ROWING EVENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23319, 12 April 1939, Page 19

ROWING EVENTS

SEASON CONCLUDED GOOD PROMISE FOR 1940 PROGRESS OF EIGHTS RACING With the University tournament eights and the inter-provincial eights at Dunedin last Saturday, the rowing season is now concluded. There is evidence that the sport in the Auckland Province at least, made progress during the past few months. Two clubs in the city, St. George's and North Shore, have re-estab-lished themselves. Whakatane is making serious efforts to place the club in a sound position. Most clubs report increased memberships and several clubs have purchased new plant. The activities generally augured well for the 1940 season.

Eight-oar rowing is developing steadily and the fact that clubs have accepted eights racing is shown by their endeavour to own best-and-best eights. Four clubs in Auckland now own eights, two new skiffs being imported this year. The efforts of the St. George's Club, which finished the season with more regatta success than any other club in the province, have been watched with interest. That this accomplishment has been carried out with maiden oarsmen only is remarkable and its success is a shining example of enthusiastic cooperation. Not represented in regattas for some time, St. George's opened the season by winning the Bennett Shield at the North Shore regatta and topped the donation list at the Tauranga and Hamilton regattas. The clnb also performed well at the Mercer and Ngaruawahia regattas, the club's heavy maiden and youths' fours, especially, owing their success to sheer determination and conscientious training. It is to be hoped that all clubs will make serious efforts to increase their membership during the winter months. Most clubs provide for winter membership and crews should be in the making before the centennial season starts.

OUTSTANDING OREWS RETURN OF CLARRIE HEALEY Two crews have been outstanding in New Zealaud championship class this season. Clifton's senior four was undefeated and won the New Zealand championship for the second time in succession. The Wanganui Union eight-oar crew convincingly won the New Zealand championship and the inter-pro-vincial eights. A feature of the Waganui Union crew was the return of Clarrie Healey, who rowed for New Zealand in the Army eights. He is reported to be in sound form.

The Petone double sculls combination, which twice defeated last season's NewZealand champions, R. B. Smith and A. Morey, of Auckland, must also be a sterling combination. Boswell, who was P. Abbott's partner in the Petono crew, is said io be a. promising sculler with good prospects for next year. Five times New Zealand champion singles sculler, £. B. Smith is still in a class bv himself. He won his title at Picton'this year with very little training beforehand. Smith proposes to keep in light training during the winter and should bo capable of retaining his title next year.

SPORT IN THE SCHOOLS REGATTA IMPROVEMENTS School rowing is steadily developing in Auckland and college races on the Tamaki Drive course are becoming increasingly popular. College rowing will not only bring more participants into the sport and produce leading oarsmen, as has already been demonstrated, but also create renewed interest. Rowing in Australia has to thank college rowing for a good deal of its success as a leading sport. . The conduct of regattas was improved this year. A firm stand by the starter in disqualifying latecomers has done much to speed up the programme. It is the competing club's responsibility to see that crews are sent away in time to reach the start at the scheduled time. Too much reliance should not be placed on the masljals appointed by the regatta committees. Both the interprovincial and university eight-oared events at Dunedm last Saturday were rowed in good water and were keenly contested, producing close finishes. Otago defeated Canterbury in the university competition by the narrow margin of only three feet, 'which is very close for a three-mile raceThe champion Wanganui Union crew must not have felt quite as confident as it did before its event, when shortly after the start of the interprovincial championship eights the Otago combination went out in front and maintained its advantage almost to the finish. It was only by a supreme effort that Wanganui was able to retain the title, crossing the line with only a canvas to spare. Wellington, which was expected perform well, finished third two lengths away. The eight-oar competition this 3-ear gives promise of good racing in the Centennial season.