ROWING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 10

ROWING.

The regulations for the rowing contests at the Olympic Oamos of 1912, to Ik* hold at, Stockholm, hai'e been issued. The. dates chosen for the regatta are July 18 and 19, although it i 3 obvious that if the entries ard numerous two days will not be sufficient 1 to decide all the heats and finals. The regatta will bo under the management of a sub-committee, appointed by the Svonska Boddfor'bunclet, which governs the sport of rowing in Sweden. The event* will be eights, fours in best boats with coxswains, fours in inrigged boats with sliding seats, and single sculls. It is a matter of regret that the best-boat fours should not Iks coxswainloss, as was the case as the last Olympic regatta at Henley. First-class oarsmen in England object very strongly to rowing fours with coxswains, for this form of four-oared rowing considerably discount? the value of good watermanship. The race in inrigifcd fours is not likely to bo of any interest, except to .Scandinavian crews, and should' have no place in a first-class regatta. Tho clinker-built inrigged gigs with sliding scats arc specially defined by the Swedish Rowing Association, but an event of this character is altogether out of place at the Olympic Games, especially when pairs are excluded. In the three rowing events a diploma will be given to the winning crew and a silver-gilt Olympic medal to each member of the crew. The members of the crew losing in the final will receive silver Olympic medals. Tho winners of the eightoar race will also hold the Bruuotta challenge trophy (statuette of Dallas Athene). In tho sculling race the winner will receive a gold Olympic medal, and the runner-up a silver Olympic meal. The length of the course will be 2000 metres (about one and «- quartor miles), but no information is given as to the character of the water on which racing will take place. Entries are restricted to two crews from each nation. The amateur definition adopted for the regatta is as follows:-" An amateur is one who has never (a) received payment as a trainer; lb) t competed for a money prize; (c) competed or given * display for payment; (d) competed or given a display against a pro-

fessional; («)' drawn any pecuniary gain ! from athletic exorcises 'by selling, exchanging, pawning, or hiring out any prize won in a competition." Appended to this definition is the following note:—" An amateur shall bo allowed, when taking part in races or displays, to receive his travelling and hotel expenses from the club to which ho belongs, or, with the consent of the said club, from the club arranging the competition, without forfeiting his amateur status. Payment for such a journey, however, may be'mado only by tho club which ho represents in the "said competition. No competitor shall be allowed to make any pecuniary gain or profit from such payment. A professional shall not bo allowed to take part in any competitions a display for amateur?, neither shall ho officiate therein as judge or in any other capacity. A professional is one who as a seaman, fisherman, or in any other capacity has in any way in tho exercise of his calling engaged in rowing within two years from the date of the. competition. '