BY STROKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 57

BY STROKE.

Very" little- has been done An rowing 'matte?s* the 'last week' at'the 6heds, the :m©mberrhaying.a.'little"rest before starting 1 * training 1 again. > ' - :''■*," ," During the- holidays the North End Club sent crews to compete at the Bluff" Regatta in, the Maiden 'Sculls, Junior, and Senior Pairs, and -Junior Fours," [but* owing to the" rough weather, the •rowijig'' portion of the regatta was postponed-^ ' It- was father hardlines after travelling- eo^ far. This club did not meet -with the jsuccess it anticipated, at the Fort 'Chalmers'' Regatta, although possessing several. very crews. The general opinion outside, as well as in the club, was : that "the carnival had, interfered 'with th© training. -For /the next ''regattas I 'expect they will make a much better snow, -I hear there Is •& chance ,of 'a crew from this•shed visitmg^th'elirvercargill Regatta.' , Let . n» hope that they will* not be disappointed -with "bad 'weather again., '• - . '.' - The Otago .Club's- crews for the "Ladies' Challenge -Cap have mot yet been picked, but will be this week. There -are at present enough, names for over eight crews, so that a good "deal -of interest should "be shown 1 in this,- the' iabst popular race of tho season. -It is just. -possible that a crew may be \ sent both to- the Christchurch and Invercargill Regattas/ but so far- nothing definite' has been settled: < The Otago Olub has lately added to its f plant a new pleasure (?) boat. It is . not -one, however, that -will appeal to the members, being tooio- like a dredge boat tbaa 'anything else. It is not the length of the boat, but the' 'beam and l weight, which will j make it inconvenient for use. It is certain that any .two members will be quite ; ■unable "to launch it, and the general opinion of the members is that- "tho boat should "be changed, -and^ a much, lighter boat afteit the style of/the^old ''Terra 1 "be ordered.' This old' boat has done splendid service for ove"r 15 years, .and her lines could noli be unproved. , , , - Tho JD.A.8.0-; members Tvill not, v l_ans afraid, get much lowing now during the | rest of the season, with tbe jexoeption, of I -course, of those who will train* -in one of j the -other shedsfor,, the next* regattas. | No rowing . has -been done, at either* of ' the Port sheds since Regatta Day, most of ["the men having been-awayj-Thq one topic' amongst oarsmen at prosent is the.xjomposifcion of the Otago reprei sentative^crew to meet the Soubhlacdera ont Feburary 19 for lie Edmond Shield, which - has now been ao often won by_ the southern -representatives^ ' On account of the dead -heat- between -£he -Portland Otago Senior •crews on^Boxiag; Day, the selection of tho "reps, '-this year is -as hard as -ever. Tho crew will 3ie -piqked this -week by Messrs Galbraifch, > Hogan.^aivd' Keenan, so that | .they can> get to -work at once. One critlo informs me that , the Otago- Club's crew j should*~be the /selected; team,' but according' i to' performances ;tha Port crew have an [ equal aaght Jbb be chosen. 'If two men from | , each, crew are chosen thenrit'-means training at ' Port and Duaedih alternately, which | has in ,the.. past, .proved y«ry unsatisfaclory, - and, besides,- is. r* * great - -expense "- to th« association,- which ill .afford it. Doubt- | leas a :strbnaer - crew -Tpiiysically could be [ obtained from -both- clubs,, but -I doubt if | -Hie .strength would'-xnore than compensate for the extra good combination which coujof be obtained by picking a whole crew; , Howi ever, the matter is in competent hands, and oarsmen and - their followers can rest assured" that fhe very ', best crew will be sej tected to try. anS regain the' lost "ashes" l,from -our soufhem- -friends * | The very^ad accident in the harbour last' Sunday should be\.a leeson to those who indulge in rowing and yachting and who can- | not swim: In the writer's opinion all rowing i chibs^should have a strict, rule to the .effect i that all members must learn to beat home, ■ in, the 1 water. ~ No racing skiffs^ were afloat . on Sunday morning , owing to the exception* i ally heaary "ner=eastef /' but,i!wo old'foenii bers of'tno Otago" 'CluV j£ ho always spend the 'day down the harbour had just paseed- ! in' the club's large pleasure "boat the s.pofc I where the- accident jfcopk place. ' Had they | been a few minutes, later it is safe.~to r eay I that both Rush ,and his unfortunate aiatfc j could have , both been " safejy. taken on | board. ' " [ -J. Yeoman, who rowed for the Queen's