LOCAL EVENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2823, 22 April 1908, Page 58

LOCAL EVENTS.

Ladiee' Sculling Race: Miss White 1 Miss Southberg 2 Ladies' Pair-oar Race: Misses N. Roy and S. Barnes .. .. 1 Misses. White and Southberg .. .. 2 Boys' Pair-oar Race: S. Jones and T. Richards 1 .8. Firth md E. Aldridge 2 Local Pair-oar Race: Hailes and Haines 1 Geisow and M'Bride 2 Also: started: Wilson and Thomas. Looal Four-oar Race : First heat — Waikiwi beat Star. Second heat — M'Bride beat Malaghan. Final. M'Bride, Burgess, Ware, Geisow 1 Waikiwi 2 Old identities (60 or over). * The first heat resulted: Gardiner 1. Nees 2. M'Bride 3. Nees having much the' heaviest beat, a second heat waa rowed, when Nees beat White. Final. Gardiner 1 Nees 2 Also started: Miss Gregg. Ladies' Four-car Race : Misses N. Burgess, N. Walker, S. Burgess', and L. Geisow 1 Misses B. M'Bride, N. Douglas, A. Douglas, and S. Clare 2 OTAGO ROWING ASSOCIATION'S CHALLENGE CUPS. The following are the points scored by the crews of the Otago Rowing Club and the Port Chalmers Rowing Club for the O.R.A. Challenge Cups at the Queenstown regatta : — Maiden Gup : Otago Rowing Club .. .. 17 points. Port Chalmers Rowing Club 12 points. Junior Cue: Port Ch aimers Rowing Club 15 points. Otago Rowing Club .. ... .. 14 points. lenior Cup: Otago Rowing Club .. .. 21 points. Port Chalmers Rowing Club 12 points. Premiership Chield. Final. Points. Port Chalmers Rowing Club .. 232 Otago Rowing Club 133 NOTES ON THE QUEENSTOWN REGATTA. ■ The history of the Queenstown Regatta held . on Lake Wakatipu on Eaeter Saturday ie easily written — and exoellent history it makes, too. Ibe regatta was a success from the onset — from lhe start of the Maiden Double Sculls to me finish of the Old Identities' . Race throughout the lengthy programme there qfras not a single hitch. All the arrangements were excellently carried out, and reflected the greatest oredit on the projiioters and tne general committee, who *Fere unceasing m their efforts to make lhe regatta the success it proved to be. Oepife the fact that the majority of row(jng men had gone out of training, and that" others "held off for the . popular verjfiet, the entries . were good. Next year, -$hen it is almost certain another regatta mill be held on the lake, the entries will he increased to delightful proportions. The «tandard of rowing was universally high, •od I do not remember a regatta m which the racing . was go well contested and m ddhictL there were so many close and exciting finishes* Owing to the splendid water and the 4|mf«ct control the crews had over their

