ROWING EVENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23226, 21 December 1938, Page 22

ROWING EVENTS

TAUKANGA PROSPECTS REGATTA NEXT MONDAY CREWS' RESTRICTED TRAINING Auckland regatta crews have been seriously handicapped in their training for provincial rowing meetings by bad water conditions during the past few weeks.. It has been difficult on this account to select representatives for the Tauranga regatta next Monday. Waitemata held a race to decide which junior crew should also row in the senior class, but the race was called off when the crew stroked by J. Jones swamped. In a race on Monday evening Sweeney's/four came home first to gain the honour. Only two senior crews from Auckland will be rowing at Tauranga. The Auckland Club's four will be R. B. Smith (stroke), G. Oxspring, D„ Simmonds and H. Jellie, while Waitemata's combination comprises T. C*-Conway (stroke), N. Hunt, T. Gallagher and F. Weaver. The standard is not good in the senior class this year. Tauranga has entered a senior crew and will be hard to beat on its own course. Auckland's No. 1 junior crew is showing good form and should give a good account of itself. Waitemata's crew, stroked by Sweeney, has a good chance and should make a close race of it with Tauranga. The Auckland crew in the heavy maiden eights should be well in the running. University and West End also will be starting in this class. Auckland's light-weight four seems to be the favourites among the city clubs. Waitemata has entered the same crew that competed at North Shore.

The youths' class is one of the strongest this year. St. George's crew, stroked by J. Coote, has a good chance of winning its event, while Auckland's crew, stroked by E. Field, should be well in the running. The latter has been strengthened by the inclusion of G. Hewlett. Waitemata had a good crew, but is unfortunate in losing P. Vokes, who will be unable to row during the early part of the season. St. George's has two entries in the maiden double sculls class, but is unfortunate in losing V. Sanders, who is unable to row in one of the crews. The result of the single sculls will depend a good deal upon the handicaps and water conditions. The Hamilton Bowing Club has entered four crews. There will be one crew in the double sculls, two in the heavy maiden event and a youths' four. Last year only one second was gained by the Hamilton Club at Tauranga, and throughout the season the form of tho Hamilton oarsmen did not come up to expectations. However, the crews have been training hard this season and better things aro expected of them. The personnel of the Hamilton crews is as follows: —Double sculls: I. Duncan, G. Smith; heavy maiden fours, first crew, G. Smith, J. Tanner, R. Reese, D. Paterson; second crew, J. Corlett, F. Sotham, T. Pickwick, H. Holloway; youths' four, A. Herbert, L. Wright, C. Pope, T. Fitzgerald.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS CREWS FOR PICTON EVENT Owing to other regattas and sporting events clashing, the Mercer regatta will not be held until March 11. It was intended to hold this early in February, but the New Zealand championships at Picton on February 11 and the Wellington meeting on February 4 upset calculations. The Auckland Club's senior eight hopes to be represented at the New Zealand championships, and with the new boat this crew should -be in the running. In a borrowed boat last year tho combination finished a length behind the ■winners. Advice from Wanganui indicates that there will be serious competition from at least two Wanganui clubs _ in the Dominion eight-oar championship. Members of the Wanganui Union Club, under the coaching of the well-known oarsman, C. C. Healey. have been working in fours and will start this week on eight-oared training. Healey has been teaching his crews a new grip of the water which should strengthen the club's chances. "Union won the eight-oared event last season, and, given good water conditions, has every opportunity of repeating its success. Henley has announced his intention of rowing in the championship eight crew owing to the bowman, Luxford, having been injured in a» motor accident. One of the most prominent oarsmen New Zealand has ever produced, Healey was winning big races in 1918. Healey rowed as a youth, stroking a crew at the championships at Mercer in 1914. . Aramoho Is also competing in the eight-oar event at Picton and has been showing good form.