AQUATICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 267, 22 March 1869, Page 2

AQUATICS.

There was a large muster of spectators near Ward's brewery on Saturday to witness the second series of C.R.C. scratch matches and a race which had been arranged to test the respective merits of the R.R.Ci's Lurline and Syren. Preparations for the sport were commenced shortly after three o'clock, and the first event was started at about a quarter to four. This was a scratch four-oar by -the Canterbury Club; the crews being apportioned by lot as follows : — lsis: Nalder, Macfarlane, Dudley, Rev E. __. Lingard (stroke), "and Pearce (cox.); Avon: Churton, A. Bliakiston, Foster, J. H. Herdson (stroke), and Callender (cox.); Messrs Revans and Stead officiating as umpire and starter. The distance was about three-quar-ters of a miler-f rom Riversleigh to Stahmore road bridge,and the prizes at stake, engraved cups. After one unsatisfactory start both boats gfot beautifully away, the Isis taking the lead after a few'st'rokes and maintaining it to the finish, winning by about forty yards. Some conversation then ensued about the crews changing boats and pulling another race, but this was ultimately postponed until Saturday next. . The next event on the card was between the R.R.C.'s boats — a crew of heavy weights in' the Syren versus light weights in the Lurline. The distance was three miles, anda rather bad start was made, the Syren getting foul of the weeds and her opponent at once showing ahead. For crews not in training both pulled pretty steadily, but the Jjght weights showed more elasticity, and had clearly more youthful spring in their stretch. The Syren contrived by a good spurt to improve her position at one part of the race, but the 1 light weights were equal to the emergency, and, .pulling strong, finally won a capital race by six lengths. To properly test the qualities of the boats, the crews exchanged,the light weights also faking two fresh hands. Ashortraceof three-quarters of a mile resulted ih the heavy weights being this time victorious, the boat's length they gave their opponents being recovered in the first quarter of, a mile, .and afterwards leading as they liked to the. finish. These results are conclusive in respect to the boats, the Lurline being still the .best owned by the club. The Syren seems dull and sluggish to the stroke, and weak where repaired, thus giving her an awkward appearance, whilst if t,he sheer in her keel is the same as it is above her waterline, we fear she will never prove a great winner. - The crews of the boats during the two races ;wi_re— • first race— Syren: F. Pavitt, Rutherford, Gilchri_t, Jameson, (stroke) and McCardell,- sen.^cox). /Lurline : B. Ware, Davis, Pratt, Fooks, "(stroke) and McCardell, f jun.7 (cox). . '-. Second race — Syren : 8. . Ware,_. McCardell, sen., Davis, Gain, (stroke,) and A.' j Brunsden, (cox). Lurline : Pavitt, Gilchrist, ; Rutherford, Jameson, (stroke) and McCardell, I jun., (cox).

The next event was the first heatl in the Canterbury Rowing Club's pair-oar scratch matches, the? Rev. E. "'.A: Lingard officiating as starter and umpire, and the distance being from Mr Maskew's residence to the Stanmore Road bridge — the latter having, we may say, been fixed by the club, as the winning post for all scratch matches from fear of accidents by fouling at the bridge. Eight competitors entered, and the boats were allotted in the same way as last week. For the first heat the Cygnet was manned by Nalder 1, Macfarlane, stroke, and the? Swan by Foster 1, and Churton, stroke. " It was a very close race throughout, the boats being neck and neck to Cowlishaw's corner, but the ■ Cygnet , having the advantage of place (north bank) gained abou|two lengths in rounding the point, "and although the Swan pulled up a little, finally won by five seconds. For the second heat the Cygnet was pulled by Herdson 1, and Stead stroke, and the Swan by Steadman 1, Dudley stroke. A foul took place at the first start, but the second was more* successful. The Swan first showed in front, and although on the worst side of the river, shot across her opponent's bows at Cowlishaw's point, and thence had it apparently all her own way to the post, winning easily. In the final heat the winning crew of the first one rowed in the Swan, and the winners of the second in the Cygnet. For the first hundred yards the boats continued about even, but the latter then gradually drew a-head and won the prize cups by several lengths. The Cygnet was steered by Pearce, and the Swan by Callender, jun.', in each race, and we understand that on Saturday next these coxswains are to he afforded the chance of competing against each other in a half-mile sculling match for a cup given by two members of the C.R.C. . :