ON THE WATER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18946, 17 December 1929, Page 7

ON THE WATER

ROWING NOTES FROM MANY QUARTERS.

I (By

“JASON.”)

Th« Head-of-the-River races on Sat-in-day provided lome excellent racing and, in a measure, showed the racing strength o£ the local clubs. In the senior clast competition should be very keen if the result of the fours on Saturday can be taken as an indication of the real strength of the respective clubs. That all three crews will improve between now and Akaroa regatta date can be accepted as a certainty, and a great race can be expected in the fours, with Avon having a pull over the others in the pairs. Avon should be well to the front in the maiden events, Canterbury the pick of the juniors, and Union of the youths. That is as far as the city crews are concerned, but strong opposition from Lyttelton, Akaroa and Sumner- Redcliffs can be looked for in the maiden and youths’ events. The Avon Club has a particularly strong crew for the maiden double sculls. 95 95 99 The performance of the Avon Club in securing three wins out of four races in the Head-jof-the-River contest was most meritorious, especially when it is considered that last-minute changes in two of the crews made it necessary for the selectors to try out men who had not previously rowed together. The club’s selection committee. Messrs F. Agassiz, H. Adkins and R. F. Batchelor, have all had a wide experience in rowing. and their judgment in picking crews has caused general satisfaction amongst the members this season. k A meeting will be held at Blenheim to-night to fix a date for the New Zealand championship regatta at Picton. It is probable that the regatta will be held on Saturday, Februarv 22. 95 I. Thomson, selected as stroke of the Union Club’s youths’ four, has been compelled to relinquish his seat owing to a strain, and it is possible that he will not be seen out again this season. G. Butler, selected for the maiden four, will replace him. This season the club has few rowers to call on to fill gaps in 'regatta crews, and Thomson's unavoidable withdrawal and the inability of two others selected for the maiden races to row. means that the club will have no entry for the maiden events at Akaroa. It will, however, have strong representation in the youths’ and senior races, judging by the form shown on Saturday in the Head-of-the-River races. 95 95 95 The decisive manner in which F. 11. Thompson and T. C. Adkins defeated T. H. M’Combs and V. A. Smith in the first heat of the maiden double sculls on Saturday makes it appear as if they will go through the season without a defeat in this class. In the final Thompson did not extend himself and won by a short length. Although still

eligible to row in the maiden class, Thompson won the St Albans Cup for the handicap singles of the Avon Club from the scratch mark last season: Thompson has not yet been defeated with the sculls, and he is one of the best scullers the club has turned , out during the last ten years. 95 95 95 The annual meeting of the Christchurch Regatta Club will be held on Thursday evening. The report shows that the club is quite sound financially, having a credit balance of £9O 14s lOd, but more members are wanted. The club is rather unique in the respect that it is kept going by members’ subscriptions and yet has nothing to offer members in return except the opportunity to witness the annual regatta at their own expense. Therefore, it must be very gratifying to know that at present there are sufficient supporters of the sport prepared to help it along in that spirit which is one of the distinguishing qualities of real amateur--95 95 95 The Avon Club are unfortunate in losing the services of A. S. Frame, who has been transferred to Greymouth. Frame won the youths' singles at the Kaiapoi regatta last year, and was second in the youths’ doubles at several regattas. 95 95 95 H. R. Pearce’s recent great performance in lowering the world’s record for 2000 metres, has created a movement in Sydney to send the Olympic champion to England to compete for the Diamond Sculls at Henley. 95 95 95 The Avon Club’s crews for the Akaroa regatta have been doing light training. The club appear to be strongest in the maiden class, two crews being entered for both the maiden pairs and sculls. In the pairs the No. 2 crew, although inexperienced, are liable' to effect a surprise. The No. 1 crew, Harvey and Woodham, are almost bound to be placed, while in the maiden four Avon should be handy at the finish. The youths’ four, who won on Saturday, will have to be altered, as C. A. Wright, the stroke, is not available. The youths’ double sculls, Norrish and Warlow, are not going as well as expected. It is doubtful whether the club will be represented in the junior double sculls. 9-5 95 95 Otago, winners of the interprovincial eight-oared race last season, expect to be represented again this season, when it will be rowed at Auckland; provided, it is said, that three crews outside Auckland compete. The Otago Association is not sufficiently affluent to finance a crew, but it has no doubt that when the time comes for a decision, supporters of the sport will rally round with donations if the decision favours sending a crew.