ROWING

Southland Times, Issue 21662, 26 March 1932, Page 14

ROWING

(By

“Maiden.”)

Given fine weather there is every indication that’ the Queenstown Regatta next Saturday will prove in every direction as popular as its many predecessors. The entries promise to be good, as practically all the Southland and Otago clubs will be represented. Messrs Caffin and Glengarry (Dunedin) will again act as starter and umpire respectively, but a popular figure in the person of "Mick” Brough, the wellknown Otago oarsman, will be missing, as he will be at Picton stroking (it is hoped, to victory), the Dark Blue eight crew. It is trusted that the Riverton colours will be seen at the Lake next Saturday. It is quite a few seasons notv since the club’s representatives competed at this important fixture and, in view of the fact that they have had considerable encouragement this year in the form of their annexing several events at the regattas recently held, it is considered by the general body of rowers in Invercargill that they should make a determined attempt to make the trip. The Otago Eight.

Eight experienced oarsmen have been selected to represent Otago in the interprovincial race at Picton next' Saturday. Briefly, the history of the men in the rowing world ■is as follows: —

F. Brough, stroke of the crew, first came into prominence as the stroke of the Otago Club’s champion four, which won the New Zealand championship for two years in succession, and which competed with great success in Australia. He has stroked every Otago eight-oared crew to date, and was also stroke of the New Zealand eight-oared crew which competed at the Empire Games in Canada in 1930. He is one of New Zealand’s leading oarsmen, and an ideal man for the stroke seat.

J. Solomon (No. 7) has represented Otago on every occasion in this position, and his experience should be invaluable in the boat. He has competed very successfully in regattas as a representative of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club, and is one of the province’s most seasoned oarsmen.

G. Clark (No. 6) is the well-known stroke of the Queen’s Drive Senior Four, which has competed very successfully during the last few seasons. He has represented Otago on three previous occasions, and is one of the most successful oarsmen in the province. G. B. Johnson (No. 5) is a member of the Otago Rowing Club’s Senior Four, and has represented Otago on two previous occasions. He was also a member of the New Zealand crew which competed at the Empire Games in Canada in 1930. Johnson is of good physique, and has proved a very useful man in the body of the boat. L. R. Fountain (No. 4) is well known as a member of the Queen’s Drive Senior Four, and has competed very successfully as a representative of. that club. He has represented Otago twice previously, and in 1930 was chosen amongst the 12 oarsmen from which the Empire Games crew was picked, but was unfortunate in missing the trip.

D. Matheson (No. 3) bow man of the Queen’s Drive Senior Four, has had many successes as a representative of that club, He has once previously represented Otago, the occasion being the eight-oared contest at Lyttelton in 1929. C. Neilson (No. 2) is the only member of the crew who has never previously represented his province. As a representative of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club he has had several successes in local regattas and by solid training has earned his seat in the boat. He is a very solid type of oarsman, who should work well with the company he is in. H. L. Pritchard (bow), the lightest man in the crew, is well-known throughout the country as a member of the Queen’s Drive Boating Club. He has more successes to his credit than any other oarsman in New Zealand. He has represented Otago in the bow seat in every interprovincial eight-oared contest to date, and is a very reliable oarsman.

R. Underwood (coxswain), of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club, has had a great deal of experience in steering eight-oared boats. He has steered the Port Chalmers Rowing Club’s eight in four contests, and the Lower Harbour Eight four times. He has also steered the Otago interprovincial eight oared crew in three previous contests, and no crew has yet suffered at his hands.