AQUATICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1261, 30 April 1896, Page 26

AQUATICS.

NOTES ON THE INTERCOLONIAL CONTESTS.

Any ono who has seen the crew which is to wrestle for the Four-oared Champion-

ship of Australasia in a few days must have the best hopes of their success. Tho men are all a triilo over twelve stone, and something over six feet in height. All aro strongly built and hroiul-shouldered, hard as nails, and fit as fiddlestrings. Last, not least, they are under a coach who knows his work, and is a man of energy as well as decision. The elements of success are there. AYo wish them every success.

Mr Richardson, tho coach aforesaid, has a good record. He learnt his business at Oxford, where various crews of his college (St. John’s) passed through his hands, attaining to tho ’Varsity form, which is every where admitted by rowing men to bo perfect. To him is due the form attained by Hie crew which rowed second at Picton in tho two last championship races. AViih not a tenth of tho time for working up combination which tho Queen’s Drive had bestowed on their work, lie brought his men to the start fit enough to give their opponents a tough race for the championship. The times on both occasions (llmin 41 sec and 12min ssee) were excellent, tho longer ono particularly considering tho heavy head wind, and no other crew was over 111 either race. Tho result speaks well for the coach whoso men did so well against the cracks.

The crew has been materially strengthened by the substitution of Duly for the fourth man who dtops out; all that is wanted being a little time for combined practice. The now man is an excellent oar, very well trained, with a very good record, and a capacity to adapt himself to any stroke, a rare tiling in rowing men. The crow rows a fairly long stroke, and has a capacity of keeping up a rate of 36, which ought to toll. They will ho haul to heat.

AYe must compliment t he Select ion f ommitteeon their choice. When they were appointed it was on the understanding that if the championship race was won fairly and squarely the winners should be chosen. There were two crews far superior to the rest in tho race. Of these tho committee, in accordance with the understanding, chose tiie winner. That choice having proved impossible by reason of the bar against fishermen, the committee chose the second crow, still in obedience to UlO original understanding.

The wishes of many clubs pointed at 0110 time to different methods ol selection. There was a combination proposal—that is, to pick a, crew man by men Horn the whole body of New Zealand oarsmen. But the time and expense that would have been involved secured the rejection of tho idea. Jho Canterbury Club proposed a combination out of their district, and put a crew in practice. But though the crew was an excellent crew, there was no principle on which its selection could be justified. Jho Association declared for the method adopted, and the great majouty ot tlio rowing men arc satisfied.

Ayj]i (his intercolonial championship becomo an annual fixture ? That is the question to he decided presently in Sydney. Mr Duncan, of Blenheim, who originally suggested the intercolonial championship, at l’iclon last year, advocated enthusiastically not only intercolonial but also Imperial rowing; wishing to seo crews sent Homo to compete in aquatic events, just as cricketers go homo to compete on the great

cricket grounds of tho old land. Why not? Tho impetus given to rowing would be great indeed, and tho benefit to the oarsmen manifold. But “ ono step at a timo” is a good motto. Tho first step is the intercolonial. Establish the annual fixture and work it for all it is worth first. It will bo established if only everybody agrees to the principle of givo and take. New Zealand cannot accept any bar against manual labour, because if manual labour is excluded from amateurship, rowing will die in New Zealand. Now South Wales being alone in Australasia in holding up tho bar, and having dropped it for this event, can afford to drop it altogether. On the other band, New Zealand, being alone in opposing tho exclusion of fishermen, and havin'* given way this year, ought to be ablo to afford to give way for the annual fixture. On this basis things ought to adjust themselves amicably.

The Now Zealand representative crew—W. Seymour (bow), J. V . Daly (No. 21, F. Seymour (No. 3) and George Seymour (stroke)— and 11. A. McCormick, the sculler, arrived here on Friday en route to Sydney to take part in the intercolonial contests, which are to bo rowed on the Parramatta River on May 2:3rd. Mr G. 13. Richardson, the coach of tho crow, and Mrs Richardson are also amonn- the party. The crew, who arc located at the Pier Hotel, had a spin from the Star shed on Friday afternoon, and Mr Richardson expressed himself highly delighted at tho easy way in which Daly, the now man, adapted himself to Seymour’s stroke. At the invitation of Mr Pollard, the representative party were present at the performance of “ Erminic ” at the Opera House on Friday, and were accompanied by Mr A. G. Johnson (chairman of the Committee of the Rowing Association), Mr N. Galbraith (deputy-captain of tho Star Child, Mr W. Ross (captain of the Wellington Club) and Mr A. M. Burns (secretary of the Rowing Association). It is worthy ol mention that tho whole party, including Mrs Richardson, are natives of New Zealand.

