ROWING

Southland Times, Issue 17553, 17 January 1914, Page 10

ROWING

(By "Blazer.”) The suggestion made to Die Southland Rowing Association'by Mr L. R. Wilson that a race be arranged between representatives of the Southland Boys’ High School and Otago Boys’ High School, is one well worthy of consideration, and it is to be hoped that tlm Rector of the South hind Bays' High School. Mr T. D. Pea re. ;«■ vuoin Mr Wilson's letter was referri <i. will fall in with the views of leading lights in the secondary education tcm. and endorse the proposal. The race, if it. were arranged, would tie by no means an innovation for annual contests have been held for tween certain colleges in the north. Whether the event suggested would be an annual fixture is not quite clear, but. it i.s desirable that ii should be so. Several difficulties will, of course, have to be overcome before the crew could do its work to the best advantage, but they may lie overcome, and wall soon he left behind if the project is attacked with any enthusiasm. Several years ago an effort was made to establish an annual race between crews representing the Wanganui and Wellington Colleges. Wanganui had a boatshed. boats, and one of the finest courses in the dominion upon which to train, hut Wellington College possessed neither boats or boatshed. The Star Boating Club came to their rescue and gave the college renresentalives frge entry into the club. This meant that they trained in a club boat from the club’s shed between the hours of four to five p.m., and thereby did not interfere with the training operations of any of the club crews. The maiden regatta boat was placed at their disposal for the race, and thus commenced an annual fixture which was destined to be the centre of a great deal of interest. After two or three years Wellington raised enough money to purchase a new boat, and under the coaching of Dr Fell, himself .a veteran of some note. they have year by year been able to put. out good crews to meet the Wanganui boys. What is more important. 1 is that the crews have almost without exception rowed with admirable style, and it is probably due to the fact that the event has been the centre of so much interest. The Wanganui hoys particularly, have on three occasions when "Blazer" had the good fortune to see them at work, shown something of the Kngllsh university swing, and this has made thoir work very attractive. As to local possibilities, there appears to be no reason why the High School boys should not be given the privilege extended to the Wellington College boys, and an offer from one of the clubs might have the desired effect of clinching the matter in the minds of those in authority. Provision could, of course, be made for the use of a boat during slack hours at the shod, and a coach to knock the rough edges off the crew should not be difficult to And. Tt is taken for granted that the event would alternate year by year between Southland and Otago, and if it could he ma.de a part of the programme of the Association’s regatta at Invercargill it would be a very strong additional draw.

Crews are busily engaged training for the championship events to be decided at the big regatta at Mercer on the 29th Inst, says an Auckland contemporary. Prior to Christmas crews were handicapped by bad weather, but with the excellent conditions now prevailing a marked improvement in the form shown lias boon apparent. Arrangements for the regatta are now well forward. Programmes have been distributed throughout the dominion, and judging by the numerous enquiries from intending competitors. the regatta is going to be one of the most successful yet held. Keen interest is being taken by Southern clubs, and from Wanganui alone it is expected there will he over forty competitors. Wellington arid Canterbury will be well represented, and it now remains for local clubs to make a supreme effort to uphold Auckland’s prestige in this most popular branch of sport. A considerable sum is required to finance thn regatta, and the Committee of Management will welcome any donations from supporters of rowing. Among the “wet bobs” figuring in the races for the Coxswainless Fours decided at Cambridge University? says our London correspondent, were G. F. Harrisoin, of Wanganui, 1,. X. Younghusrison, of Wanganui. L. X. TounghusChristchurcb. Harrison was-stroke; of the Caius College four which should have met First Trinity in the initial.heat of the races, but the latter crew scored a bloodless victory for Beale, an old Harrow boy, who .should have figured at No. 2 in the Caius boat." was taken ill at tho eleventh hour, and as there was no reserve at hand to fill his place,

Calus ilm«i -to. scratch, v . Youngimqband ro’wed'ibir No.' 2 <in the Pembroke College boat, which was beaten somewhat easily In the second heat by Trinity Hall, but Gould, -who was stroking ; Jesus College "C,’ 1 '” had the satisfaction of beating Sidney College.' The New Zealander, who is one of the lightest men concerned in tlie race ho series only TOst 41bshad- behind him a real -Anglo-Colonial mixture. His, bOw was .1.. C. Bell, of Geelong: No. 2 was K. Atkin, of Mill Hill school; and No. 3 P. C. Livingstone, of Vancouver. Against this mixture Sydney stood no chance at all, and at the finish there was a long fifty yards of daylight between the boats. On the morrow Gopld’s crew had to meet Third Trinity, consisting of an Eton quartet, who had proved themselves a pretty warm combination ■ by romping home a hundred yards ahead of Emanuel College the day before, in just ten minutes. The Trinity men proved much too fast for the Jesus crew, and won easily by a generous three lengths.