Rowing.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 80, 11 January 1902, Page 19

Rowing.

The Maryborough Regatta, held at Picton, on New Year's Day, was an unqualified success. Both the local clubs were represented, and some excellent finishes were witnessed In the Maiden Fours, crews from Picton. Blenheim, and the Star and Wellington Clubs competed. The race proved an easy victory for Wellington, with Star second, and Picton third. The form shown by all the crews was much below the average, and if the Wellington crew wish to repeat the performance, at the Championship Regatta they wdll have to row the mil© a minute quicker than they did the first mile at Pioton. The Stars rowed disappointingly each one seemed to be on his own. I consider this crew could be altered to advantage. Five crews started m the Maiden Pairs, viz. Blenheim, Wellington, Star and two Picton crews. The Wellington pair won by one and a half lengths, after a good race, with Blenheim second, and Star third. The Blenheim couple led for the greater part of the journey, until about a quarter of a mile from home, when the Wellington paii came with a splendid spurt, and won as above The Junior Fours caused a big surprise, the lesult being Blenheim first, Star second, and Wellington third. It wa& thought that it would be a great contest between the Pioton and Wolhnerton crews, but, ront ran to expectations these two crews- were badly beaten The Blenheim crew, who rowed a fine dashing stroke, assumed the lead after a half-mile had been traversed and kept it until the finish, the Star gaining second position bv a length from Wellington Blenheim, Wellington, Stai, and Picton started in the Junior Pairs, which was won bv Blenheim, with Well met on second and Star third The winning crew led from the start being closely followed bv Wellington all the way Entries for the Championship Regatta close to-day (Saturday) The Stars will be represented in the Champion Double Sculls bv W. E Bendall and O. R Bendall, who are training consistently and are showing improved form They are rowing with p-ood combination, but should o-et in more of their work at the stßrt of the stroke The Wellington Club will bo represented in the Champion Pairs and Double Sculls bv A. Galbraith and J. R Crawford Tn the Pairs they are row-

ing with fairly good combination, but lack the dash and vigour that Calnan and Crawford used to row with. Still, considering the time they have been togethr they are doing very well. It b> rumoured that T. Spencer, of the Wellington Club, will row in the Champion Sculls, in a new wager boat, which Neilson, of Sydney, is building for him The Petone. Club will be represented in the Champion Sculls, either bv C. Poel or J. Palamountain, also in the Maiden Sculls by T. Slinn, and there is a probability of their competing in other events. The Kawatin Club are in a dilemma. Some time ago they ordered a best-and-best boat from Greenland, of Melbourne, but a recent storm destroyed the boat whilst she was on the stocks, and, unless the?' can obtain a boat in the colony they will not be starters in the Champion Fours. I w ould like to suggest to the Committee of the Championship Regatta the advisability of having the various courses correctly measured, and not by guesswork as is usually done, as something is radically wrong with the times in rowing in New Zealand. I have noticed at various regattas the times vary as much as five minutes for mile races, and the same crews competing whilst at one regatta, held in the colony two years ago a maiden fours, of one mile, was rowed — according to the timekeeper- — quicker than a.ny world's record for a similar distance.