' boats the work of the starter (Mr Galbraith) was reduced to a minimum. Indeed, that gentleman confessed to <he writer that after an expsrience of some 30 ; years he had not taken part m a regatta which gave him more pleasure or satisfaction than the Queenstown Regatta of 1908. Having witnessed all the starts from the umpire's boat, I can say with assurance j that the starting was faultless, and the crew which did get away m front of an- • other did so by pure superiority m oarsi manship and not by any advantage at lhe ! start. I The task of the judges— Messrs F. j Mitchell and A. E. Gascoigne, of the Otago I Rowing Association — was of the most pica- ' cant nature, and nothing occurred through out the day, save to offer an explanation to the Riverton Club for a slight deviation m the original programme, to disturb the placidity of the proceedings. Only on one occasion wa3 Mr W. J. Wilson called upon to exercise his authority as umpire, and this was m connection I with one of the local races, which, owing I to an alleged foul, he ordered to be re- > rowed— a decision which the competitors { accepted with satisfaction. j In addition to those members of the j Otago Bowing Association present at the ' regatta, there was an unattached member (Mr Turner), who was indefatigable m his : efforts m looking after the Otago boats, and 1 to this gentleman the thanks of the '. Otago Rowing Club are particularly due. V Too much praise cannot be given Mr ! G. G. Denniston, l ate of this city, the hon. secretary and treasurer of the Queenstown regatta; and to Mr R. Keele, j chairman of the Management Committee, i for their efforts m connection with the j regatta. To their unflagging efforts and ceaseless energy, supported by a willing - committee, the great success of the Queenstown aquatio carnival is due. Both Mr Denniston and Mr Keele are old rowing i men, and it was their desire to see sonic- : thing done for rowing on the lake which ] inspired them to promote a regatta, with ! tbe SUCCK-S which * deservedly followed. Rowing men m Otago and Southland are under "a debt of gratitude to Mr Denniston and Mr KeeJe - for their efforts on beha'f of the visiting oaismen and for their kind attention and unfailing courtesy • throughout. It ie pleasant to know that the services , of Mi- Denniston and Mr Keele are not to jTo unrecognised* by the oarsmen who visited Queenstown and had such a right royal time m the picturesque tourist resort. To show their appreciation of the kindness and unfailing courtesy extended to them, and as a memento of the Queenstown of 1908, rowing men of Southland 1 and Otago have forwarded to Mr Dennis- ■ ton a silver cigarette case, and to Mr : Keele a case of pines. j To the individual members of the committee, who worked co willingly, and to ! the local residents, who subscribed \ liberally to the prize-money, thf thank* ' of the visiting oarsmen are extended, with the fervent hope that .their efforts will result m a successful rowing club being formed on the lake, and an annual regatta, and, possibly, a New Zealand chaml pio.nship. Who knows?* j Thi. review of the Queenstown vegatta I wou?d not. be complete without- some referj ence to tho generous treatment received by visiting oarsmen, which made the trip one so enjoyable as ever to te rememb?red .by t/hose fortunate enough to make it. It wai ' generally voted the trip of the year, and there are those who will not be absent- when the next regatta on the best of regatta ' courses — on the Wakatipu— is held. From the trip up the lake on Good Friday Night — thou-h Wakatipu was m a fretful mood 1 — to the return journey on Easter Monday the function was one delightful nionic— moonlight excursions on the lake, drives, 1 to Lake Haves and Arrowtown, trips to 1 Skippers, and climbs to the summit of Ben , Lomond— all this m addition to the regatta was refreshingly presented to the oarsmen, i Added to the hospitality, the comradeship, and the sport, the weather was delightful and Queenstown looking its best. What more? n ._•._>> Several parties of rowing men did Ben Lomond during their stay at Queenstown putting up fair time to the summit, but it waa left to the stroke of the Otago Senior Fours and his bow to put up a record to the top wbich must take some beating. They set off to "do" Lomond after dinner, and succeeded m reaching the summit an hour and a-half after startThc Otago Rowing Club had a field day. and succeeded m winning the Maiden Double Sculls. • the Junior Double Sculls, the Maiden Fours, the Senior Double Sculls, tie Senior Pairs, and seoond m the Senior Fours and Maiden Pairs— a splendid performance. . Port Chalmers were successful m annexing the Youths* Fours and the Junior Fours, and were third m tho Maiden Double Sculls, Maiden Fours, and Junior Invercargill Rowing Club won the big race of the day— the Senior Fours— with a crew stroked by the well-known oarsman, O Basstian. This club was also second m the Senior Pairs. Junior Pairs Maiden Fours, Junior Fours, Junior Double Hculls, and Senior Double Sculls. . Invercargill Railway were first m the Maiden Pairs and Junior Pairs, and second m the Youths' Fours. Riverton failed to gain a first place, but several of the oarsmen wearing the Kreen and white displayed good form m a boat. In the Maiden Double Sculls a narrow approach to a foul occurred between the Otago and Riverton crews through erratic steering, but the result of the race was by no mear.s disturbed. Riverton m this race rowed particularly well, showing very 1 promising form. In this event the Otago ' pair, Sibbald and Quelch, rowed particularly well. Port apneared to have a good chance m the race, but at the business end dropped m the rear. , „ , Port made a gcod showing m the Youtns Fours, going off at 34 to the minute, and displaying fine form throughout. Inyeri cargill, the second crew, rowed with fane swing and catch. Any chance Riverton had. was marred by faulty steering. Both crewe— Otago and Invercargill— rowed well m the Junior Double Soulls. but Otago's sustained effort was too much I for Invercargill, who were losing water at I the finish. ' The feature of the Maiden Fours was the ■ exhibition given by Dodgshun and his crew. 1 The pace was hot from the outset, but 1 when the Otago stroke set a 36-gait the limit was reached, and tho other crews 1 could not live it. The Otago crew rowed splendidly to the finish, and averaged a 35-sfroke throughout. There was only one crew m the Senior > Double Sculls, and this was Otago, stroked by M'Grath. *he opposition was Invercar-

gill, with Basstian as stroke. Otago led , ' all the way to the finish. i I In the Junior Fours, Port, while rowing i j a good race, nearly lost the event by i ! wretched steering, the boat cutting m first | on one sido, then on the other. This crew , I must have rowed, considerably more than the allotted course owing to the zigzag . i steering, and, though having a big lead at the start, ju«t won by a bare canvas. A j great race for second honours took place : between Invercargill and Riverton. Invercargill came with a great burst of speed at the finifh. and nearly succeeded m overhauling Port. Invercargill Railway displayed good form ■ m tho Maiden Pairs, row ng with fine ! swing and excellent catch and good leg work. The Otago stroke m this event also I put up a gcod nerformancc, the crew taking time off the stroke well, and rowing with good length and rower. In the Senior Pairs M'Grath and Kerr (Otago) just proved too gocd for Basstian ! end Brown (Invercargil!). Otago rowed throughout 30 to Invcrcargill's 31. Bass- ! tian, however, rowed well, with a fine i /swing and prompt catch. I have taken a i note to the effect that Otago steered badly , m this rar*e. i Invercargill Bailway showed gcod oarsi manship m the Junior Pairs, and deserved j the win. Early jn the raco tho Otago "Stroke was short ard with a weak grip i of the water. Later it improved to Quito a pood and powerful stroke. Invorcargill ! made a good run m tho last r.-uarter. and | succeeded m beating Otago and Port for I weond nlaee. Owing to losing a slide j Riverton retired. I There wero only two entries— lnvercargill No. 1 (stroke Basstian) and- Invercargill NTo. 2— in the original entry for the Senior Fours, but owing to the geed sporismani shir> of the Sonthlanders, who really lc6t £3 by the deal. Oiato was permitted to enfrr a scratch crow at the finish. BassHan's crew won after a good race with the scratch Otago crew, stroked by M'Grath. It was a good race all the way. aT~d O^ro.go may be said to have put, up a good periormanee m -nishing Basstian and Co. to the finish, although one really does not know what would have happened had the raco extended over the mile and a-half course. I fear me that half mile would have to.d a tale — yet who knows?