Auckland Failures at Whangarei Regatta

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 242, 3 January 1928, Page 13

Auckland Failures at Whangarei Regatta

SURPRISING UPSETS HOME CREWS IN MONEY Several surprising upsets were a feature of the rowing events at the Whangarei regatta, held at Onerahi, Whangarei Harbour, in . glorious weather yesterday. Conditions for rowing were a contrast with those experienced at Tauranga, where swampings were the order of the day. Yesterday the North turned on its best for the occasion. The course was ruffled by nothing more than a mild ripple, and the results were consequently a good guide to form. Under these circumstances it was not surprising that the river-trained crews of Hamilton came into the picture with a swing. At Tauranga the wearers of the red and white chequers went under to conditions that were outside the range of their experience, but yesterday they came back for convincing wins in light maiden and junior races, while they were placed handily in other events. WHANGAREI SUCCESSES Though Whangarei was consistently last in most of the races, in two of the best events of the day it came to light in dashing style, thus capturing the maiden fours and junior fours, in which honours are much prized. Ruggedness rather than polish won these successes, though in N. Webber the junior four seems to have a very fine oar indeed. However, it was the training of the W T hangarei crews which told when, in gruelling finishes, they stole ahead of the city representatives. Curiously enough SherrifE and N. Webber, of Whangarei juniors, were a bad last in the junior pair oar, an anti-climax to their success in the fours. Crews from the Waitemata Harbour had a bad day. Four clubs were represented, and of these St. George’s and Waitemata each scored minor successes in the maiden doubles and maiden pairs respectively. Auckland grot very close to the major money in several events, but North Shore could manage nothing better than a brace of thirds. The performances generally, considering the chances offered by the fine weather, did not reflect credit on city oarsmen, and suggest that more attention should be paid to fitness. SCULLS CALLED OFF In the Youths’ Fours a favoured crew in St. George’s (which swamped in the same race at Tauranga) lost its chance when its two man, L. Simons, cracked up in the later stages of the race. His brother, M. Simons, repeated his Tauranga success, with V. Hargreaves in the double sculls. J. M. Taylor, of Hamilton, scored a good double by striking the light-weights to victory, and rowing bow immediately afterwards in the winning youths’ four. The Waitemata maiden pair-oar registered one of the surprises of the day. Belton, who stroked at Tauranga, was away, and J. Russell filled his place. Th© crew was a length behind with only a short distance to go, but bent willingly to the task, and snatched a fine win from Hamilton. In the junior pairs Fearon and J. M. Stevenson, of Waitemata, again got a second place. Hamilton won rather easily, with Waitemata a still greater distance —it seemed over a furlong—ahead of St. George’s and Whangarei. Only two entrants materialised in the handicap sculls, and with the consent of V. Smith (Waitemata), who was the only outside competitor, th© rac© was called off. There were several clinking finishes during the day, and the racing generally was of a high order. Results were: Maiden Bouble Sculls: St. George’s (Hargreaves and Simons), 1; Auckland, 2; Waitemata, 3. Light-weight Maiden Fours: Hamilton (Taylor, str., Alexander, Pickup, Wink, bow), 1; Auckland, 2; North Shore, 3. Youths’ Fours: Hamilton (Pope, str., Waters, Salisbury, Taylor, bow), 1; Auckland, 2; North Shore, 3. Maiden Fours (open): Whangarei (Cotton, str., Webber, Peacock, Hall, bow), 1; St. George’s, 2; Auckland, 3. Junior Fours: Whangarei (Sheriff, str., Webber, Bent, Tierney, bow), 1; Hamilton, 2; Auckland, 3. Maiden Pair-Oar: Waitemata (J. Russell, str., Barker, bow), 1; Hamilton, 2. Junior PairOar: Hamilton (Pope, str., Edmonds, bow), 1; Waitemata, 2; St. George’s, 3.