ROWING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22212, 15 March 1934, Page 5

ROWING

'.. By Outwggeb. FIXTURES Match 17.-rOamaru rowing carnival. March 31.—Interprovincial Eights (Wellington). Queenstown regatta. OTAGO CLUB Crews from the Otago Club compete' at the Oamaru regatta on Saturday. The crews will compete in all maiden, junior, and senior events, and are looking forward to the races, which will be somewhat of a novelty to the oarsmen, the course being but half a mile. The crews will be:—Maiden Pairs, J. Petrie (str)> J. Salt; Maiden Sculls, J. Turnbull (str), J. Salt; Junior Sculls, K. Barclay (str), J. Turnbull; Junior Pairs, J. Turnbull (str), K. Barclay; Senior Pairs. W. L. Zaffer (str), K. Barclay. In all probability a Maiden Four will enter, but the personnnel of the crew has not yet been announced. Ah interesting afternoon's racing was witnessed last Saturday, when the Ladies' Challenge Race was decided. Four crews competed, and some close finishes were witnessed. The winning crew was: K. Barclay (str), W. L. Zaffer, A. Foster, Skene (bow). The crew rowed a good race to win the final from Petrie's crew by a length. The next club races will be decided on March 24. PORT CHALMERS CLUB As has been the case in previous years, activity at the Port Chalmers Club's boatshed has dwindled after the last local regatta. The following crews are now training for the Queenstown regatta:— Senior Sculls, H. Pritchard and J. Neilson; Senior Pairs, Pritchard and Neilson; Maiden Sculls and Pairs, A. Anderson and Rae. Both these crews should give a good account of themselves at Queenstown. It was recently suggested that, improvements be made to the club's boathouse, and since then the committee has lost no time in deciding to carry out the work. Some .of the energetic members have made a start, the intention being to extend the dressing room in their spare time. OAMARU BOATING CLUB The M'Adam Fours of the Oamaru Boating Club were commenced on the evening of March 5. A high tide enabled the full, course to be used, although the north-west wind' made the start rather choppy. In the first heat Baxter's crew went away to a good start and was never headed, beating Patterson's crew by a length arid a-half. Hastie's crew beat Morris by three-quarters of a length. The winning crew gained half a length at the start, which Morris made up, only to lose lagain. M'Kenzie, whose crew had a very nice Swing and even stroke, beat Holland's crew by two lengths. Oh Wednesday evening, March 7, the last heat was rowed between Mackie and Rennie. Mackie obtained a good start and went into the lead. Both crews struck a very fast stroke, but Mackie' got more full out of the.boat and won by a length. The semi-final was rowed by M'Kenzie and Baxter. M'KenzieV crew had a good swing and combination, and won a fine race by half a length. Hastie beat Mackie by a canvas in a good finish. The final was rowed last Friday on rough water. This was a very good race, but Hastie had more reserve, and won by a canvas. '•

Arrangements are well in, hand for the Vowing regatta to be held on Saturday by the Oamaru Club. The programme and Oamaru crews for each event will be as follows: : • Maiden Double Sculls (No. I)—D. M. Patterson, R. Morris; Maiden Double Sculls (No. 2)—J. E. Farrell, T. Hastie; Youths' Double Sculls (No. l)~R.OrBell, B. W. Patterson; Youths' Double Sculls (No. Middlemas, A. Tempero; Junior Double Sculls (No. I)—D. M. Patterson, R. Morris (a second crew will probably compete); Maiden Fours. (No. I)—E. Holland (str.), H. Ward. R. Gleeson. and H. Tempero: Maiden Fours (No. 2)—R. Morris (str.), I. Clark, T. Hastie, and K; M'Kenzie; Junior Pairs (No. I)—J. Mackie, J. Baxter; Junior Pairs „ (No. 2)—D. M. Patterson, J. Rennie; Youths' Pairs (No 1) —B. Tempero, A. Holland; Youths'Pairs (No. 2) A. M'lntosh, R. M'lntosh; Maiden Pairs (No.. D—R. Mbitis, 1.. Clark; Maiden Pairs (No. 2)—E. Holland, H. Ward: Senior Pairs—J. Mackie, J. Baxter

The Timaru Rowing Club has entered crews for .all the sculling "events, and will row in an Oamaru boat for the Maiden Four. The Otago Rowing Club will send crews. . ~

EIGHT-OAR CHAMPIONSHIP "Little surprise has been caused by the selection of oarsmen for" training for the Auckland provincial eight to contest the Interprovincial Championship at Wellington on Easter Saturday (says the New: Zealand Herald). Although all selected are experienced oarsmen, only five of last year's eight have been selected this year —F. W. Solomon (5), P- Williams (4), F. G. Bowling (3), J. R. H, Biss (2), and J.'H. Donovan,-.last year's bow, who it) to row 7 in this year s crew. •.'•■•» The placing: of R. B. Smith in the stroke seat is not likely to be Seriously criticised. Smith adds to his stroking ability and. skill the disposition to -treat' all opposition in a spirit of confidence. He is known' chiefly for his sculling ability having been national sculling sculls champion of 1932, while he recently annexed the double sculls title with T. A. Johnson. 1 • :

