AQUATIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10308, 29 March 1894, Page 6

AQUATIC.

the Wellington regatta. [Pub Peers Association.! ‘ WELLINGTON. Maech 27. The weather for the Wellington regatta, which was held to-day, was fine overhead, but a light easterly wind raised a lumpy sea as the afternoon wore on, and the last two races proved most unsatisfactory. A straight course was laid out along tba Te Aro 4 shore of the harbour, the judge’s boat being stationed midway between the Queen’s Wharf and the Star Club’s shed. The surprise of. the gathering was ■ the complete reversal of form shown by Keefe in the Sculls and the Auckland crew in the .Senior Fours, as compared with their display at Picton on the previous day. _ In the Sculls the Auckland man obtained some of the wash from the umpire’s boat, but this did not affect his chance to a, great extent, for he was a couple of lengths behind at .the time. The Union champions won the Double Sculls from the jump, but Samuels fainted on reaching the skids, and had to be carried into the shed. Dr Pollen; who was called in, pronounced him to be suffering from nervous exhaustion, and ordered him not to row again until he had had a complete rest. This unfortunate incident prevented the Union starting in the Senior Pairs. The aoa was very rough for the last two races, the wind haying freshened considerably, and it was only with difficulty that these events could be got off. Mr E. C. Batkin acted as starter, Mr T. G. Johnson as umpire, and Mr H. Bligh as judge. The attendance of the public was large, the various points of vantage on the wharves and along the breastwork being crowded with people. Moat of the visiting crews left for their homes tonight. Following is a detailed account of the racing:— Pearce Sculls, one mile and a half.; prize <BS—A. G. Hume (Star Boating Club) 1, J. M’Grath (Dunedin Amateur: Boating Club) 2, M. Keefe (Auckland! Rowing Club) S, F. B. Young (Wei- i liagton Rowing Club) also started, | but capsized about half a mile from borne, when .be bad a slight lead of Keefe. Daly (Canterbury) and Hooke (Wellington) 4 - were absentees. Hume went away with the lead, and was never Leaded, although M’Grath closed up on him several times,but only, to be shaken j . off again. The winner towed in very clean j atyla and steered a splendid course, having an advantage of between three and four i lengths at the finish. Keefe, who was about ten lengths behind M’Qrath, com- j plained that he bad received the back- ’ wash from the umpire’s steamer, the Ellen Ballance, just "after the start, and entered a protest on that ground. The Auckland man rowed without any of the dash which characterised hia work in the championship race at Picton. Maiden Fours; one mile; prizes <BIO and <62—Star Boating Club (T. R. Herd bow, H. Shearman 2, J. C. Fache 3, J. D. Duncan stroke), 1; Oriental Boating Club 2. The Star crew led from start to finish, winning easily by several lengths. Sbniob Outbiqqbu Fours, one mile and a-balf; prizes £2O and £s—Canterbury Rowing Club (E. M. Boulton bow, F. W. Hobbs 2, H. F. Nicoll S, J. Y. Daly stroke) 1, Lyttelton 2, Union Rowing Club 8. Auckland Rowing Club, Wellington Rowing Club, Nelson Rowing Club and Star Boating Club also started. The Union Boating Club crew, which rowed so well in the championship race at Picton, was unable to start, two of the men having to leave for home by the morning train. A good start was effected, Canterbury, Star and Lyttelton showing in front. After a quarter of a mile had been covered Nelson began to drop astern, and Wellington, after the semblance of a tussle with Auckland, followed its example. The order was then —Star, Canterbury, Union and Lyttelton, bunched together within a length and a half of each other, the other boats some lengths behind. Passing Oriental Bay the Canterbury men began to go up and Auckland dropped back beaten. The champion crew (Lyttelton) was now lying third, but was not rowing in anything like the form displayed at Picton. At this stage, the Auckland crew gave up. Half a .inileTYroin home, Cauterbiriy, sbill" led, Star; 'Union, and Lyttelton/maging a] great race of it.- 'Lyttelton-, gradually,left Union and Star behind,; and almost' got; bu ; terms with Canterbury, hut was unable, to secure a "lead aad waa beatan by ,a length and a half, Christchurch Union a coiiple of lengths away third, Stqr. fourth, Wellington fifth and Nelson sixth. Canterbury rowed in much better , form than at Picton, having a capital swing on the boat from start to finish. Lyttelton, on the contrary, showed a lack of the dash which characterised its rowing yesterday, especially in the earlier part of the race. Sbniob Double Sculls— Union Rowing Club, Christchurch (W. F. Samuels bow, R. F. Orosbie stroke), 1 j Star Boating Club, 3; Wellington Rowing Club, 3. Canterbury did not start. Union soon drew away, and although Star rowed gamely, the champions won somewhat easily by several, lengths. Wellington hopelessly in the rear. OuTKiaoED Fours, one mile and a half; prizes £lO and £2—Nelson Rowing Club 1, Star Boating Club 2, Wellington Bowing Club 8. Canterbury did not start. There was a great race between Star and Nelson. The local men led by a couple of lengths for three-quarters of the distance, when Nelson began to go up. When they .had got on terms, bow-side mulled a couple of strokes, and the boat fell back over a length, but Low soon got his men steadied again, and rowing in splendid form, overhauled Star three hundred yards from home, and" won by a length. Wellington, which was never prominent, was several lengths away third. Maiden Double Sculls, one mile; prizes £.6 and £2—Star Boating Club (H. Shearman bow, G. C. Fache stroke) 1, Wellington 3, Oriental 3. Won easily by , several lengths.

