NEW ZEALAND ROWING ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 54

NEW ZEALAND ROWING ASSOCIATION.

CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA.

CHRISTCHUROH, February 16. The championship regatta was held at Lake Forsyth to-day, and was eminently successful ! as far as the racing and attendance were concerned, but the conditions were highly unsatisfactory, both from the competitors and spectators' point of view. From an early hour in the morning the sky was overcast, and about 11. o'clock Tain set in from the south-west, and only lifted once for a brief half-hour during the proceedings. The lake was exceptionally calm at the commencement of the regatta^ the surface only being ruffled by the gentlest of ripples, but as the last events were being decided the water became very rough. Additional interest was lent to the regatta by the presence of rowing enthusiasts from as- far away as Auckland and Invercargill. The opposition found in the local crews was decidedly strong. The racing on the whole was distinctly good, the only procession witnesed being in the Champion Sculls. The wins achieved by the different club 3 and the amounts of prize-money won are a 9 follow: — Union (Wanganui), one firat and one third, £50; Akaroa, four first and cmc second, J £43 ; Blenheim, three firsts and one second, ! £41; Canterbury, two firsts and two seconds, £22; Picton, one second, £10; Union (Christchurch), one first and two thirds, £7; Star, two seconds and three thirds, £6 Christchurch Amateur, two seconds, £4; Cure, one second, £2; Union (Napier), one second, £2; Lyttelton, two thirds ; Oanra.ru, one third ; and Port Chalmers, one third. , The results are as follow: — MAIDED DOUBLE SCULLS (In association clinkers). First, £7; second, £2. One mile. i Akaroa, Beating Club (E. "Woodill, T. | Clements stroke) 1 Ctristcliurcli Acialcux Rowing Club <A. | Harriot, S. Moore stroke) 2 Star Boating Club (J. Kerslake, R. M. Brewer stroke) 3 Also started : Blenheim Rowing Club, Union Rowing Club, Wellington Rowing Club, Otago Rowing Club, Lyttelton Rowing Club, and Union Rowing Club (Christchurcb). When the crews came into view Akaroa* Wellington, and Christchurch Amateur were prominent, with Avon as their nearest attendants. Christchurch Amateurs shot to the front about a mile from home, followed by the Star, and this order wa» maintained till ' 120 yards from home, where the Star and i Akaroa commenced to put in their claim. A hundred yards from home the farmer had the lead, but they were not able to withstand the respective challenges of Akaioa and Chri&tchurch Amateurs, the Akaroa crew passing I the post two feet ahead of the Amateurs by I exceptionally fine rowing; a similar distance back came the Star. CHAMPION FOURS (In best-and-best boats). First prize, £50; second, £10. Two miles. Union Boating Club, Wanganui (D. Carley, J. Green, C. Drew, W. Sharpe stroke) . . 1 Picton Rowing Club (H. Western, A. Perano, A. Jackson, C. Perano stroke) .. 2 Blenheim' Rqwing Club (J. H. Morrison, W. J. Girling, E. T. Heglun, J. M. Jackson stroke) S Also started: Canterbury Rowing Club, Port Chalmers Rowing Club, Waitemata Rowing Club, Invercargill Rowing Club, Lyttelton Kowing Club, Christchurch Amateur Rowing Club, and. Wanganui Rowing Club. Canterbury, Waitemat*, Picton, and Blenheim were the first to move, but were quickly ■ followed by Avon. This was the order at the half-distance, where Blenheim showed out just in front of Union (Wanganui) and Pioton, the latter two having improved then position. A great finish was witnessed when nearing the poet, but Union had too much pace for their opponents, and passed the post a good length ahead of Picton, with Blenheim a length and a-quarter behind Picton. CHAMPION DOUBLE SCULLS (In best-and-best boats). First prize, £12; second prize, £2. One mile and a-half. Akaroa Boating Club (G. Welch, J. Woodill stroke) 1 Cure Boating Club (G. Templeton, F. Barnes stroke) 2 Star Boating Club (A. T. Bend>». T. D. Bayfield stroke) 3 Also started: Union Rowing Club (Christchurch), Union Boating Club (Wanganui), Otago Howing Club, and Blenheim Rowing Club. The Picton crew were not allowed to start owing to their late arrival at the post. They rowed the distance, however, and paced the Akaroa crew, who established a substantial lead half a. mile from home. They maintained their advantage, and passed the winning post about Jhree ilengthis ahead of Cure, who beat the Star by abqut two lengths. MAIDEN FOURS (In association- clinkers). First prize, £12; second, £2. One mile. Blenheim Rowing Club (A. Norgrove, A. .Norgrove, G. C. Griffiths, Mutton stroke) > 1 Canterbury Rowing Club (R. H. Webb, J. L. C. Merton, S. Lightband, F. W. Suckling stroke) 9 Lyttelton Rowing Club (E. Rafter, G-. M'Cormack, D. Bamiord, E. Gillard stroke) 3 Also started: Union (Christchurch), Christchurch Amateurs, and Oamaru. Lyttelton got away first, followed by Canterbury, with Union lying a little behind, but before the half distance waa reached both these crews had overhauled Lyttelton. The . Blenheim crew then came away, and got into tha leading position, Canterbury rowing second This order continued right up to the tuibb. Blenheim winning by a bare length.

