ROWING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 439, 3 December 1930, Page 4

ROWING

L (By

“TANIWHA")

Union Boat Club. Entries for the Foster Fours, which closed during the week-end, drew 54 nominations. The crews which have been drawn by the selectors appear on paper to be very even, and should provide some close and interesting racing. The trophies for this event are presented by the Club’s president. Mr J. R. Foster always provides very handsome trophies which are keenly competed for by members. The crews will have two weeks’ training and the racing will be concluded prior to the Christmas holidays.

Some members have signified their intention of competing at the New Plymouth Regatta, which will be held on New Year 's Day. This regatta, though small, has proved very popular with local oarsmen and the Light Blues have always competed there with considerable success. The New Plymouth Degatta serves the purpose of giving clubs an indication, of the merits of crews prior to the more important regattas later in the season. The writer wishes to congratulate E. O. Trail (stroke;, R. Gould (3), W. Stevens (2), I. Burr (bow) on winning the Trial Fours. Three, Two and Bow are Tech, boys who, in view of the disadvantages under which they were placed at the beginning of the training and the form shown by them in the racing, have very bright futures as oarsmen ahead of them if they stick to the sport. Bridges was originally selected to stroke the crew but unfortunately had to withdraw, with the result that the boys had practically no rowing for the first two weeks. As most of the older members were already in crews the club had considerable difficulty in getting someone’to take over tho crew. However, Trail expressed his willingness to see the boys through, even though it -was at considerable inconvenience to himself. It is pleasing to know that this sporting action has has its just reward.

In winning the Club Fours J. Luxford (stroke), R. Mouat (3), M. Granville (2) and J. Stansfield (bow) put up a sterling performance. This crew had some strong opposition and they carried all before them in a tradesmanlike manner. Luxford is not an accomplished orasman by any means but he is fit and able to go the whole distance on top gear and apparently gets the best out of his crew.

The racing in connection with the Club and Trial Fours just completed was very interesting. The majority of finishes were very close; in fact, the only runaway victory was that of Trial’s crew in the final of the Trial Fours.

In both finals the two winning strokes showed great initiative in taking advantage of a fast-running ebbtide by going for a lead at the start. In Trail’s case he had three lengths’ lead bpfore the other two realised they had started and the race became a procession. Luxford got three-quarters of a length lead in a few strokes, and though he did not nlaintain this advantage right through he just had that distance to spare on reaching the finishing point.

The Wanganui Club. Training lor the Wray Eights has occupied the chief interest of the Wanganui Rowing Club members during the past week. Five ‘crews having entered lor the competition, an eliminating round will be rowed this evening, while the final is fixed for Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock. Owing to the Collegiate crew having to compete earlier this year it was necessary to hold the race sooner in order that they might take part. The crews to compete in the race this week are showing comparatively good form in spite of the fact that they have had little more than a week in which to train. There is, however, a tendency in all crews for members to have their eyes anywhere but in the boat. Not only does this look bad, but it is also detrimental to rowing. Concentration is one of the most impoitant essentials of rowing, and staring at all the little bits of scenery on the river bank is, therefore, not conducive to the best rowing. Another point is that there is far too mu'eh talking going on while training, Mitchell’s crew being especially bad in this respect. Admittedly, rowing is a sport first and a “business” afterwards, but nevertheless, it should be entered into with a certain amount of seriousness. The Youths Four seem to have suddenly been possessed with the idea that everything is a big joke, and consequently concentration has been lacking. Mr P. Evans, the club’s president, was out coaching crews over the weekend and his presence in the shed is in itself a great asset to the club. Mr Evans, who is an old senior oarsman himself, has had many successes in the rowing world and has also done valuable work as coach, obtaining some very good results. He has made a study of rowing and may therefore be considered an excellent authority on oarsmanship. The Wanganui Club should consider itself fortunate that Mr Evans takes the interest he does in its welfare. Upon the completion of the W ray Eights the club will commence selecting crews for the forthcoming regattas, and, as it is believed that only those oarsmen who attain a certain standard of rowing will be allowed to compete in the regattas, it is anticipated that steady training* and keen enthusiasm will be the order of the day in the red and black shed.

Aramoho Boating Club. Training operations at the Aramoho Boating Club had an enforced holiday last week owing to the heavy “fresh”' in the river, this necessitating pulling tho pontoon and staging up on the bank for safety While Aramoho members were fighting hard last Thursday to save their landing stage tfr? Union Club were rowing off the finals of their Trial Fours and Club Fours. That is one of the examples which the Wanganui River can show in the way of variations. Normal conditions were evident during the week-end and crews were able to resume their training. Senior fours, youths’ and maiden crews were out. The junior fours have also had their first row and should uphold their reputation of last year. C. Gurr, H. Robb, G. Sloan and C. Harrison comprise the junior crew and will be starters at New Plymouth. The maiden, youths and lightweights have also stated the intention of being on the train for the Now Plymouth Regatta on the Now Year.

The butter province regatta is always a popular holiday fixture with the local boys and will be the Mecca of nanv of the followers of rowing.