ROWING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5437, 29 March 1889, Page 2

R OWING.

♦ : A LAKtvK number of people gathered on the Peel street bridge and on the banks of the river in the vicinity of the boatsheds yester. day afternoon to witness the annual contest between crews representing the Poverty Bay and Napier Rowing Clubs. Further up the river groups bad gathered on the footbridge and various points of vantage on the banks. The race was over the usual two mile course oi\ the Taruheru river, the starting point being from the borough boundary adjoining Mr DeL'iutour's residence, and the winning point the Oisborne Club's shed. Those who had taken up their position on the bridge and the banks of tiie river witnessed, as wo predicted the previous evening, a most exciting struggle at the finish, for the race was won within the last 300 yards. Punctual to time at 3.30 the Poverty Bay crew launched their boat to paddle up to the starting point, followed a few minutes later by the Napier men. After proceeding a short way up the river the latter pulled round and returned to, the shed for a new strap for stroke's stretcher. On getting underway again they rowed leisurely up river. The tjde ruul turned tQ run out about the time the boats left the shed, aud_ the breeze that had previously been blowing up river died away to a very light air, so that there was no jobble on the water, and the race was rowed under the most favorable conditions. The following are the crews : — Poverty Bay— S. Ciduey (bow) Qst 121 b ; J. Nisbett (2) 10s.t 121 b t W. Marshall (3) list J2lb; J. Lee (stroke) list 01b; R. Jones, cox. Napier— Hughes (bow), !)3t 81b ; Guy (2) 12st 41b ; Missen (3) 12st 21 h ; J. Hutchins (stroke) lOst 121 b; \V. Hamlin, cox. As the local crew had conceded to the visitors the choice of position Napier elected to row on the town side, and oil getting intq position Mere sent on their struggle for home without delay. Napier took the water in grand form, rowing with a good swing and well together, forged their boat to the front, while their opponents got off in a flurry and were sometime before they steadied to their work. Before the brickyard was reached Napier had drawn clear, and was rowing a long and piworful stroke.which still further increased the distance between the boats by the time the brewery was reached. Sweeping round the bend from Graham's over to the channel on the Whataupoko side they led by two clear lengths. This advantage was held past the hospital and slightly increased down to the footbridge. After passing the bathing shed Napier's cox took a bee line for the winning point and got out of the strength of the cunvnt and intoshallow water for a few lengths before he struck the channel again round the curve opposite Read's. At the bathing shed the Poverty Bay crev^ were lessening the gap, and the slight do : tour of their rivals assisted them. Passing Read's the local crew were still a length to the bad, but coming up fast. Hutchins, observing the position of the race, called on his crew for a final spurt h.ime, but after a game struggle the effort faded away, and in about the last 400 yards Poverty Bay drew on level terms, passed and won by a length, amid the vociferous cheering of the large crowd of persons who had by this time assembled to witness the finish. Both crews were heartily cheered on their return to the sheil.