ROWING NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 266, 13 November 1935, Page 6

ROWING NOTES

(B t

"TANIWHA." )

Preparations are proceeding ..pace for the Boxing Day regatta and it promises to be a well-organised effort. • • • • Co-operation with the Wanganui Motor-Boat Club should ensure that a united effort will be forthcoming, and a programme that should appeal to the countryside is likely to be framed. The regatta committee will not be an unwieldy body, for it will consist of three delegates from the Rowing Association and three from the MotorBoat Association. The Rowing Association delegates are Messrs. A. Webster and G. Thompson and an Aramoho representative. The tentative programme framed for the rowing events at the regatta budgets for donation money amounting to £lOO. This includes £l5 for the senior fours, of which £l2 is for the winners. Other events on the proposed programme are as follow:—Maiden fours £lO and £2); maiden double sculls £5 and £2); youths’ fours (£8 and £2); junior clinker fours (£lO and £3); ladies’ champion fours (£6 and £l. with £1 for best turned-out crew); maiden fours, light (£8 and £2); senior handicap sculls (£6 and £2); junior double sculls (£5 and £2); junior welter fours £8 and *£2;. Next Easter Saturday the interprovincial eights will be held in Wanganui and the public will witness for the first time the star event in Dominion rowing. Wanganui has won the trophy for two years in succession, and are keen to add another win to their record. Otago has won on five occasions, and have been runners-up to Wanganui during the last two years. It is particularly plearing to note that provision is being made for a ladies’ event, and the support which was accorded this race at the NewZealand championships at Wanganui should encourage the promoters to continue catering for such an event. Already inquiries have been received from Auckland regarding the race, and it is anticipated that a strong crew will make the journey from the northern centre. Regatta officials for Boxing Day are: Selectors, Messrs, i.. Haywood, I*. Evans and W. Coombes; umpires, Messrs. L. Haywood, W. Coombes and T. Bell; judge (to be appointed next week.; starter, Mr. E. Crotty; assistant starter, Mr. W. Storey; handicappers, Messrs. D. Corby, P. Evans and W. Coombes; ladies' events, Mr. A. Webster. The rooster which rears his head so proudly above the Aramoho Boating Club’s* shed and crows defiance to the world has had a most interesting history. His plumage has known man* hues, but last autumn he adopted the yellow and green stripes when- Ara moho won the champion fours. Mr. .11. Stiver, a Wanganui resident, forwards the following interesting history of the

rooster’s origin; Thirty-eight years ago the championship regatta was held at Pieton. Crews from all the principal rowing centres in New Zealand had assembled to compete in the champion fours, among them being a junior crew, consisting principally of men with indoor occupations. There was also the track Port Chalmers four. At that time the old sailing ship, Edward Eox, was used as a freezing hulk at Picton, and the second engineer, Mr. Knight, hearing tin* Port Chalmers crew •‘crowing” as to how they would beat the Queen’s Drive, junior four, got an idea. He cut a “rooster’’ out of tin, and when the race was over—which, by the way, was won by the junior Queen’s Drive crew —he painted the ‘‘rooster’’ the club’s colours, and placed it at the masthead of the hulk. It was taken some to Port Chalmers by the champions and since then has been all over New Zealand ami has been painted many colours. Sotne time ago it was mentioned in these columns that the local association should endeavour to have an Australian eight brought over to compete at Easter. A visit from a crew overseas would be a tremendous attraction, and would give a great fillip to the race. At present the Sydney Police Club have a rattling good eight, and they recently outpaced the opposition at a big Sydney regatta. They are to go to Melbourne to compete in the Grand Challenge Eights at Henley-on-Yarra on November 30, and if they put up a good showing it is understood they have excellent prospects of being sent to the Olympic Games at Berlin. Much could be done in the way of assisting the crew, and an early move by the association might bring exeeient results. Wanganui is extremely fortunate in having several alternate courses on which regattas can be staged, yet it is never free from criticism from some disgruntled critics who seem to take a delight in picking out faults and airing their views on a subject in which they show a surprising lack of Knowledge. Wellington has been chosen as the venue of the National championships this season, ami already that association is under fire in regard to the lack of suitable courses for the championship events. Under normal weather conditions both the Koro Koro and Oriental Bay courses are excellent stz tches of water, but even Wellington admits that when gusty conditio is prevail the outside crews are under a severe handicap. However, the capital city can be relied upon to hold the events under conditions that are fair to all, and those who have the true interests of the sport at heart can be relied upon to treat with indifference that small section of the public who are ready to “squeal’’ at the slightest provocation. New Zealand oarsmen will be please? to learn that the highest honour has at last come to Mr. W. J. Wilson, of Port Chalmers, who has been elected president of the New Zealand Rowing Association. He fullly deserved the honour, as he has been a staunch friend to the sport and oarsmen for nearly half a century. Mr. Wilson took an active interest in rowing when a young man. He was one of the founders of the Queen’s Drive Boating Club and the Otago Rowing Association. He has represented the Queen’s '.Drive Club on the association since 1923, and has occupied the president’s position of both elub and association. He is a life honorary captain of the Queen’s Drive Club. During the 42 years Mr. Wilson has been associated with the Port Chalmers Regatta Committee he has worked hard on behalf of rowing. He has been chairman of the committee

