BOWING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 65

BOWING.

1 I REGATTA FIXTURES. ' February I.— Rsvensbourne. ■ February 16.— Christchurch. / ■ February 19r-Inverc*rgill. . - March 23.— Napier (Championship). • BY STROKF. Since the regatta rowing has been at a • standstill, most of the oarsmen being out of town for the holidays, and at present the ' various aheds are almost vacant. Next week no doubt matters will be a -little more • lively, when, the members return and settle • down once more. 1 The fatal moment for the D.A.B.C. has 1 come at last, and thei* fine structure is 1 now being laid low by the new purchaser. 1 It is hard lines to see this fine shed being i demolished after only some 14- or 15 years ' service; but of course it could not be ' helped, as the Harbour Board wanted the 1 land. The' members fortunately have secured a , storerogni for their plant near the railway ' engine sheds until they can' ' devise means for the. erection of a new shed. Tney will, most likely have their f*o "racing boats in the Otago-shed, and train. ' there for. the next two regattas, if the sister club can find room. I have no doubt they can do so, ac it would be very inconvenient for the men to train from the store near j . the. engine sheds. They could only launch j [- their boats at high water. It is to be hoped 1 thii the m.embers will stick tojEgther and! '

work hard until th«ir present difficulty is over, and by next year we may hop© to see a new shed put up on some new site. The Otago Club has started the New Year by inviting entries for the Ladies' Challenge Cup. This race is open for all members, and is the most popular of all the club races. Last year there were good entries, acd this year will see quite &s many crews face the starter, judging by the way the names are pouring in. The committee, however, might wisely wait until the week-end — say, Saturday or Sunday — before closing the list (which at present closes on the Bth), as there are a lot of- members who have not been down since the holidays, and who, I am sure, would like to have a go at this race. I hear that there is a likelihood 1 of this club having two or three crews for the Maiden Race at Ravensbourne. They have the boats and the men, and should certainly enter as 'many crews as possible. Speaking to ex-champion Jack M'Grath on Boxing Day (who i® looking well and fit after his trip to the Old Country), he informed me that he had had a very good time, and in the course of his travels had visited many of the largest towns in England, Scotland, and Ireland. He then proceeded to the Continent, and visited Brussels (including the famous field -of Waterloo), Paris, Lucerne, Florence, Rome, andl Naples, thence catching the Suez steamer, and arriving at Fremantle. After visiting Melbourne, he spent a day or two with George Towns (ex-champion of the world) in Sydney, who was very busy with his boat-building, he having several very fine racing double-scullers- on the raoks^ Mr M'Grath then returned home via Auckland and Rotorua, having a very pleasant time at the latter place, where he visited all the sights. Whilst in London he saw the Henley Regatta, and also the great race between the Belgium crew and the- Leander. Be reckons that, although the former won over the short course, they would not beat the Britishers over a championship course of two or three miles. The Belgians row a, short, catchy stroke, and although they kept about 44- to the minute going over the mile they jould not do it for three miles. Mr M'Grath also had a spin with Tom Sullivan, who, he says, is getting a bit heavy now, but is still able to do a couple of miles hard.; and our local cbampios. was able to pick up one of two good points from the ex-New Zealand oarsman., Mr M'Grath was greatly disappointed at not getting a race at Port Chalmers, ac he hurried home from Wellington on purpose to have a spin or two beforehand. This, he says, is the first time he has ever had to row over the course, and he hopes •it will 'be the last.