ROWING ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8577, 3 September 1888, Page 7

ROWING ITEMS.

Hanlan is endeavouring to promote a series of professional races upon the Nepean (not the Parramatta, as I stated last week), to take place in the early part of next year* Bo is anxious to have a fonr-oared race, and names Beach, Kemp, Neilsen. and Searle or Stansbury, as an Australian crew to row against Teemer, Hamm, O’Connor, and himself, as a representative American crew. He also, proposes that a double sculls race be rowed, in which the Americans would pit themselves against the Australians, and, as a finish, that a single sculls sweepstakes should be held over the Parramatta river championship course; Herman Old rich s, who acted as Referee for the Tale-Harvard race, offers to take a Yale College crew to England for the purpose of rowing the Cambridge University eight. He will pay all expenses. It is probable that the offer will be accepted. A sculling match between W. O’Connor and G. Lee was decided at Toronto’on August 19, the former winning easily. O’Connor is the young Canadian of whom great things are expected by his friends, Hanlan especially, who regards bm as one of Ms pupils. It was only recently t*hat O’Connor challenged the world, barring Teemer, directing his challenge more particularly to Kemp and Gaudaur. Two years ago he was rowing as an amateur, being a member of the Argonaut Club, Toronto. Since he joined the professional ranks he has rowed several races, showing such skill, stamina and speed that great things are predicted for him in toe future. He is twenty-four years of age, stands oft l(h}in in height, and rows at list 81b. Beside bis opponent Lee is a veteran, having been before the public for a number of years. Englishmen first remember him as rowing as an amateur in the Diamond bculla at Henley, in 1878, when he was defeated by C. EdwardsMoss, Shortly alter that event h' went over to theprofeseionals, with whom he has competed in numerous events, but he never rose beyond a second-rater, although at one time he became associated with Hanlan, and with him rowed a number of double sculling races. His great race with Neil Matterson, the Australian, on the Thames, in 1880, when several records were broken, will doubtless still be remembered by our readers.

: " Nomad ” writes in the Canadian Sportsman I have heard several people say since the report of the Hanlan-Trickett race reached ns, setting forth that the Toronto sculler had won by half a dozen lengths, that they thought Hanlan had been doing a little “ monkey business,” and thrown his races, with Kemp and Beach in order to land a big pot. I don’t know, but I think that the best way to land a big pot is to win races, and can’t for the life of me find any grounds for such talk. I don’t, suppose that there is a man on earth fonder of winning than Ed. Hanlan, and I'd bet my last cent that he would win every time by as many yards as possible. In fact, be was a good deal too much given to making a holy show of his opponents in his palmy days, which, by the way, some people seem unahle to realise have passed away for all time. Hanlan got beaten simply because he met a better man than himself, and won his last race simply because he was the better man of the pair competing. But beating such a man as Trickett has nothing to do with a first-class performance. Hanlan has rowed too long ; mis-managed his finances ; made matches that he couldn’t win; and must, like every other champion, give np his place when the younger men come to the front. Teetner’a day will come and go, and so will O’Connor’s, for it’s a /rule that a fellow must needs follow, no matter how he hates to do it. You can’t keep np the clip forever, but I am right glad " Ned ’’ got back a piece of what he’s lost of late, for it’ll come in mighty handy. If-he meets Kemp again I hope he’ll win, of course, hut hoping to see a man in front ia one thihg, and putting up dust that he’ll get there is another, and I’m not dangerously prejudiced in favour of the latter choice. .

The forty-Hintlx annual regatta at Henley-on-Thames, closed on July 6, and, although it opened most inauspicioualy, a decided success has to be recorded. hi ore favourable weather might have been accorded the final day, as the sky was somewhat overcast, and a cold wind prevailed, but still the rain held off, and the public mustered strongly. Ladies, discarding iheir waterproofs,brightened the scene with the pleasing tints o! their charmingcostumes, whilst the gaily-decked house-boats were aga ; n a mass of floral beauty, and these were admirably set off by the green foliage of the trees in the background. There was also a great improvement in the racing, which in more than one instance was exciting in the extreme. The card consisted entirely of the final boats of the eight events, and the results were as follows; —Grand Challenge Cup.—Thames K.C., 1 ; Launder Club, 2. ’ Won by a length. LVies’ Challenge Plate.—Lady Mftrg.vetßC. (St John’s Cdkve, Cambridge), 1-, Pembroke College B.C. (Cambridge), 2. Won by two lengths. Stjnarda’ Challenge Cup.—Trinity Hall B.C. (Cambridge), 1 ; Brasenose College B.C. (Oxford), 2. Won easily. Silver GoVktr.—N. P. Symonds; C.A 8.C., «nd E. Puck, O A.8.C., 1; D. H. 11'Lean, bow, and S. D. Muttlebury, stroke, Leander Club, 2. Thames Challenge Cup.—Lady Margaret B.C. (Sfc Joho’s College. Cambridge), 1 ; Thames K. 0., 2. Wyfold Challenge Cup.—Thames R.C., I,- London 8.0., 2. Won by hardy a length. D amend Challenge Seu’la.—Guy Nikalls, Magdalen Co'lege B.C. (Oxford), 1 ; J. C. Gardiner, Kmrminuel College B.C. (Cam-bri.-ige), 2. Won by a length and a half. Vigors’Challenge Cup.—Braseuose College BC. (Oxford), 1 ; Trinity Hall B.C. (Cambridge), 2. Won easily by six lengths. • .

The seventh anmnl eight-oared race bs'ween representatives of the Harvard btul Yi.le Univerfities, vas decided on the Thames at New Loudon, Conn., on June 29, over a four mile course, and was won by Yale by twenty-four lengths. The series of races between these two colleges now stand six to five iu favour of Yale, whose time in the present race is the fastest ever made on the river, surpassing - that of lost year by Havard in the race with Columbia (L'Utuin 20sec). When the crews backed up to the starling line the excitement was*at fevt r heat. Bth crows got off together, but Yale’s powerful sweep pushed the bow of the boar to the front on the first stroke. Yale started off' with thirty-four strobes a minute, while Harvard ran up to thirty-eight. __Tbo Yale nun made a pretty start, while Harvard splashr d a little. A quarter of a mile away Yale bad a lead of half a length, and the splendid form in which they were jewing made it apparent that they were tvi e winners. The Harvard crew were rowiug in fairly good form, but their stroke "a* much inferior; they did not swing in good time; they splashed every few strokes, and on their shorter stroke failed to get a grip on the water. At the half-mile Yale was rowing thirty-four strokes and had a lead of twri lengths arid a half. Harvard rowing thirty-eight- In the next half-mile, Yale made a gain of eleven seconds, and was simply running away from the Harvard crew/ AtthemiJe flag Yale was rowing thirty-four, and Harvard had dropped to thirty-seven, but Yale had a lead of six lengths. Yaiefs rowing was machine-like, while Harvard continued to splash a little and No. 1 and No. 7 appeared to be labouring. At one mile and a half Yale bad a lead of eight lengths, and was rowing her regular stroke, of thirty-four. Harvard still held to thirty-seven. Prom this point it was merely a question ot how badly Harvard would be defeated. At the two miles Y’ale had a lead of eight lengths, and at two miles and a half bad increased it to thirteen lengths. At tnree miles Yale led by fifteen lengths, and at three miles and a half her long, steady stroke had put her twenty lengths ahead. In the *ast half-mile, in spite of Harvard’s most desperate efforts, Yale increased her advantage to twenty-four lengths, finishing on easy winner in 20min lOsec. Harvard struggled on, but did not cross the lino until Imin 4sec later.