The oarsmen selected for training are: R. B. Smith, Waitemata; J. H. Donovan, West End; C. D'Authreau, St. George's; F. Solomon, St. George's; R. Porter, Auckland; F. G.. Bowling, West End; J. R. H. Biss, St. George's; G. D. Barker, Auckland; J. M'Comish, Auckland; P. Williams, St. George's. Mr S. H. T. Buchanan will be the coach. T. A. Johnson, of Waitemata, who was originally stated not to be available, is now able to make the trip and will row No. 6, C. D'Authreau, of St. George's, being transferred to No. .2 in place of his clubmate, J. H. Biss, who is not available. P. Williams, also of St. George's, replaces R. Porter, Auckland, in the tour seat. R. Porter and A. D. Dalton (West End) are the emergencies. W. J. Dean, stroke of the crew last season, was also not available.

The crew, which has been indulging in solid road work on the Tamaki drive on recent evenings, went into camp last week:end on the property of Mr B. D. Robertson, Rosebank road, Avondale, in the immediate vicinity of the Whau Creek. Messrs S. H. T. Buchanan (coach) and H. Donovan (trainer) are in camp with the crew. GENERAL NOTES Old-time oarsmen will regret the passicg of Mr A. Binnie, whose death occurred recently. Although not well known to the active oarsmen of to-day, he left his mark in the sport. He was recognised as one of the beßt authorities and finest coaches ever seen in Otago harbour. Mr Binnie came to Dunedin from Victoria many years ago with a fine record, and, though more closely connected with the North. End Club (he was appointed an active life member, in 1894) than any other, he was always willing to lend a helping.hand to any oarsmen who showed enthusiasm. The last crew he coached was the Otago Club crew composed of J. Kerr, J. Smeaton, E. V. Fairbairn, and J. Hoggy when this crew represented the province against Southland in 1915. Authorities in other parts of New Zealand have classed Mr Binnie in the first six coaches the Dominion has possessed. Failing health in recent years led to his living in semi-retirement at Waitati, but at times he saw the recently-introduced eight-oar rowing. In passing he has left a host of friends who appreciated his

worth as.a. kindly man and a thorough sportsman. : :;\<■■-.■' ■ Excellent conditions prevailed on March 3 for the deciding of the annual eight-oar contest among Auckland clubs for the Dr Stuart Reid Cup. Exciting racing resulted, the final going to a Waitemata crew stroked by G. D, Barker. Waitemata last held the trophy in 1932, St, George's being the defending club this year'.. ■ ■..-.".,. , .-..'" Mr,W. P. Donegan, captain of- the Richmond Club, Melbourne,: who has been on a holiday visit to New Zealand, expressed himself in most grateful terms ot the hospitality extended by oarsmen, and will have cause long to remember a most pleasant sojourn in the Dominion. He carries a very, high opinion of the standard of rowing witnessed, especially in the class events in Auckland.

It is reported that ian unknown Australian sculler is being sponsored to challenge the winner of the »w«rld's sculling championship, to be rowed on the Thames. It the challenge is accepted the contest will be decided on the Yarra some time this year. The Tasmanian Association has decided on May 5 as the date for the King's Cup on the Derwent River. Messrs W. R. B. Todd and George Anderson have been elected as selectors for the Victorian crew and for a sculler to represent Victoria iii the Australian championship. Henley on the Yarra will be held on November 24, 1934, in connection with the Melbourne Centenary, and the New Zealand Association is hoping to be represented.

It should be of interest to regatta committees to note that at a recent Victoria Rowing Association regatta—which it is claimed sets a record for the world in respect of the number of events held and crews competing—23 clubs were represented by 374 oarsmen in a programme of 53 events. All-were completed within four hours and a-half, a remarkable piece of organisation. The secretary of the Australian Rowing Council (Mr E. Kenny) is. seeking permission from the various State associations to forward to the Australian British Empire Games Association a request that the association bring under the notice of the conference in London . during the Games in. August a resolution that "the Australian Rowing Council expresses its astonishment and keen disappointment that such prominent sports as rowing and sculling have been omitted from the programme of the British Empire Games, more particularly when the Games are being held in the heart of the Empire, which is the home of the two particular sports mentioned." Several matters of interest to followers of rowing in Canterbury were dealt with at a_ recent meeting of the Canterbury Rowing Association. It was announced that arrangements had been made with Mr F. H. Brown, coach of the Canterbury representative eight, to take the crew io Kaiapoi on, Sunday, March 25, to give an exhibition. The crew would probably appear in its representative colours. Advice was received from the New Zealand Amateur . Rowing Association that the provincial associations were unanimously in favour of supplying an eight-oared boat to the East Coast Association, and although one or two associations had remarked on the exchange, the Canterbury Association was the only one to make its consent conditional. An application from the Canterbury University College Bowing Club for the loan of the association's eight-oared boat for the annual inter-University College race was granted, the chairman remarking that the boats had always been handled by the University crews with the greatest care. The captain of the club, Mr E. H. Carew, said in his letter that the assistance of a body of men experienced in handling eights had been secured. ;