Popular Rowing

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 667, 20 May 1929, Page 13

Popular Rowing

50,000 Watch Big Australian Races MOSMAN’S CHAMPION EIGHT When M os man (New South W'aJcs) won the Australian eightoared championship from the holders on their own course at Perth , DO,OOO people saw the race according to the “Sydney Morning Herald' 3 and the takings were about £Boo—truly a. magnificent testimony to a■ sport but poorly supported in New Zealand. Mosman’s victory in the historic King’s Cup race is notable for several reasons. It is the first time that an eight composed of men from one club only have represented New South Wales. For years it has been no secret that the Mosman oarsmen have held the opinion that they would do better if they could row with men whose style they knew and with whom they held shared boats for years past. At last the men of Sydney’s premier club have achieved their desire to represent their State as the champion club crew, with the result that they have succeeded after a gruelling race in defeating the former champions— West Australia —on their own course. The margin was three-quarters of a length. Victoria was third and South Australia fourth. The official time oVer the three miles course was 16m 435, which, considering that the race was rowed under appalling weather conditions, is excellent. “It was the hardest race in our career,” said H. L. Callaghan, stroke of the New South Wales crew, after the race. “We have never rowed better, getting length, swing, and plenty of weight the whole of the way. We were all in at the finish, but form and condition stuck to us, and the race was always in doubt. After five starts in the King's Cup, I have at last realised my ambition, and this being my last race before retiring I have never been happier.” Pearce (New South Wales) successfully defended his sculling title against Langley (West Australia) after an excellent display of boatmanship on the part of both men. The time for the two and ahalf miles was 15m 475, and Langley was three and a-half lengths behind at the finish. The time was a record for the course, beating by 1.8 that made by IT. G. Bull (New South Wales) when he won the sculling championship in Perth in 1923. It was 16 3-5 s slower than the Australian record made by Pearce at Penrith (New South Wales). “Sprockett” Langley had not expected to beat Pearce, and was surprised that he had done so well. Pearce said: “After the first half mile I knew I had the race won. It was not a heavy man’s day, with the following sea, and my boat was diving all the way. Sometimes I thought it would never come up.”