N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15370, 6 February 1912, Page 3

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA.

. A meeting of Ihe above aKtociation was held in Mr E. S. Wilson's lioaril room, Empire Uiuldings, laH night, when thero wero pr(*ciit-.\ltts M 11. U. Drewor (chair) V. W. Mitchell, .1. E. Galbraith, U. V. Parker, i'. .1. l'riest, M. Priest, .1. Dowland, S. D. Slyclie, K. V. Kairbairn, T. Lightbourne, W. T. Brailov, W. J..Milchell and T. Ifodg.-ou. Mr .1. K. Widdop, tlie Xeiv Zealand Ai*ociatioii's reprcsentativo at the regatta, wna also prewnt. Mr J. E. GalliraiUt stated that all arrangements had been made re umpires' launch anil for railing fame Io Waihohi. Mr H. I). lirewcr reported having secured tlio services of a band for the day. Tlio'law Society and. the Master Printers' Awocintion wrote acknowledging receipt of tbo association's letter ro observing a Italf-lioliday on . Wwlnosdav, and stating that arrangements were l>cing mado Io observe a half-holiday. Mr W. .t. Mitchell reported having obtained a ball as a signal lxV.l to notify crows to gel ready for the next race. Mr W. T. Ilrailoy wa s apixrinUxl to look after tho boll, the bell to be rung 15 minutes prior to each raoe. It was resolved that the priw money lie paid out the day following the regatta. Tho Works Committee reported that all arrangements in oonnection with tho course, etc., wcro now completed, and that (ill tho vifiling crows were now at Wailiola. Tho Enfcrtainmont Committee submitted a progratnino for tlio smoke concert, and reixirted that all arrangements in connection with tho smoko concert were now completed. TIUi.VIXO NOTES. All the- inon who are Io <.oun>ete in t|; e cliampioiiMiip evejits-t,!io ejc-ulls, l-'ours Piurs, and Double Sculls-are now out ai tho lake, and a visit to Wa-ihola yesterday showed that nearly all were haixl at won: putting the fiuisiiiji i > toin.hes on their triiuiii(s and getting tliomsolvcs itttpwmWd with tho lako and tlie course. Taking a glauey tnroiigii ihe crews as a w.'iol.) everything lWDilii to Iho racing at tlio regatta Iwiug oi a very high standard, and it is safe to siy that it will be ;, loty time lieforc thoio will again Iw such a oollcction of Now Zealand oarsmen in southern walcrs. On SwiOay the la(a> was in good order, with a vciy slight Njiilhorly, wJiilo yKk-rday .v.is hot ;uid uiliii with the wnlor like a. she.'t of glass. Jn tlio Single Kuulls G. Stone, who has won this ev.-nt threo yiwrs in siicowsion, is leaving nothiiiK to cliaitco in his ellort Io retain iho title of New Zealand champion He has lieen out at the laku for slightly more tluiu a tortnight now, and has Ixhjh doing solid work. On only tinea or four days has he boon tHiable to get out in his lioat, aiid as ho lias Ixvn doing a good deal of land-woik such as walking, etc. he is trained to the hour and lit io low for his life lie won out twico on Sunday, being paced over iho course by a motor launch iu the evening ami finishing very strongly. He also put in some good work yesterday morning. .lack M'l irulh, i'ji wJkmii a great deal of interest naturaily centos, and his club* mate Kerr, Ikjlli went out to the hdw ou Saturday, and have taken up their ipiarters in a lent pitched in an orchard adjoining the lake. On Sunday moit.ing both ilw men had a spin over the cturso in the single sculls, and ii: the evening woro mil in the double senilis, in winch event they are th.? only competitor.! from Otago. liolh are going niudy, though they iind the water in the lake pretty heavy after the harbour. M'tlrath tools well, and expxls to row a good raco in the Single Sculls, while Kx-rr is showing much-improved lorn:, though his boat is, if anything, a liilie small for 'dm liolh were out yesterday morning iu the singles, Kerr sliowutg up very well in a short .-pin with Arthur .laclton, Uk> big Pit-ton man, who appeared, Ic be lion: 100 sprightly in his I'loveiuents. His club-mate Kenny, who is alfo entered for tho sculls, will not compete, as they have only Ihe one boat. H** (Mercer Rowing Club), tho othW entrant, has becjn unfortunate, as ho has been waiting for his boat since Saturday. It arrived hist night, however, and lie had his lirsf, spin, lie is a solid lump of a fellow, birt does not np|H)Bir to have the finish of some of tho other men. Of tlio entrants for the Champion Fours I'icton hiivo bail two or three spins over the course, and arc going very well. They are a big, strong crew, averaging a litt.o over l'ist. There is plenty ol power in tho Iwit, ami they lwvo a line swinging stroke. Chrislchurcli Union, who romped homein the Senior Fours at Port Chalmers on Ikixing Day, have been out close on half a do7/.;ii tinnts, doing good, tolid work, and appear to ho going very well. Owing to the non-arrival of their boats Ihe Wangiiniti Union were unable to get out until last night. Thoy had a splendid spin, getting plenty of pace out of their hoai, and snow ovcry sign of reproducing their form of two years ago, notwithstanding that they have been hami-ered in their training by illness in tho crew. The Awarua (llliitFi crew liavo lest their stroke (Georgo West), as he is unwell and unable to row, but his place has lieen taken by Brndshaw. They were out twico in ' llieir new Towns boat on Sunday, and seemed to -bo getting hold of her all right. The members of the crow paid a visit to town yesterday, but returned in the evening iu time for a spin. They are rowing with a nice swing, and put plenty of lifo into Ihoir work. The Invereargill Railway and Canterbury crows are Ixith going well". The hitter only got their Ixiat out yesterday morning, and immediately had their linst spin. They row ill the-_ English stylo, reaching well forward to their work ami swinging right back -at the finish, and their long, steady stroke is very pretty to watch, while they manage to got a good deal of pace- out- of" their lioat. The Puir-oar men have been getting in occasional spins, both the Picton and Cliristclmruh Union men going over tho course last night. In tho Double Sculls, tho present champions, Sharp and Narrow, of the Wanganui Union, arrived at the lake yesterday, and were out lieforc lunch and again in the evening. Thoy arc going nicely, and, as both are- young and well-trained, should (Kit up a good light. Most of the other crews in this event wore out during Ihe day doing the course. Lite last night tlio weather was very warm, tliough a fow drops of rain fell, and the water was good. Everything prowell for a spell of fine weather, so that indications for Wednesday are distinctly good. Tlio men will take things very easy today. THE CREWS IX THE RIG RACE. Under this heading ■•.Mercury,*' tho auuatic. writer, publishes in Saturdays Dominion the following anent Iho crews to compote in tho Champion Fours Raco at Waiiwla on Wednesday:— It is a great pity that iho championships on this ixxxuMon arc passing with so little notice from tlie public, because at no time in the Dominion's rowing has the general standard lieen so high. Thero have boon crews, it w true, perhaps as good as those engaged, but thoy have boon individual combinations t-lwu have stood out from their follows ill different kvvoiis. On the present occasion, as was the eve last year iu Wanganui, there, are at least three crews in tlie Champion l'V-tirs gotHl wiough for ;uiy coni]\iny. Those are tlie Picton and the two Union Club crews — Wanganui and Cliristcliurch. Then there is the Canterbury quartet—an unknown quantity in clxinipionship racing—but confidently rs|x>ken of as being right in the ninuing, and ako the Awarua crew from Soirthlaud, als« Siiid to be a hot combination. In "Mercury's" opinion tho issue lies between tlio tlinv crews first named, and can l>o lined down still further as between Picton mid Wanganui Union. On txijvr, l'ioton should undoubt.ylly win. Throe of the nien are already cham(>ion«, the crow is hitr and strong, averaging well over l&t, and. furthonnore. the stroke and Xo. 3 filled iho fame positions in last year's chanipiou crew—in the Blenheim Club's iiitorosis. Thk WAXGAxn Vnvx. Tlie Wanganui quartet is tlie famous crew that won the lntcr-State Champion Fours at Holvirt in the ISO 3-9 season. tAst soasoii it failed io reproduce this form, ami w«.i braten at the Wellington regatta b$ Blenheim, and a week later at tho