. Senior Paies, one mile; prizes .£8 and £2~3tar Boating Club (W. H. Moriah bow, J. 6. Duncan stroke) 1, Canterbury Sowing Club 2. Wellington also started. The Union crew was scratched owing to the sudden illness o£ Samuels. By the time this race was rowed the wind had increased, raising a lumpy sea. Both Canterbury and Wellington came to grief through their boats filling. Daly, the Canterbury stroke, was thrown into the water, but assistance being close at hand he was able to resume his seat, and the crew managed to struggle past the winning post. When the accident happened the Star had a lead of a couple of lengths from the Southerners. Wellington was in difficulties soon after the ■ start, and paddled home., .. Ladies’ Plate, outrigger, one mile and a half; prizes £1 3 and £3—'Wellington Bowing Club (J. W. Nicholson bow, J. Naylor 3, B. S. Wolcott 3. J. M’Ke stroke), 1 j Canterbury 3. Star and Nelson also started. Nelson swamped when they had gone a few hundred, yards, and soon 'afterwards Canterbury had to cease rowing and bale out .the boat. Star managed to keep afloat for some time, but its boat also filled when about half the distance had been coveted- -and the-men had ter be rescued by a whaleboat. In the meantime Canterbury had got under way again, and after stopping several times to use the bale, passed the judge’s boat some minutes after tbe Wellington crew, who fared the best of all and who went from start to finish without accident. 'The protest lodged by Keefe in the Sculls was not sustained, on the ground that competitors must take their own risks. The following are the winnings of the various competing clubiStar, £33 and Pearce trophy; Canterbury, £25; Wellington, £l4; Nelson, £10; Union, Christchurch, £8; Lyttelton, £3; Oriental, £3; Auckland and Dunedin, nil. Latee. One of the Auckland men broke an oar in the race for tbe Senior Pours to-day, whioh accounts for the-way in which the crew went to pieces.' The bow man in the Wellington Club’s pair met with a similar accident when the crew had a clear lead in the Senior Pair-oar event. The last thrae races afforded no test of the true capabilities of the men, and the complaints of rowing enthusiasts axe loud and deep, la the Ljtdietf Plate event the Wellington

crew rowed in a clinker outrigger, the others using “best and beat” boats, the former thus being placed at a great advantage in the rough water. On this ground Canterbury entered a protest against the winners, but it has not yet been considered. MEETING AT LYTTELTON. A meeting of the committee of the Lyttelton Rowing Club was held on Tuesday evening; present—Mr T. L. Smith, President (in the chair), Messrs J. E. Galbraith, F. Page, E. Wylie/ Bates, D. Jack, G. A. Lewin and C. Aschman, Honorary Secretary. The meeting was called for the purpose of arranging a fitting reception for the crew who won the Championship Fours at Picton. The crow is expected back by the Takapuna, due at Lyttelton this morning. A sub-committee was appointed to arrange for a band to meet the steamer, and it was decided to ask his Worship the Mayor to assist in the ceremony. A smoke concert will be tendered to the crew in the evening.