THE BAXTER CUP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1320, 17 March 1877, Page 17

THE BAXTER CUP.

Judge: Captain Orkney. Starter: Rev. T. L. Stanley. Umpire : Mr L. O. Beal The contest for this cup on Saturday afteinoon was one of the best and the most satisfactory boating competition that has taken place in the waters of this Harbour. As has been stated, Mr J. Baxter, of the Pier Hotel, wishing to promote aquatics here— which,] by the ! way, had sunk to a very low ebb — presented a [ handsome silver cup, valued at 15 guineas, to be competed for in four-oar boats, and to be won two years concecutively, when it will become the property of the crew so winning, Mr Tancred seconded these efforts by giving four pewters to_ the winning crew, and it was for these trophies that six boats came to the starting post. The course was a straight one, about two miles in length, starting from boats moored in a line with Blask Jack's Point, and finishing at Jetty street wharf, off the end of which was the Naval Brigade's launch, kindly placed at the Committee's disposal by Captain Smith, and used as a flagship, the Judge, Captain Orkney, taking his station there. The method of starting, although common enough elsewhere, has not beea in vogue here. It has much to commend it, and it proved so satisfactory on Saturday that we feel assured it will be adopted at the next regatta meeting. At the ends of the small lines — which are attached to a line stretched between two boats — are small buoys having numbers painted on them, so that as soon as a boat receives its number all that is necessary to be done is to look out for the corresponding number on the buoy, and take up that position, thus avoiding all confusion and and misunderstanding. The weather was good for boating — dry without any sun — and although there was a brisk breeze from theN.E., the water was comparatively smooth. The p.s. Iron Age left the Eattray street Wharf with about 150 passengers for the intended object of following tne boats during the race, but very much to the disgust of everyone on board the air-pump rod carried away at the croashead, and the engines came to a stand-still off Grassy Point. The Age was subsequently towed back to the wharf by the p.s. Portobello, a lame duck. Shortly after 3 o'clock the Young Colonist, Isis, Excelsior, Alliance, Little Nell, and Union, got away to a first-rate start effected by the Eev. T. L. Stanley. The Isis assumed a slight lead, followed closely by the other boats. The crews soon settled down to a steady swinging stroke, and on passing Grassy Point the xoung- Colonist, pulling about 40, was two lengths ahead of the Isis, whose stroke was about 38 to the minute. The Excelsior came third, half a length ahead of the Union, Little Nell and the Alliance abreast of one another, close up. This order was observed until nearing the first red beacon, when the Isis spurted and got on more even terms with the leading boat, the Little Nell also coming up with a rush, and securing third place. Hutcbinson, No. 2 in the Colonist, has been unwell lately, and at this point got worse, and although he pluckily stuck to the oar to the finish, the boat may be said to have been pulled through by three men. Notwithstanding this disadvantage, she managed to pass the winning post first, a third of a boat's langth ahead of the Isis, the Little Nell third, five lengths behind the second boat the Union, Excelsior and Alliance coming up in the order named, the difference of time between the first and last boafci being three-quarters of a minute. The various crews were loudly cheered by a large assemblage of spectators on the wharves, estimated at 1000. The Colonist crew were the favourites before the race, and the result justified the confidence placed in them by their supporters, but it was a general opinion, that if a more judicious course had been steered by the Isis's coxswain, the result would have been different. However, general satisfaction was expressed by the competing crews, both as to the result and as to the excellence of the arrangements generally. The result is subjoined:— United Tradesmen's Young Colonist— A. Thompson, bow ; B. flutchinson, No. 2 ; B. Provo, No. 3 ; F. Duder, stroke ; B. Davis, coxswain 1 Ota?o Rowing Club's Isis— F. Fenwick, bow ; Cook No. 2; AJipinall, No. 3; A. Grant, strokeRigg, coxswain 2 Excelsior Club's Little Nell— M'Lennan bow*Ayers, No. 2 ; Ryan, No. 3 ; Norton, stroke ; Williams, coxswain 3 Union Club's Union— Binney, bow ; Davis No 2* Mercer, No. 3 ; W. Burke, stroke ; Quin, coxswain .. .. .. „ „ 0 Excelsior Club's Excelsior— J. Smith, bow - Walsh* No. 2 ; Finch, No. 3 ; Hogg, stroke ; J. Dav.-s' coxswain „ q Alliance Club's Allianco— E. Wyburd, bow" •R B* Smith, No. 2 ; R. Wallace, No. 3; J. J. Wesl ton, stroke ; E. Mariow, coxswain . . . . 0 The trophies will be handed over some time during the week.