1 Lytt«lton just beat Christchurch Amateur for third plaoe. YOUTHS' DOUBLE SCULLS (in association clinkers). First prize, £7; second £2. One mile. Canterbury Rowing Club (L. A. Dougall. G. S Collyns stroke) 1 Christ-church Amateur Rowing Club (W. Beaumont, F. Ryan stroke) 2 Union Rowing Club, Christchurch (G. Arnold, T. Booth stroke) 3 A'so smarted : Lybtelton, Akaroa, and Star. After a good start Canterbury took the lead, followed by Union (Christchuroh) and th« Christchurch Amateurs in that order. At about half the distance the Christchuroh Amateurs put in some vigorous work, and gradually drew past Akaroa and Union. They failed, however, to reach Canterbury, vrho won by a length, the Union lying three lengths away, third, and Akaroa, close up, fourth. YOUTHS' FOURS (in association clinkers). First prize £10; second, £2. One mile. Canterbury Rowing Club (R. E. Fitzer, T O. Fox, J. S. Collyns, L. A. Dougall stroke) 1 Star Boating Club (E. D. Hacon, L. A. Marchant, A. R. Brewer, F. Turnbull | stroke) 2 ; Oamaru Boating Chib (W. M'Combie. R. H. Hinkley, J. Walls, J. Smith stroke) 3 Also started: Avon, Union (Christchurch), Lyttelton, and Christchuroh Amateur. Canterbury led at the start, and were followed by Star and Oamaru. That order was maintained until the finish, when, after a great struggle, Canterbury won by two feet. Oamaru finished, two lengths away, third. JUNIOR DOUBLE SCULLS (in aasocia-tion clinkers). First prize, £7 ; second, 2. One mile. Union Rowing Club (Christchurch) (O'Brien, T. Ker stroke) 1 Akaroa Boating Club (E. Woodill, T Clements stroke) 2 Lyttelton Rowing Club (J. Gallavin, A. Fenton stroke) 3 Also srtarted : Christchurch Amateur, Wellington, Blenheim, Otago, Avon, and Star. Union got a slight advantage at the start, and led for the greater portion of the distance. Akaroa then took the lead, but failed to maintain it against the Union, who were rowing strongly, and who won by a length. Ljttelton Rowing Club (J. Gallavin, A. JUNIOR FOURS (in association clinkers). I First prize, £15 ; second, £3. One mile and a-half. Blenheim Rowing Club (C. Ccstello, A. ! Thompson, T. Beffer, N. Jordan stroke) . . 1 ' Star Boating Club (E. Johnston, H. S. Barron, W. J. Buckley, W. O. Wilkinson stroke) . 2 ! Union Rowing Club, Christchurch (H. I Ma-nsfield, E. O'Brien, T. Ker, D. i Mahoney stroke) "3 i Also started: Canterbury, Christchurch Amateur, Lyttelton, Invercargill, Lyttelton No. 2, and Avon. From a good despatch the crews maintained •a fairly even line which the Blenheim boat was the first to break. Union (Ohristchurch) and Star followed, but Blenheim, maintained their advantage, and at the post were 100 yards ahead of Star, who passed Union during the last half mile. CHAMPION SCULLS (in best-and-best boats. First prize, £10; second, £2. One ) mile and a-half. Akaroa Boating Ciub (G. Welch) .. .. 1 Union Rowing Club (C. H. Poll) .. .. 2 Star Boating Club, Napier (G. H. Fell) . . 3 Also started : Canterbury (A. S. Hardy Johnstone), Inveroargill (E. S. Perry), Ster (A. T Bendall) Avon (W. Samuels). Christ-church Amateur (P. J. M'Enlee), and Star (C. E. Rowland). Welch was prominent from the start, and when the mile post was pa«scd he had the race safely in his keeping. Eventually he won by 100 yards. Poll was 10 yards ahead of Fell and the rest of the field finished in a procession. EXHIBITION SENIOR FOURS (in best-and-best boats). First prize, £12; second, £3. Open to any crew except wrinjiers (first and second) of Champion Fours. One mile and a-half. Blenheim Rowing Club (J. H. Morrison, W. J. Girling, E. T. Hegglun, and J. M. Jackson strolce) 1 Canterbury Rowing Club (H. S. Hobbs, H. Ayers, J. S. G-uthrie. E. C. Little stroke) 2 Port Chalmers Rowing Club (E. Jones, J. Glengarry, F. Keenan, A. Macdonald stroke) .., 3 Also started: Invercargill, Union (Christchurch), Christchurch Amateur, Waitemata, Lyttelton, and Wanganui. ' A heavy mist hung over the lake when this event was decided, and it was not till the last | half mile that the crews could be seen. Cani terbury then appeared to have the advantage ] of Blenheim, who were sculling strongly. } Union (Ohristchurch), Port Chalmers, and I Waitemata being next. Two hundred yards j from home Canterbury were still in the lead, but Blenheim gradually got on terms with them, and won by a foot. Port Chalmers finished two lengths away. CHAMPION PAIRS (in best-and-best boats) First prize, £12; second, £2. One mile and a-half. Akaroa Boating Club (L. Ditely, M. C. Kearney stroke) 1 Blernheim Rowing Club (C. T. Hegglun, J. M- Jackson Btroke) 9 Union Boating Club, Wanganui (D Carley. W. Sharpe stroke) 3 Also started: North End (Dunedin), Canterbury, Christchurch Amateur, Picton, Union, and Cure. Canterbury and Picton took the lead, tho calm water near the shore giving them an advantage. About the middle of the race Akaroa, who were lying handy, began to assume command, but almost immediately Blenheim began to make their presence fe't. However, Akaroa were not to bo beaten, and, sculling in fine style, they beat Blenheim badly by five lengths, with Union third.