ROWING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17231, 10 April 1930, Page 2

ROWING

C-.R.C. PRESIDENT’S FOURS

RACING IN THE DARK

Oarsmen are called on for the display of some hardihood at tins si age of the season, for the evenings are chilly am: only enthusiasts ran he depended on In coijitiua their training regularly, ant. race in right condition. Ihe coxswain., are sufijeuod*' to a still greater demand, however, for the bridge spans are narrow aid some of the races have to La carried out in semi-darkness, anil sometimes alfhost complete darkness. A good instance of this was given last evening, niton two races in the Presidents Fours .series were conducted bj the Gisborne Rowing Club, the second race of the evening concluding so late that those awaiting the crews at the finish were unable to recognise the leaders us they passed the post, How the coxswains coaxed the fong boats “through tiie narrow spans of the Roebuck road and Ballance street bridges is a mystery, since they had no lights or landmarks to go by. In tire first of last night's events, Pi. Hunter (sir.), McGregor,. J. Thodey and Zachariah scored meritoriously over Am Allen (sir.), Schultz. S. Allen and Bennett.. The latter four went away at the start, and soon opened up a good lead, but Hunter’s crew hung on well, arid even though clear water showed between the boats at one stage the leaders were going all out half-a-mile from home. At Derby street bridge the leaders had done their best, and Hunter’s challenge, well sustained, carried him past the other boat to win by a quarter of a length. This was Hunter’s first win as •a stroke, and the manner ih which ho hung on to his opponent was commend able.

In llie second race, R. Hanna (str.l, Wether, Roddick, and Hay defeated E. M. Goffe (sir.). Honan, Corson and Potts. The losers had a bad start, and when they settled down were at a 'considerable disadvantage. They made a good etforf to recover, but Hanna kept a fast stroke going, and led all the way to the finish, winning with clear water between the "boats. The race finished iri almost com plete darkness, , The series, .will be continued this evening, when the balance of the races m the first round will be disposed of.