to the performances, of the New Zealand oarsmen who competed at the Empire Games at Hamilton. The eight-oar race, the chief rowing event at the Games, was held at 7.15 p.m., after being delayed for over an hour owing Jo the roughness of the water. The Leanders (Hamilton, Ontaria), crew was quickly left behind, and the race resolved itself into a contest between England and New Zealand. The former gained an imperceptible lead of a few feet half way down the course, but the New Zealanders hung on doggedly, and the oarsmen from the Old Country crossed the. line with a bare three-quarters of a length in their favour. The time, 6min. 37secs., was a record for the distance. “It is good to be. winner in that kind of a race, and tough to be losers,” stated a rowing critic. “Congratulating the wearers of the rose, one had to feel sorry for the game New Zealanders. They had come over with quiet confidence had trained assiduously on the course. They were the first to congratulate the winners. On the night’s form the better team won, and yet one hesitates to say that over a series the London Rowing Club would take the measure of the New Zealanders consistently.” The winning English crew, drawn from the London Rowing Club, has trained together consistently for the past three years, and considering that the New Zealand weight were almost strangers to each other until six months ago, their performance was an outstanding one. The English crew stated later that it was the toughest race they had ever had. Later in the meeting a New Zealand four won a race by eight lengths. Those in the boat were Brough, Sandos, McDonald and Waters. Bert Ayers, the New Zealand coach, was thoroughly satisfied with his crew. He said they rowed in perfect form right *to the finish, despite a pronounced sideroll in the water, and they could not have put up such a fine race had they not been perfectly fit.