AQUATIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6421, 14 December 1888, Page 2

AQUATIC.

About the Sheds, /,■».' [By Jason.^J --"•'-■.-. LA6T WOBDB. ' ' " " " " As the Akaroa regatta takes place on Monday, this is the last occasion on which I Bhall have an opportunity of speaking about the prospects of the crews engaged. The senior races will attract most attention, bnt I do not expect the contests ::will prove very interesting after half the coarse has been, covered; unless it is in the "Pairs. I am. in the dark as to whether -Lyttelton -will be represented in the senior race*; bat iftheyare,ldonotthinfcthey are likely tocarry off either event. The Union representatives are very greatly fancied • 'for each event, the Kaiapoi men being regarded as their most dangerous opponents, as it is understood that the countrymen hare paid much more attention to their ;preparation than has been the custom for the past season or two.- Last" year the Pairs produced a grand race between Canterbury, Lyttelton and Union, leas than, two lengths being all the difference between the boats 'at the finish. At Lyttelton, Union won rather easily- from JCaiapoi; but as the latter crew is nob the same as it was then, I shall expect Union -to furnish the winner. . The Double Sculls went to Union last year, and as this crew: are-showing considerably better form now than last season, I see no reason why they' 'should not win. Kaiapoi are none too strongly represented, and there does not appear to be much chance of their upsetting predictions. Canterbury are' not represented, while the Avonpair, who woo, -the Maiden Double Sculls at Lake Forayth last year, are not strong enough or Heavy enough to hope for success; • Lyttelton, Canterbury, Core and Avon are all fancied' for the Junior Double Sculls, but I prefer the chance of the Cure lads, though there is a chance of their going down before Lyttelton. . : - CBITICISING THK CREWS. • ' Taking the crews engaged at Akaro& ■away and few remain to be criticised^ Avon having only one preparing for the lyttelton regatta, Canterbury two and Union three. The: ' Avon pair who > are engaged in the Maiden Pairs hav*%aMe^ to slides, and are doing "very well, all things considered, though stroke is still inclined to overreach, and bow. is not swinging so well as he was. while on a -fixed eeat. The Union representatives in the Maiden Pairs and Doable Sculls are making more headway with the sculls than with the oar. They, too, have taken to slides, but have-not-as yet mastered them. The time and swing with the sculls is very fair, but with the oars bow does not swing at all. His body drops forward, it is true, but there is no swing for all that. He has acquired a habit very prevalent among beginners of dropping forward' under the impression that he is swinging, and my experience tells me that a deal of time and patience will be required to rid him of the fanlt. The pairs are rowing a fine long stroke, well-pulled, time and grip being excellent. They should require a lot of beating. The Canterbury Club crews are shaping -well, the pairs especially so, though they may go off when it comes to racing. In the doable sculls, the rowing would be improved if stroke gave a longer swing. CUBE BOATING CLUB. The Avon Club have been rowing •• Double-sculling Bace daring the week. The first heat was decided on Monday evening, but as several heats remained .:to be rowed at the time of writing, .the results must be postponed until next week» The following have been selected to represent the Cure Boating Club at the Akaroa regatta: — Senior Double ScuUsand Senior Pairs — R. Day and G-. Wright -{stroke). - Junior Double Senile — T. Taylor, Junior Pairs — and W. Barnes (stroke).' EBVISION OF BOXES. „ " At the Committee meeting of the Christ* church Begatta Club, held last week, the rules underwent a thorough revision, and are to be brought before the annual meeting, which is to be held on Dec. 20. Daring conversation, it was mentioned that some persons were opposed to the Lake Forsyth course and favoured the Waimakariri, but the Committee were unanimous in the opinion that the two courses could not be compared. This is only as Z pointed out in a recent issue of the Canterbury Times, and I am sure no one who has had any experience of the. courses would ever think .of Baying the Waimakariri was better than ' the lake. If there should happen to be any such persons in existence, it may relieve their minds to know that the Club have every intention of sticking to their old course, unless something turns up to prevent them, in which case I am pretty certain the regatta would be held at' Sumner in preference to Kaiapoi. . . NEW ZEALAND BOWING ASSOCIATION. The Akaroa and Lyttelton regattas -will be held under the rules of the New Zealand Bowing Association. ' All the Canterbury Clubs— Avon, Akaroa,.Canterbury, Cure, Lyttelton, Timaru, and Union — have now become affiliated to the Association, and I shall be very much surprised if the Province is not properly represented at future meeting. It has been recognised that the Clubs have dallied long enough, and taken too little interest in the proceedings that have gone on at the headquarters of the Association, and it is certain that the leading Clubs intend from this date, to be more energetic and pushing. It is sensibly recognised that local jealousy and rivalry must be sunk if ■the interests of the boating community of -the Province axe to be studied. Nothing will give me greater pleasure than having to place on record the fact that our Cluba Jxsre united forces for the purpose oE 'endeavouring to get their just share of .anything that is going, and from the tone of somexemarks made the other evening I ■shonld-say this desirable step will shortly ;bemade»