ON THE WATER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18643, 24 December 1928, Page 5

ON THE WATER

ROWING. SAILING A POWER BOAT NOTES.

(By "JASON”) FIXTURES. January 1. 1929—Akaroa Regatta. January 26, 1929—Christchurch Regatta, near Kairaki. i x x Following are the probable results O# the events at the Akaroa Regatta on New Year’s Day. Akaroa and Lyttelton Clubs’ form being based on last year's performances:— The first race will be the youths’ •ingles for the Thacker Shield. This will be rowed for the first time in the clinker single sculling boats. Akaroa and Avon will be the only starters, as they are the only clubs with this kind of boat. Akaroa should have the advantage in training over the course. The junior fours result will be between Canterbury and Avon. Canterbury won the head-of-the-river race, but on a straight course Avon might reverse the position. Avon and Union’s two crews will contest the senior double sculls. The Stiles Brothers won the race last year, but will meet solid opposition in Whittington and Greenway and the Duggan Brothers. The youths’ four will be between Lyttelton, Akaroa, and Union and Avon’s two crews, with the result likely to be: —Avon 1, Lyttelton 2, Akaroa 3. The junior sculls will be easy for Canterbury, with Avon and Lyttelton in the minor places. The Sinclair Brothers, Lyttelton, should account for the maiden doubles, with Avon and Akaroa well up. The youths’ doubles should provide a good contest between Avon’s two crews. Lyttelton and Akaroa, with Akaroa the probable winners. The senior fours, the race of the day, is likely to provide a close finish. Akaroa won the race last year, but Avon and Union have improved crews. The order at the finish may be: —Avon 1, Union 2, Akaroa 3. There is no outstanding crew in the junior pairs. Canterbury and Avon lhave fair crews and may finish in that order. Lyttelton should be prominent in the maiden fours, with Avon and Canterbury well up. Union (Duggan Brothers), Avon [(Stiles Brothers), and Akaroa (Hammond Brothers), should provide a good race in the senior pairs. Avon, on past performances, should win from Union and Akaroa. The last race, the maiden pairs, is very open. Lyttelton, Canterbury, and Akaroa are likely to fill the places.

Avon Club Notes. All Avon ClnH n

rews are putting in hard work for the Akaroa Regatta. The senior four have been changed, A. Woodham replacing G. Rushworth in the bow seat. This is a decided advantage. The crew should race well at Akaroa. C. and G. Stiles, in both the pairs and sculls, are going well, and may again win both races. G. Stiles is

lowing splendidly at present. The junior four are not putting in enough hard training, and their condi-

tion may tell, as it did in the head-of the-river race.

The maiden four have been changed. J. Brixton is now stroke. This change has already shown a marked improvement in the crew, who should just about win. The maiden doubles and youths’ doubles are putting in plenty of training, and are sculling nicely. The youths’ fours had a row-off during the week, the No. 1 crew defeating No. 2by two lengths. They are expected to be first and second at AkaHad New Zealand been able to send an eight-oar crew to the Olympic Games there would have been a great chance of success in the eights and the fours, according to Mr 11. Amos, manager of the New Zealand athletes

at the Games, in his report. Of the rowing events at the Games Mr Amos states:—

“As the rowing events took place at the Sloten Canal, some distance out of Amsterdam, at the same time as the swimming and boxing, I was unable to witness any of these events. L however, met rowers from England* Canada, Amsterdam, and the United States, who informed me that the racing was most interesting. Bob Pearce, of Sydney, son of Harry Pearce, the ex-champion sculler of the world,, was too good for the opposition in the single sculls, which he won in record time. Harry Pearce informed me that he was extremelv sorry that a New Zealand crew did not come over, as t/e must have had a great chance in the fours and eights. “ The results were as follows over the 2000 metres course:— Single Sculls—Pearce (Australia) beat Myers (U.S.A.), 7min llsec. Double Sculls— U.S.A. beat Canada, 6min 41 2-ssec. Coxed Pairs—Switzerland beat France, 7min 42 3-ssec. Coxless Pairs—Germany beat Great Britain, 7min 6 2-ssec. Coxed Fours —Italy beat Switzerland, 6min 47 4-ssec. Coxless Fours —First Trinity (G. 8.) beat U.S.A., 6min 46sec. Eights—California beat Thames, 6min 3 l-ssec. “ The British Empire was represented in five finals. On the basis of 5 points for a win, 3 for second place, and 1 for a third, the regatta proved a triumph for the British Empire with 21 points, United States being second with 17 points, and Switzerland third with 8 points.