ROWING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17228, 7 April 1930, Page 12

ROWING

G.R.C. PRESIDENT'S FOURS EARLY HEATS ROWED OFF Tw) of tlie early heats in the Gisborne Rowing Club's lour-oar series for the trophies presented by Mr, C. W. Muir, president of the club, were rowed off on Saturday afternoon under unpropitious tidal conditions. The balance of the races in the first round will not be disposed of until later in the week, but the fact of having two off the card already will facilitate the completion of the series before the turn of the tide.

In the firs! of the races, C. F. Horne (str.). lirosnahan, Dandy and Egan, defeated K. A. Woodward (str.), Schultz, tlewitson and T. Martin,, the defeat of the last-mentioned crew being contributed to by a mishap that occurred shortly after the start, one of the oarsmen losing control of his slide for a stroke or two. Horne had slightly the better of the start, and was able to increase his lead to a length and a-half in the first halfmile, after which Woodward put up a determined but unsuccessful effort to regain even terms. At the. finish, there was just a little over a length between the boats.

Rowing upstream, R. Rail (str.), Sloan, Slade and King had an apparent advantage at the start of their race with (i. ,7. Jeune, (str.), DeCosta. Thodey, and Carey, and once under way they gradually increased their lead. At Pallance street there was clear water hetween the boats, but Jeune quickened and drew up on his opponent near Roebuck road. Rait. went away again in tlie next quarter < f a mile, and eventually heat- oIT another sprint by Jeune near the finish, winning by a hare length. Some good crews are engaged in this series, and later stages should lie full of interest. The. President’s Fours will wind up the Gisborne Rowing Club s season. BUSCKE CUP FINAL. The final race in the Busckc Cup single-sculling series was rowed on Saturday afternoon, when, contrary to expectations R. Rait succeeded in defeating the scratch man, It. Hanna, after a close and eventful race. Hanna conceded throe seconds to Rait, who had a pretty start and kept his lead from Roebuck road to Ballance street bridge and beyond that point, Hanna going a little off his course in the early stages and haying to straighten up to negotiate his span of the footbridge. Once in the clear water between Ballanco street and Derby street, however, Hanna began to cut down Knit’s lead steadily, and about half-way down the stretch was only half a length behind bis opponent, and going well. A stake on the margin of the channel upset his calculations, however, for ho struck it with his left-hand oar, and before ho had recovered from tlie unsettling experience Rait had re-established his lead again. After that Hanna sculled with less confidence, and though he improved his position, he was evcntuallv beaten by about a length.

Steering is of paramount importance to the single-sculler, particularly on the local rivers with tlicir many bridges with narrow spans, and the race is not always to the swift. Rait, however, proved himself a. capable waterman, and promises to develop into a formidable sculler at his weight. He previously won the light-weight division of the inter-Olub sculling competition for the Neill this being the Gisborne club’s only success in that event.