AQUATICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 28

AQUATICS.

INTERGOLONIAL_ROWING CONTESTS NEW ZEALAND DEFEATED IN THE FOURS AFTER A FINE RACE. A cablegram from Sydney dated May 2!• gives tho following account of tho intercolonial contests ; A worse day for rowing as regards weather than Saturday could not well have been selected. As tho morning wore on, the wind gradually freshened, an 1 tho afternoon saw it piping strong from tho south-oast, with heavy rain. Tho morning ga v o some hope that steady rain would mitigato the effect of tho wind on the water, but this hope disappeared early in tho afternoon, when the rain unfortunatoly ceased, and gavo the wind freo play. Tho weather visibly affected the attendance of the public, as few but enthusiasts of the first water cared to face tho biting blasts. On tho open reaches of iho river “ white horses ” were in evidence, aud when the sculling event was st triad, it was a matter of conjecture whether any of the l'ni'l craft could safely negotiate tho minialuro Bay of Biscay between Blaudvillc and Mortlake. Tho results are as follows : Intkrcolonial Four - oared Championship ; prizes, four gold medals and ono silver medal for coxswain. About two miles and a quarter. Victoria—li. E. Dawson (bow), lOst; C. Donald (2), lOst 101 b ; H. Lindgren (3), list 101 b ; A. B. Sloane (stroke), list 101 b ... 1 New Zealand—W. Soymour (bow), 12st lib ; J. Y. Daly (2), 12st lib ; F. Seymour (3), 12st 31b ; Geo. Seymour (stroke), 12st31b; A. Warren (cox) ... 2 New South Wales—J. H. Evans (bow), lOst; A. J. Yivcrs (2), list 101 b; D. Cowan (3), 12st 21b ; E. Pearson (stroke), lOst 101 b 3 Tho Queensland crew, which had aPo outcicd, withdrew a few days ago. THE RACE. Tho crews were sent away about I o’clock after one false start, in which Victoria and New Zealand broko away. Eventually the three crews got away well together, Now Zealand and Victoria iorging to the front in t o fairly smooth water which prevailed between the .-darting point, and Abbotsford. AID-r lie: latter point was; cleared trouble was predicted for the Vietojians in the heavy wafer which was met with, but their short clean strokes took their boat lightly over the waves, while the longer sweep of the New Zealanders, together with the heavy weight of the crew, caused them to labour considerably in tho broken water. At this stage a regrettable incident occurred, the wind setting tho Victorian boat down on the New Zealand boat, and causing a foul. I’lio Australians had a slight lead at the time, but neither boat was stopped. From the start it was clearly scon that the New South Wales men were hopelessly out-classed, and tho race resolved itself into a great battle royal between the two visiting crews. The Victorians, who were rowing beautifully, and with magnificent combination, kept just ahead of tile other boat, the New Zealanders going all they knew to j keep on terms. Off Cabarita the Victorians had established a lead of nearly a length, but as Tennison was reached the New Zealanders spurted, and although the Victorians responded, tho former were drawing up on them at every stroke, when what looked like a crab spoiled their effort, and the crew fell back. Shortly afterwards tho New Zealanders put in another challenge, but it was of no avail, and the dark blues, rowing beautifully, kept their lead. At Mortlake tho Now Zealanders were steered an erratic course, and got into the wash of tho Victorians’ boat,, finishing under these conditions. Time, lgiiiin 32sec.

Tho general opinion is that the Victorians

1 wero to blame for the foul by getting into New Zealand’s water. Tho latter entered a protest immediately at the conclusion of tho race, but it was dismissed by tho umpire, who held that both crews wero in fault, that the New Zealand men had plenty of | room to give way to the other boat, and that , in Lis opinion the foul was not of sufficient i consequence to affect the result. The draw for the positions was muddled, and New Zealand should have gone from the centre buoy instead of from the northern one. Both Iho New South Wales and the i Victorian crews, being to the windward, had j the best positions in tho wind which was blowing. The New Zealanders claim that tin foul caused them to take in a large quantity of water, and when they finished the boat was full. In tho face of these circumstances they | are challenging tho Victorians to vow the race over again. The Victorians wero willing to row the race over again, and tho New Zealand crew agreed to do so, but subsequently it was found that there was no time to arrange for the contest, as tho Victorians left for home in tho morning. In its description of the race, the Sydney Morning Herald says that for a mile and a half, the New Zealanders pushed the Victorians, compelling them to row all they knew to keep the lead, but want of condition on tho part of a couple of men in tho New Zealand boat told its tale, so that the Southerners won rather easily at the finish. Intercolonial Sculling Chamrionshii’ ; prize, gold medal. Three miles. M. J. Slack, Queensland 1 J. L. Bannister, New South Wales ... 2 11. McCormick, New Zealand 3 E. Powell, Victoria, also started. This event was rowed almost in the dark. McCormick and Powell steered a wretched *conrso, the former going almost at right angles to tho proper course, which caused him to lose quite a hundred yards in the first mile. When Chicken’s Bay was reached Powell gave up, but McCormick persevered over the distance. Slack led from the start., and won easily by five lengths from Bannister, who was a couple of hundred yards in front of the New Zealander. Time, 23min 1 lsec. "I he visitors were entertained at a dinner on Saturday night. THE LAW REGARDING A FOUL. With regard to the foul, the Laws of Boat, Racing state that “ Each boat shall keep its own water throughout tho race, and any boat departing from its own water will do so at its peril.” It may be explained that this law contains the vital principle of the new code of boat-racing rules, which is that each competitor shall keep his own water and course from the beginning to tho end of the race, in contradistinction to tho old plan ol taking an adversary’s water, either for the purposo of obtaining the better position, or of washing aud bothering him.

