ROWING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14934, 6 March 1912, Page 9

ROWING.

1 THE PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. NOTES AND COMMENTS.' The Auckland Provincial rowing cham- j Eionships, which were held on the upper j arbour on Saturday, provided some good , sport, and should prove an incentive to the r association to Wake the function an annual one. Association regattas in other centres i are looked upon ,as : the oarsman's event of [ the year, and therefore it has been a puzzle ' to many why Auckland should be lacking in this respect. : ; • . • v , j It is four years ago since the last association regatta was held on Auckland Harbour, the waters off Takapuna Beach being the venu on' that occasion. Tho mismanagement of that regatta and the. unfortunate circumstances in connection with the; New Zealand championship . regatta, which was held shortly after at Mercer, gave the Auckland Association a , severe : set-back, from which it has just recovered- . V The onlv fault with Saturday's gathering was that the officials attempted to do too much. The programme was too ambitious for tho limited timo at their disposal,-and, therefore, as the starter was- anxious to get home at a reasonable time, some crews who had to wait for" 'boats from previous races were left behind. No doubt Saturday's experience will prove beneficial when arrangements are being made for next year's ; regatta-.' ; : K~{: Generally speaking, tho rowing was not good, tho work of the crews being lifeless, whilo a- want, of coaching and condition was apparent. It is only reasonable to expect regatta crows to row well together, and go to tho starting post in a condition which will permit them to finish , the race under pressure." Several crews on Saturday,* were vorv rough, while others, failed to respond to the call for a spurt at the business end of the journey. ; , ' One of the features of the day was tho sculling of C. E. Stone, the New Zealand champion. Ho won the provincial championship easily, and afterwards, by; a grand effort, won the handicap sculls in the last few vards. The handicapping of Mr. G. Huddlestono in this race provided an excellent and exciting finish. The St. George's Club seems to be the home of scullers. H. •B. Harper was second on each occasion to his club mate (Stone), while K. Aimer won tho maiden sculls. Of the eight entries in the handicap sculls, St. George's provided four, A- Linton, however, was prevented by business from starting. ' '/i 'The senior fours attracted, four entries, but 1 North Shore did not start.* The field was thus limited to t two Waitematft crews and one from St George's. The former's No. 1 crew, stroked by J. Magee, won by four lengths from St. George's crew, which was stroked by C. E. Stone. , The winning crew were not as clean in. their work as St. George's. Over the last half of the journey the two leading crews were : rowing stroke for stroke at 32 to tho minute. . The country; clubs again had. an innings. Ngaruawahw, who'only rowed in' one race the open weight jujnior fours—had no diffi; ■fjyttoj, in • winning tSat event. Whangarei \ ' : ' ' . ' , . "' •

won tho light-weight, junior fours after otm ; - of the best races of the day, another country 1 ' crew in Hamilton making & great bid for tho race. Wban;jarei also : won the heavyweight, maiden fours, f and Hamilton secured two seconds. * •- : jjfi Tho local clubs to secure "wins "were St. George's, three sculling events; Waitemata, senior fours and maiden double semis; West: Bnd, light-weight . maiden fours. North Shore, youths' .fours; Auckland, maiden pairs. ■. - rhe prize money allotted was distributed as follows : —Whangarei, £13; Waitemata, £10: West End, £7: Ngaruawahia, £7; St. George's, £4; North Shore, £4; Hamilton, _ £2- A number of cups, medals,' and certificates were also won. y The programme for the Ngaruawahia Regatta. _to be held on the 16t-h inst., ha:< been issued. The events of most interest to oarsmen Youths' four* (open weights), A\ aikato challenge shield for country club fours, maiden fours (lOst and under), maiden fours (open weights), junior four (lOst and under), » junior fours (open weights), senior fours (open weights), maiden double sculls, - junior double sculls, junior pair oars. The last three are all open weights. Entries will close on Saturday, with the secretary (Mr, E. Rathbone, Ngaruawahia). >