ROWING EVENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23000, 30 March 1938, Page 21

ROWING EVENTS

AUCKLAND BEGATTA MEETING ON SATURDAY SIX CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS The annual Auckland rowing regatta will bo hold 011 Saturday afternoon when the provincial championship events not already decided nt other meetings during the season will ho coiltested along a course parallel to Tamaki Drive. The prize-money originally'voted for tlio regatta was £.'3o, but this has now been raised to £4O.

Following is the programme with the allocations of prize-money for the championship events: —2 p.m., youths' fours, Nash Cup, £4, £1; 2.30 p.m., single sculls handicap, Skeates Cup for championship, £3, £lj 3 p.m., open maiden eights, C. G. Herdman Cup, £7, £2; 3.30 p.m., junior fours in clinker boats, Soale Cup, £7, £1; 3.35 p.m., pair-oar race for blind oarsmen; 4 p.m., open maiden fours, Dewar Shield, £7, £1; 4.30 p.m., light maiden fours, John Clark Shield, £5, £1; 5 p.m., eight-oared race to decide provincial representation.

The eight-oared race to decide interprovincial representation has drawn the attention of three clubs. With the closing of entries Waitemata and Auckland were the only contenders but yesterday a late entry was received from Tauranga. Tho starting positions have already been drawn but Tauranga will be given the third place on tho outside. t The financial position of the Auckland Association was such that it was nearly decided to cancel the meeting altogether this year. However, it was firmly advocated from certain quarters that the regatta should not bo abandoned altogether. There is a good representation of both country and local clubs and some excellent competition is assured. For a number of years up to 1936 tho regatta was ' held on tho Wliau estuary. Last year it was decided to transfer the meeting to the waterfront road and that it had lost none of its appeal was demonstrated by the crowd that attended. A factor which certainly added to tho interest of the regatta was the staging of a full class for eights. The programme included one eight-oared contest lor maiden oarsmen. This class is always likely to produce a thrilling race with a surprise result and the event on Saturday should prove no exception. As the outcome of the accident during tho meeting last year, when n launch rammed and badly damaged a skiff, the Auckland Harbour Hoard has declared closed the area of water south from Orakei Wharf to the Royal Akarana Yacht Club's pavilion between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on Saturday.

SCHOOLBOY OARSMEN GREAT PROGRESS MADE INTER-COLLEGE COMPETITIONS Another milestone in the progress of rowing in the secondary schools was j msged last week-end with the launching of the eight-oared skiff purchased by Sacred Heart College. An advance lias also been made in other quarters and it is stated that .'3o boys have mow taken up the sport at Mount Albert Grammar School, while a few pupils of Takapuna Grammar School are enthusiastically training with the North Shore Rowing Club. The iliter-secondary schools rowing sports in Auckland this year will bo held on April 30. The events to be decided are an eight-oared race and a four-oared contest, with the possibility of an additional lours competition. Three crews representing Sacred Heart College, Mount Albert Grammar School and Takapuna Grammar School will participate in the fours, while Mount Albert and Sacred Heart will contest the eights. An invitation from Wanganui Technical College to compete in events to be held on the Wanganui River on Easter Monday has been accepted by Mount Albert Grammar. A four-oared crew from the school will leave Auckland on April 11 and return on April 19. Ju addition, Christ's College, Christchurch, will take part in the fours raw at Wanganui. The prospective representatives of the-Auckland school have been in training for some considerable time and should give a good account of themselves. Sacred Heart was also invited but found it impossible to make the trip.

At present the Sacred Heart boat is housed in the University Club's shed but it is the intention of the college to erect a shed of its own or share one with other secondary schools. Ota- )■ 111111 Technical .School lias made a start with training operations from the St. George's clubhouse. As vet other schools :ire considering the matter of placing rowing on their sporting currieulnms and it is hoped that within a year or two it will be recognised bv all colleges. The Sacred Heart boat was purchased by llie collage through the enterprise of the Rev. Brother Clemens with the assistance of the old boys. The craft formerly belonged to King's School, Paramatta, Sydney. The boat will be named the Sancta Marin.