The umpire is tho sole judge of a boat’s own water and proper course during the race. It is considered a foul when, after tho race has commenced, any competitor by his oar, boat or person comes in contact with the oar, boat or person of another competitor ; unless, in the opinion of the umpire, such contact is so slight as not to influence the race This gives an umpire power to ignore an accidental touch of oar or scull blades which exercises no influence whatever upon the result of the race, although strictly constituting a foul. THE CONFERENCE. QUESTION OF THE DEFINITION OF “AMATEUR” UNDER DISCUSSION. At the Rowing Conference hold in Sydney last week, the question which first cropped up was the power of delegates to bind their respective Associations. "With the exception of Victoria all wero prepared to do this. Queensland and New Zealand, however, declined to bind their Associations, unless all were unanimous. So the work of tho Conference will moroly result in recommendation to the various Associations. Mr Braddon (New South Wales) moved that the amateur definition for future contests be that under the section of the Victorian rules, with an amendment prohibiting anyono disqualified in any other branch of sport from competing. Mr Biss (Now Zealand) said that though it was the feeling in New Zealand that it was an advantage to a man engaged about boats, perhaps it was not fair to row him against others not so engaged. He raised the question of the officers of torpedo corps ; but the Now South Wales delegates assured him that so far as they wero concerned the officers of tho navy and mercantile marine were exempt. Asked as to whether this would apply to the rank and file, the reply was given that they did not think it would. Mr Upward (Victoria) moved to disqualify from the present date anyone who competed in any branch of sport lor stake or money. 4 he New South Wales delegates opposed Ibis as a cast-iron disqualification, ami the motion was negatived. At the Conference on Friday, with reference to the amateur definition, Mr l’radd m withdrew his motion for tho adoption of the \ ictorian rule, and an amendment by Mr Dough s. of Queensland, “ That an amateur oarsman or • hillit be one who has never competed in any compel il i n for stake money or entrance fee iu any branch of athletics,” was carried on the casting vote ol the chairman. It would be idle for any New Zealander to protend that he is not disappointed at the result of tho race. As a matter ot course, we all of us expected that our men would win the race. We thought they were good enough, we knew that they were in very g,od hands, and wo felt certain that they would do their best. New Zealand had, in fact, made up its mind that the Fours and tho Sculls would both be carried off by their men. It would be idle to protend "that New Zealand is not disappointed by the result. Tho disappointment, especially as regards the Noun-, is about tire most keen on record. Tho Sculling Championship was not depended upon so much, but the loss of the Fours has caused general regret. There was a special reason why victory would have been welcome. It was that tuo New Zealand Association was the father of the last great event of intercolonial importance. Bust Easier twelvemonth the idea was first mooted. It was the season known as “ South Easter ” in the current banter of tho time; tho rowing men of New Zealand, tiro representatives of many thousands of trained oars-

men, driven from tho water by tho weather, took their pleasure in boatsheds at Picton and other places of shelter. They talked, their talk took tho direction of intercolonial rowing contests, it went, at tho instigation of a famous Marlborough man, as far as Imperial rowing. This enthusiast was anxious to enlarge the experience, and raise the standard of our rowers, hy arranging for competitions of the widest possible character. Australians, he said, went home and competed, with very excellent results, with tho elite of English cricket. Why not in everything, rowing included? And why not let New Zealand have a slinro ? These ideas were taken up enthusiastically by the rowing men at Picton; their resolution was adopted by tho Association ; negotiations with New South Wales followed; the desired intercolonial fixture followed—the Imperial part of the programme not having gono further than tlo first enthusiastic mention. Our Association thereupon selected tho New Zealand crew, found itself in a false position in consequence of tho amateur definition in uso on tho other side, promptly selected another crow, and was warmly supported by tho manly spirit, plain common-sense and fine sportsmanlike instinct of the great bulk of New Zealand oarsmen. Such a history deserved the winning of tho first of tho newly-established fixtures. Tho circumstance adds to tho disappointment. At the same time let it not be thought that any blame is to be placed upon anybody. Far from it. Wo recognise that the Selection Committee made the very best choice open to t horn : that our men did all that could bo expected by tho most exacting during their work of preparation, that they were admirably handled by that enthusiastic veteran Mr Richardson, and that on tho water on tho day of the raco they put forth all tho strength, skill and endurance which they possessed. That they did their duty by their country and by (themselves thero can be no possiblo doubt. Their rowing brethren will do them fullest justico on that point. They will do more. They will recognise, after all, that tho obtaining of second place in a great contest entitles a crew to some very proud moments, and all the thanks and honour that their countrymen have it in their power to bestow. They have won a very honourable distinction, they liavo made themselves much respected, they have found foomen worthy of t heir steel, and they will, we all hope, meet them next year and beat them.

As to the race itself, it is apparent from the details that our men had not the best of luck. Their position was not tho host, the water was rough, there was an unfortunate foul, and their boat came iu nearly full of water. Under tho circumstances, of which we must admit they arc the host judges, they have done right to challenge the winning crow to row tho raco again. If their challenge is accepted in tho same sporting spirit in which it is given, wo shall, in common with tho rowing public of New Zealand, he glad. If not, then wo shall hope for hotter luck next time, and victory.