Tho heavy sea running in tho harbour on Saturday prevented tho New Zealand representative crew and McCormick from obtaining any boat practice, but they had some serviceable exercise on land. On Sunday afternoon tho water was quite smooth along tho Kaiwarra shoro, and tho crew had an excellent spin in the Star clinker four. Especial interest centred in the form shown by Daly, and the critics hud only ono opinion, that his inclusion had greatly improved the combination. At Pictou tho stroke side of tho boat showed a distinct weakness, but on Sunday afternoon the strength was equally divided, tho stroke side, if anything, being tho stronger. The Seymour Brothers are emphatic in their declaration that Daly’s inclusion will increase the speed of tho crow by lengths. Ihe average weight of tho crew in the boat is 12st 31b —W. Seymour (bow) scales 12st lib ; Daly (No. 2), 12st lib; F. Seymour (No. 3), 12st 01b ; and George Seymour (stroke), 12st 31b.

The secretary of the Association has received several letters from various parts of tho Colony wishing tho crow and sculler every success on tho other side. The diotanco for the Intercolonial Fours has been definitely fixed at two miles and a quarter, and the distance for tho Intercolonial Sculls at three miles. The long drawn out controversy between tho New South Wales and Victorian Rowing Associations over tho inclusion of Dawson, a cash cyclist, in the latter s representative crew lias been settled by tho reinstatement of Dawson as an amateur by the A ictorian Amateur Athletic Association. This difficulty threatened to cause the absence of the Victorian crew in the forthcoming intercolonial contests.

Tho Sydney Daily Telegraph, discussing the amateur definition difficulty between New Zealand and New South Wales Associations, says : —“ The hardship in the case of the Queen’s Drive crow is that had they been professional cyclists, they might have been reinstated by the association governing their sport, as is being done in the case of Dawson, over whom tho trouble arose with Victoria, and would then have been eligible to competo in tho fours. I lie same thing would liavo applied to any other branch of sport, in which they had transgressed tho amateur rule. . But, as the Now Zealand Rowing Association does not bar those who have once been seamen or fishermen, and, therefore, cannot reinstate them under present conditions, tlieso mon have no remedy, and practically once a fisherman or a seaman, are always so under the interpretation of New South Wales rules, under which it has been questioned as to whether tho officer ofaman-o’-war, for instance, could ho ail amateur without special provision (which is contemplated), as ho is employed in or about boats. The New South Wales Association points out that it has not only this special case to consider, but that it has also to consider tho Victorian and Queensland Associations, and could not consistently with its attitude in other matters let the two ex-fisherinon row. Tho question, however, has boon put to tho two associations in question. It is to be hoped that the conference to be held here at tho time of these competitions will coino to some definite amateur standard for their future conduct.”

Tho Dunedin Star says the sovorestblow of all to Otago was tho decision of the Selection Committeo to givo Daly tho vacant seat in tho Blenheim crow, in preference to Yeoman or Porter. Interviewed in Dunedin, McGrath attributed his defeat at Picton to tho effects of an attack of influenza. Ho believed, however, that McCormick would be the best man over a tlireo-milo com so. Ibis bears out exactly the opinion held by tho Selection Committee, and McGrath shows his sportsmanlike qualities by making such an admission. The secretary of tho South Australian Rowing Association has written to the Now Zealand Association expressing regret at tho inability of tho former to bo ropre-

sented in this year’s intercolonial contests, and stating that steps will be taken during the winter to interest affiliated clubs in the movement, with a view to the colony being represented in future contests.

J. Slack, tho champion sculler of Queensland, will represent that colony in tho Intercolonial Sculls.

The New Zealand rowing representatives left by the Ilauroto on Tuesday for Sydney. There was a very largo crowd of rowing mon on the wharf, who gave three hearty cheers for the crow as the steamer moved away from tho wharf.

On arrival in Sydney Air G. B. Richardson, the manager and coach, will engage the services of a professional trainer for the crew. McCormick, the sculler, will also have the services of a professional trainer.