championships by both Blenheim and Ohristchureh Union. Tin's season a return to the old form is ro|>ortod, and if this is N> tho other erews engaged . will havo to "keep their oars swinging" to beat tlio light blue combination. The Picton Cnisw. The Picton crow arrived in town en route for Waihola on Tuesday, and left again on Thursday. In conversation with the men, " Mercury" learnt that they are fit and hopeful, although a • bit Ehort of boat work, and slightly rough when in tho boat, being bothered with a slight roll that will not lie eradicated. Tho two big men, Arthur Jackson and E. Kenny, are down von- fine—for them. The former told " Mercury " that sina> lie started training he had laken off three slono nil but a pound, and was now down to a moro shadow—just under 14 stone. Kenny, the No. 2, is scaling about 13 stone, Andrews, the stroke, just on 11 atono, and Carrick, the tow, 10J stone. Cakkbr of the Picton Crew. Reg. Androws, the Picton stroko, and present stroke of the Dominion's Champion Four, Iks had a short but singularly successful rowing career. Albeit a champion, ho is now only in his fourth season, and his regatta record so for rum:—Sixteen starts, fourteen firsts, and two reeonds. If ho can bring his crew home on Wednesday he will have achieved what no other oarsman in tho Dominion has done —namely, stroked crews rcprefer.ting two different (•Inks to victory in the champion fours in succon-ivo years. Last season ho stroked tho Blenheim crew, but has now rol timed to his original club, having been moved back to Picton, and, naturally enough, he is keen to place his old love on the top of tho leader, tho more particularly so n<s he can do it this season without in any way " goimr back" on niotihoim, as this club is not. defending its title.