AQUATIC.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8841, 30 January 1907, Page 4

AQUATIC.

« NOTES. (By JASON.) The Lyttelton Club's crews have been putting i n fair amount of work durI ing the past week. The Maiden Four a particularly are showing good form, and are at present the best crew at Fort-, but 1 think could be further improved by changing M'Cormick, who is i now rowing No. 2 to stroke, in.: place [of Gillard. The Champion Four crew have not been going out very regularly, owing to some of them having to work They are sitting the outrigger fairly well, but are somewhat rough for the "best boat, being inclined to rush their work too much. The Junior Four are a strong heavy lot. but with the exception of Balem they have not much idea of rowing a light boat, and will have to improve considerably if they expect to do any good next month. The Youths' Four are going along fairly well, and should beat the Christchurch crews. Fentcn and Galilean (Juniors) and Gillard and Bamford (Maidens) are going really well, and should be able to get a win. The town crews havsi settled down in earnest, and quite a number of spectators watch the work eacli evening. The Canterbury Senior Four ar« still ahead of anything on the river as regards form.* Thq Union and Chrietchureh Amateur crews are very scratchy, and are certainly not class for a championship event. Samuels and Deighton, the Avon Seniors, are going very well, but are handicapped by their bad boat. Several challenges will be rowed off on Saturday afternoon next on the estuary. Fry and Clemens (Union) are training for no fewer than four races. This, of course, is too much for any crew. Mahoney and Grosbie are getting fair pace, but at times are none too 'comfortable in the boat, having capsized twice on Saturday afternoon. Th« Union Junior Four have only been out once or twice, and considering the little practice they are doing are going very well. . The Avon crews are very consistent in their work, and are somewhat ahead of the other clubs, who are represented by a very medium lot, JThere is still, i a great lack of coaching, and until this is remedied, the clubs cannot expect their crews to have much success. This is most noticeable in the Christchurch Amateur Club, which has a fine likely lot of men rowing. . . Samuels is at present training in a clinker wager boat with a view to having a "go" at the Single Sculhng Championship. I understand he will have a racing boat to hand at the end of this week. At a meeting of the committee which promoted and carried out the Webb-Stanbu-ry race the balance-sheet produced showed that the affair had cost £650 Of this amount £300 had be3U paid to Webb, inclusive in the payments being £200 prize-money, £27 2s for boat and £21 for wages. Staubury received £55 ss. The other expenses included hire of steamers, advertising and loss on sports meeting. The committee had started the esason with a credit balance of £91, and when all accounts were settled it was expected that there would bo a debit balance of £25. Sydney Kemp, son of ex-champion Peter Kemp, is gradually working to the front as a sculler. "Trident," in the "Sydney Mail," says that he should be a hot favourite for the Rush Handicap, and his father for the veterans' race. Those two events will be decided about the middle of next month. . The boom in sculling in I^ew feouth Wales has extended to the women, and Mrs 1 Woodbridge, of Stackton, Neivcaotle, aud Miss Lewis, of Mosman, have agreed to row a two-mile race on the Parramatta in 18ft skiffs for £25 a side and the ladies' single sculling championship of Australia. At the annual meeting of the Stewards of the Henley Regatta, held on December 15, a .resolution was passed debarring American crews and scullers from competing at the Kenley Regatta until the* American rowing authorities complete an agreement with the Henley committee such a 6 already exista with the French, German, Dutch and Belgian and Canadian Associations. This (says the " Times ") ifi the outcome of the revelations made after the visit of the cre-w of the Vesper Boat Club of Philadelphia in 1905.. which ended in the suspension in America of the oarsmen who formed the crew for breach of the rule relating to expenses. The president and secretary of the American National Association of Amateur Oarsmen, r/ho iianked the entry of the crew and their affidavits of the oarsmen's amateurism, had to admit afterwards that they had not exercised sufficient vigilance in the matter. At the annual general meeting oi tlv. English Amateur Rowing Association : decision of the committee <; J the Association on the question of amateurs' expenses in rcrain<>- which is bound to ba i-ar-reachm.!. incite results was reported. A communication had been received iron. Melbourne with reference to interna-

tional races between English crews and Australian crews. The committee were, unanimously of opinion that any such races that might be rowed should entirely comply with the English definition of amateur on both sides, and with regard to tlie matter of expenses the committee were equally unanimous that it was not within the definition of amateur rules that any outside subscription should be received — that the expenses must be borne by members of the clubs competing. It was clearly indicated to English crews that they must not receive money for expenses that might be subscribed by any outside agency, and that they could only accept money subscribed by members of their own clubs, and the Association would also expect the same ruling to be accepted by clubs that wished to compete in England.