ROWERS RETURN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21961, 19 November 1934, Page 12

ROWERS RETURN

WANGANUI UNION CREW VISIT PAID TO AUSTRALIA DOMINION STANDARD HIGHER With pleasant recollections of thoir sojourn in Australia, the New Zealand oarsmen who competed at the Melbourne Centenary regatta, the Victorian Rowing Association's regatta and the Sydney regatta, returned to Auckland by the Mariposa on Sntur- | day. The party comprised the Wanga- | nui Union Boat Club's eight-oar crew | and R. B. Smith, of the Waitematu j Boating Club, Auckland, who pnrticij pated in the sculling events. Mr. 10. J. Crotty, manager, and Mr. W. G. ! Coombes, coach and trainer, aecom- | panied the party, together with j several supporters. "Generally speaking, the standard ' of rowing in New Zealand is superior ■ to that in Australia," said Mr. Crotty. j "The wonderful physicfuo of tho Aus- | tralians, however, is very impressive j —in fact, I have never seen such • splendid physique among oarsmen, j "In the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley we defeated Melbourne University, which the previous Saturday had beaten 'us, in the first heat, wli.'lo in the semi-final wo accounted for Mercantile and Nagambie. These were two very hard races, and the effect was most noticeable in the final, when the crew went rather disappointingly." The London Rowing Club crew, which won the final, nevertheless, was exceptionally good, continued Mr. Crotty, and, although its style did not meet with the approval of Melbourne critics, it possessed remarkable pace through tho water. The stroke, T. Turner, had stated that it was the best row the crew had ever had. Mr. Crotty further stated that the Londoners were indeed great watermen. They had a tremendous leg drive, and followed this up with an exceptionally steady recovery. Ideal Conditions Conditions for rowing in Melbourne were ideal, the clubs being in the heart of the city, with every facility for the development of the sport. Tho river presents a great spectacle after 5 o'clock at night, it • being literally covered with boats, and good steering is very essential. In Sydney the New Zealanders measured blades with ihe elite of New South Wales crews and, although critics did not favour the New Zealanders, the latter went to the front after 200 yds. and won by a very comfortable margin. For this victory the crew received the Kerr Cup outright and nine miniatures. The high standard displayed by the crew was a tribute to the coach, Mr. W. G Coombes. Mr. Crotty referred to the wonderful hospitality bestowed upon his men during their stay in Australia, particularly in Sydney, where they were quartered at the Sydney Rowing Club'si premises at Abbotsford. In Melbourne they operated from the Melbourne Grammar School boathouse. which was also the headquarters of the Londoners. Auckland's sole member of the party, R. B. Smith, was naturally very pleased to win his way to the final of the Yarra Challenge Cup at Henley, and fought out the issue with the capable H. Turner, Australian champion. Turner beat Smith by a length and a-quarter, and the time, 5m 28s, equalled tho record for the course. Smith also had plenty of praise for the treatment accorded the oarsmen. "The trip has been of most i educative value, and I have learned j about sculling much of which I hopo j to give oarsmen here the benefit," he : said. Held in High Regard P. A. Abbott, of the Petone Rowing Club, Wellington, who also participated officially in the sculling events, did not return with the party,paving delayed his departure from Sydney in order to travel direct to Wellington by the Wanganella, which sailed from Sydney on Saturday last. Incidentally, both Smith and Abbott were bald in high regard by the officials in the handicap events, and in one event Smith actually conceded 37 seconds to the limit man. The visiting oarsmen, who during their stay in this city were the guests j of Mr. F. V. Home, of Gleeson's j Hotel, were met on arrival by Mr. J. j C. Aitken, of the Auckland Rowing j Association, and on Saturday after- j noon, with members of the association, j visited several local rowing clubs. At j the Waitemata Club the stroke and captain of the Union crew, C. A. j Healey, gave an informal discourse on j the various styles seen in Australia, j and demonstrated the methods adopted : by the London crew, the most im- j pressive features of which, he con- ' sidered, were their powerful leg drive j and superb watermanship. Yesterday afternoon the oarsmen were taken for a motor drive around Auckland, a special visit being paid to the Whau Estuary, Avondale, where the next New Zealand championships are to be held. They went south last evening by the limited express, being farewelled at the station by a gathering of rowing officials and oarsmen. The members of tho crew are:—C. A. Healey (stroke and captain), A. K. G. Jackson, S. A. Healey, A. Tonks, R. Gould, A. Shepherd, A. G. Mosfc, R. S. Mowatt, P. Hartshorn, and M. liuxford.