ROWING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18973, 26 March 1924, Page 6

ROWING

SOMERVILLE SHIELD CONTEST (By “RIGGER.”) The following crew will represent the Union Boat Club in the above race against the Wanganui Rowing Club:— C. Kruse (stroke), J. Johnston, L. Garner, Osborne, F. Davis, Mouatt, A. Gurney, F. Wilson (bow). W. Sharpe has had the above crew out regularly and has them swinging along well, although I don't think the Union crew this year will have the pace last year’s crew had. Nevertheless they will be a hard crew to beat, and Wanganui will thoroughly deserve to be congratulated if they can succeed in wresting the trophy from the holders. The crews this year are much more evenly matched than when they met twelve months ago, and it should be a great race from start to finish. Bow and two in the Union crew are both short men, and consequently are not rowing quite as long as the rest of the eight, and two has a slightly jerky finish, no doubt developed through sculling, as he represented his club in the maiden sculls this year and has done little rowing. 1 followed the crew down the bank over the course, and four appears to lose his drive in the concluding stages of the journey. Five is a trifle short before the rigger, and seven appears slightly slow in the recovery. All the crew are rowing well, and it is hard to pick out many bad faults.

Number two in the Wanganui eight rows with a very bent back, and must be using his arms a lot at the finish. Three wants to keep more weight on at the finish and watch the time closely. Four is inclined to catch the water early now and then, but has improved a lot since first going out. There is room for improvement in the time throughout the boat, and if the whole crew can only hit the water together on the day they should put up a creditable performance on Saturday next. The public are advised to be at Culver's Corner between 3 and 3.30 p.m. on the 29th to see the above race, as it is expected to be one of the finest contests ever rowed locally.