AQUATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11534, 20 November 1900, Page 3

AQUATICS.

MERCER REGATTA. The following are the crews selected by the different rowing clubs in Auckland for the Mercer Regatta and Northern Rowing Union I regatta (combined), to be held at Mercer on Saturday, December B:—v ;,'./■ Senior Fours: North Shore R.C.— Sullivan, G. Wynyard, F. Burgess, F. Best. West End R.C.—R. ,W. Rees, G. O. Stephenson,■ Alex. Stephenson, "A. . Littleproude. St.; George's R.C.—H. Jervie,.A.G.' Busby, J. W. Winks, J. Thomson. .--.'■' Junior Fours (heavy : weight): Waitemata R.C.—P. J. Bailey, G. Nicholson, A. Annan, T. Brownlee. West End R.C.—J. Carder, B. Stephenson, R. H. Cooke, R. M. Doull. St. George's.R.C.—T. Richards, H. B. Armitage, H. Littlejohn, C. E. Stone. North Shore R.C.—J. Sullivan, G. Wynyard, F. Burgess; F. Best. Junioi Fours , (under 10st): North Shore R.C.—R. Cave. B. Bayly. B. Burgess, D. Richardson. St. George's R.C.—S. Kissling, E. Cuthbertson, L. McKay, W. Jagger. West End R.C—W. T. Stephenson, A. Stephenson. J. Carrigan, J. Bigelow. Maiden Fours (under lOst): Waitemata R.C—C Tyler, E. A. Smith, G. McGuirk, G. Parkes. West End R.C—W? A. Graham, W. G. Mason, H. N. Cossar, A. J. Richmond. North Shore R.C— Cave, B. Bayly, B. Burgess, D. Richardson. Maiden Fours (heavy weight): North Shore R.C.-P. Walsh, G. Cardiio, A. Neighbour, O. Clark. Waitemata R.C.—C. Porteous, B. J. McDonnell, K. J. Blair, W. F. Smith. West End R.C—D. Dunlop, R. Carder, O. Whitehouso, C Keefe. St. George's R.C.— G. O. Waddy. A. Wad wick, H. J. M. Thorn, son, C. W. Pirie. The Selection Committee of tho Ngar-ua-wahia Rowing Club has picked the following crew to uphold the honour of the club at the Mercer Regatta in the fours under lOst:—F. German (1), V. Gillander (2), A. Kay (3), and , A. Lockie (stroke). •:.'■'* '*./: '.• .. ' ,;. Tho North Shore Rowing Club received their new clinker outrigger from Melbourne by the s.s. Talune yesterday, the boat arriving in fine order. ~ SYDNEY YACHTING. The Sydney Daily Telegraph of November 13 gives an interesting account of the Prince Alfred Yacht Club's General Handicap, which was sailed on the 10th inst., in which the 'Auckland-built yachts Bona, Meteor, Aoma, Cooya, and Petrel were competitors, of which the following is'a summary:— The Prince Alfred Yacht Club's General Handicap Race on Saturday was sailed under ideal conditions. A bright, sky overhead, and a spanking north-east breeze was all that could have been dosired, and the race, too, was a more than usually interesting one. Over the latter part of the course, in fact, a really fine struggle for supremacy took place between those up-to-date flyers, Bona and White Wings, and though Mr. Chinnery's craft was first home, she had but 255. to spare from her speedy rival. To have allowed the Fife boat a start of sm.— rather liberal handicap in any case on the performances of the boatand under condition! exactly to her liking, was a good performance for Bona, but it is only fair to state that White Wings' now mainsail was not doing her justice, and that with her old mainsail she would probably have done better on each turn to windward. A feature of the race, too, was the really close finish supplied by the 30-footers, though there was too much wind to enable them to hold the larger boats. Of these Cooya—Mr. Crane's new boatmade a very successful first appearance, and Petrel, too, performed excellently under small canvas on the long thrash tc Manly. Tho conditions were "best and best," the course being Farm Cove, round the club buoy at Manly, thence round Shark Island. Fort Denison, Pile Light off Watson's Bay, and Shark Island, and finishing across the starting line. Timo allowance was given at the start. Result: — Bona, J. E. Chinnery, scratch, £10 10s, and trophy presented by Mr. C L. Garland 1 White Wings, S. Hordcrn, 5m., £6 6s ... 2 Actea, H. R. Marks, 20m., £3 3s 3 Other starters: Isea, W. M. Marks, 10m.; Jess, Jas. Cox, 10m.; Meteor, Dr. J. F. Elliott, 13m. 305.; Aoma, C. T. Brockhoff, 14m. 305.; Cooya, A. W. Crane, 14m.; Petrel, S. Dempster, 17m.; Sanphire, *H. A. Jones, 21m. Heather (Dr. Gordon Craig) had also been nominated, but, owing to the non-arrival of her sails, she did not start, and Petrel, for the same; reason, was obliged to carry small' canvas. The start > was not a good one,'" being bungled somewhat I owing to some of the starting flags not being ; available. The limit boat, Sapphire, got away at 2h. 31m., a minute behind her time. Petrel lost about 3m., Isea was 2m. behind Jess, and several of the others did not have the full advantage of their allowance from the scratch boat. However, both Bona and White Wings were up to time. Of the 30footers, Petrel did surprisingly well, and led' her class boats, which made a very pretty! race all the way down-to Manly. After pass- ' ing Bradley's Head Isea carried away her runner, and, easing sheets, ran in under the lee of Shark Island to repair damage. This* virtually put hor out of the race. In the meantime, Jess was doing very well until standing out from Chowder she carried away her jib; though the sail was replaced, she did not' hold so good a wind. From start Bona began to overhaul the others, and though White Wings set her a chase, the latter was not holding as good a wind as usual under her new mainsail. Neither skipper was letting his boat sail as freely as he might, however, and as they stood out from George's Head Actea was opposite the south reef and sailing well! The 30footers, too, were still well to the fore, and both Petrel and Aoma caught Sapphire before reaching the buoy. Squaring away at Manly the times were:—Actea, 3h. 39m.; Petrel, 3h. 43m.; Aoma, 3h. 44m.; Sapphire. 3h. 44m. 155.; Meteor, 3h. 45m. ;]'. Cooya, 3h. 46m.; White Wings, 3h. 47m.; . Bona. 3h. 48m.; Jess, 3h. 48m. 30s. A great race between Bona and White Wings took place up to the fort, and hauling a wind the former sailed out from the other boat's lee, both going for the northern shore, be-' fore laying a course for Bradley's. Actea, ( on the other hand, had tacked short at the fort, and lay right down to Shark Island, in tho tide, which had now began to flood. At' Bradley's White Wings was pressing Bon . very closely, and the latter only just crosses her rival after both had stood across to Steel ...Point. White Wings was now holding a better wind, but Bona held her own, and the two cracks easily crossed Actea when next they met in midstream. Bona squared away at the Watson's Bay Pile, 19s. ahead of White Wings, which was now 2m. lis. in front of Actea. Runningb ack, White •Wings looked like catching Bona, but after the latter had luffed up close under Steel Point, she drew away again, though Mr. Hordern's craft held on in fine style all the .way to the finish. ;..•, ,;,,,