OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 20, 29 January 1881, Page 198

OUT DOOR SPORTS

— Edwards walked' 177 miles in 48 hours at Christchurch. — The "Torea" is a strong favourite for the champion schooner race at the Kegatta. —Charlie McCormick played a good innings for 50 rims with the United eleven last Saturday. — The Regatta Club give between £600 and £700 in prizes this Year. — Andrew Hanna on Saturday last took three wickets in four balls. — The West End second eleven have a rising bowler in Bob Woods. — The cutter "Rangatira," owned by natives, is the first favourite for the larger cutter race. — The West End Cricket Club were again victorious on Saturday last, winning both of their matches. Messrs. Waymouth and Bigelow have bxiilt boats to compete in the second-class open sailing boat race. — Mat Hooper had the " Sovereign " in the Dock, on Wednesday and Thursday, preparing her for the Champion Schooner Race. — The Auckland Cricket Club got another dressing down from the West Enders last Saturday. — The North Shore Rowing Club received their new outrigger from Donnelly and Sullivan, of Sydney, this week. It is exceedingly light. — The Auckland representative crew will, most likely, compete in the All-comers Inriggecl Race. — It is now illegal to play billiards in any licensed house in South Australia after 11 o'clock at night. — Since the commencement of the present bathing season, about 250 youths have been in almost daily attendance at the baths connected with the Turkish Baths, Dunedin. — The "Toy" is strongly backed to win the six-ton yacht race, but I fancy she will find her work cut out for her when she attempts to beat the "Jessie Logan." —The United Cricket Club put the Otahuhu representatives through last Saturday. The former had eight wickets down for 15S, while Otahuhu only put together 26. —The fishing yachts " City of Naples," "Lizzie," and the new one built by Logan, for Holland, are expected to sail in the race for yachts over six tons. — Brigham's crew are in steady training for the Champion Inrigger Race, and they are well backed by Ponsonby people. They show good form, and Avork well. — A cargo boat, built by Bailey, is expected to sail in the second cutter race. She is considerably smaller than the other competitors, but notwithstanding this, she is finding many backers. — The cutter "Fannie," one of the competitors in the race for trading cutters over 25 tons, has undergone a complete overhaul, including recoppering, last week, and she is strongly backed to win. — For the Junior Race the A.R.C. crew are, Yates, Massey, Woods, Von Stunner. North Shore R.C. : Sibbin, Webster, Reid, Hammond. Ponsonby R.C: Halstead, Dignan, Farquhar, Cooper. — The new open-sailing boat built by Logan for Mr. Walter Jones, is quite a clipper. She has been out for several spins in the harbour, and already she is one of the favourites in the first-class sailing race. — After all their vain boasting, the "Dolly Varden" crew, of Wellington, thought discretion the better part of valour, and therefore did not come up to take part in the champion outrigger race. — A Thames team will proceed to Coromandel by. the s.s. "Blanche," on the 29th, in order to play the Coromandel eleven at Corona andel. The match is eagerly looked forward to by both teams. — The Rowing Club races will, most likely, be represented by a boat from each club. For the Senior Race, the probable crew of the Auckland Rowing Club will be T. Henderson C. Dacre, A. Yates, W. Gordon. — Cricketers will be interested to learn that Mr. R. D. Walker, the well-known Middlesex cricketer, together with one of his brothers and a couple of his friends are at present staying at the Wellington Club. They are making a tour of the colony. — The prizes offered by the Regatta Committee for the fifth, seventh, and- tenth races were so small that a number of vessels, which had been looked upon as probable competitors, would not remain in port for the race, the prizes, even had they won them, not being considered sufficient to cover the loss of time. — C. Dacre had a wager boat built last Aveek by Harrison, of Breakwater-road. She is very light, and Aveighs only 281bs. without the outriggers, The builder referred to Avas formerly in business at Christchurch and Melbourne, and besides being a first-class workman, he bears the reputation of being an ex-champion sculler. —It is considered very doubtful whether the neAv outrigger, built by SAvaddle and Winship, of England, for the use of the Auckland creAv, in the Champion Race, will be got out of the "A. C. de Freitas" before Saturday. The committee has, however, secured the use of a boat belonging to the Nelson Club, and which is very suitable for the race.

— The delay in issuing the^ Regatta programme, and the secrecy which is being maintained in reference to the great aquatic festival, haa caused general dissatisfaction amongst the outside public. I believe I am justified in saying that, comparatively speaking, the Auckland Intercolonial Regatta of 1881, Avill compare favourably Avith the regatta held at the Bay of Islands last year. —Walter Jones has had a boat built by Logan, of North Shore. Length, 24ft. 10in.; breadth, 6ft. sin.; depth, 2ft. lin. She is considered by many competent judges, Avho have seen her in the shed, to be one of the best models yet turned out in Auckland, and the enterprising owner is confident of placing her in the First-class Open Sailing Boat Race, and there are many AA'ho think she Avill Avin it. — The way that tl:e senior creAV of the Ponsonby Rowing Club have gone in for hard practice during the last feAv weeks shows that they mean to do something in the coming regatta. They haA'e only changed one man in their creAV since last summer, and the change is for the better. They seem to stand a good snow for the race. The junior crew hardly ever turns up, so it is expected that they Avill come in first — at the wrong end — in their race. — The following trophies Avill be presented to the Canterbury team in their match a\ Australian Eleven : — Mr. S. Nashelski gives a silver tankard for the best average bowling. Mr. Jubal Fleming gives a smoker's companion for the highest score. Messrs. B. Hale and Co. giA r e a presentation bat for the best fielding. Mr. W. R. Cooke gives £5 5s to the Association provided the Canterbury men beat the Australians, or if they do not Avin but make a good fight of it, Avill give £2 2s, the money to go towards buying suitable trophies for the Canterbury team.