for :..e ; .i-: 11 . > ars and ..as vicechairman for the previous 10 years. Forty-nine years ago Mr. Wilson played with the I nion Rugby Football Cluo, and. after two seasons, joined the Port Chalmers Football Club when he took up residence in the Ix>wer Harbour. He was a member of the Otago Rugby Football Union for 22 years, and is a past president of that body. He was also a referee, and is a life member of the Otago Referees’ Association. For the past 25 years Mr. Wilson has been a playing member of the Port Chalmers Bowling Club. Union Boat Club. The final of the Club Fours result p d in a win for M. Granville’s crew, who rowed consistently throughout and fully deserved their victory. A surprisingly good display was given by J. Morgan’s men, but in the final they failed to produce the form which they showed in the heats, and had to. acknowledge defeat by a narrow margin. The standard of rowing throughout was first class, and was a tribute to the interest that the crews took in their work and to the knowledge imparted by the respective coaches. Eight crews are to contest the Members’ Fours, racing for .. hich will commence during the week-end. In this event the strokes of the Clio Four crews have been boated in No. 3 positions. and if this practice brings about the same results as it did last season, the experiment will be well worth while. The new members had their first outing in the four? on Saturday, and shaped exceedingly well. They have shown that the coaching received has been carefully taken notice of, and they should improve rapidly in the next few weeks. Wanganui Rowing Club. Activities at the Wanganui shed are proceeding at a satisfactory pace and crews promise to be in good shape for the big regatta. The heats of the Lewis Double Sculls will be rowed next Saturday. Good racing should be provided as most of the crews are training consistently. Staton and Cooper are a likely pair. They scull a long stroke with good rhythm and should prove hard to beat, even by the heavier crews. Brookie and Christian are using a fast stroke and appear very lit. They can be reckoned as strong opposition. Marchant and Nicholls are sculling easily and appear to have plenty of run in the boat. L. Clapham and Fletcher are the heaviest crew. The’latter is inclined to lose control of the slide and slice iu. McCann and Bourne are combining well and must not be underestimated. V. Clapham and Larkin seem to be having a comfortable scull, while Nolan and Cox can be relied on to make the pace. Morris has been unfortunate with Stokes ou the sick list. The heats in Novice Pairs will also be rowed next Saturday afternoon. A few' comments on the crews may prove interesting and instructive: — Campion and Stroud. —Stroke is rowing nicely with a straight back and good length; bow is inclined to develop

a jerky style and must straighten up to become a good oarsman. Both these novices show' good blade won. Goldsbury and Northover. —Stroke is improving each row. Must keep the , shoulders back until the hands are home to the chest and sit up. He has great strength which is am invaluable asset if properly applied. Bow has a nice easy swing and has made rapid advancement; should keep his shoulMorris and MeCrorrie. —Stroke should swing further forward and come off , the feather sooner to avoid rushing the catch. His back work is good. Bow, owing to illness, has nc* had time yet . to show form, but should improve each I row. ( McLisky and Bourne.—Stroke must [ control his slide work, increase his swing and keep his shoulders back until che hands are home. He should make a good oarsman if he has the will to overcome his faults. Bow must concentrate ou the time, and learn a . nice balanced touch on the handle. He is keen and will improve. Green has not had sufficient practice yet. but has made good progress. He . is an apt pupil and keen to learn.

Aramoho Boating Club. The attendance of members and supporter? at the annual church parade last Sunday at St. Laurence’s Church must have been very gratifying to the committee. The few members who did not attend missed a good sports service. The patron. Mr. Bridges, and the president, Mr. Haywood, set an example, and Mr. C. R. White, a vicepresident, read the lesson and also conducted the community hymn singing which preceded the service. ( anon W. G. Williams, also a vice-president of the club, preached a sermon on the value of sport iu developing self-con-tro land team-work, taking as his text “Till w? all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man.’’ Canon Williams also congratulated the oarsmen and the harriers on their past season’s successes. It is very pleasing to note the manner iu which members attend ail tunctions in connection with the activities of the club, and the committee must be congrat’i ’.te I on fostering the club spirit. Owing to several defections, the tn tries in the Tesla I o.i.s have been reduced to eight. This has necessitated a rearrangement of the crews. Members should not enter for a trophy race if they cannot participate for considerable extra work is involved in rearranging the crews. The racing for the Tesla Fours will commence to-night and it is hoped to row the final on Saturday afternoon. Regatta crews will be selected this week and a chib trophy will be run for non-regatta members. Prospects for regatta crews do not appear very bright and the selectors will have a tough task ahead of them. The senior crew. Stowers (str), Jones (3). Stokes (2), Harrison (bow), which won the coveted champion fours last season. % will be rowing together again. All members will unite in wishing them the best of success for the coming season. As the club is fortunate in possessing two Bcst-and-Best boats, the writer would like to see another senior crew on the water and would suggest ! the following crew: Ditchfield (str), Heath (3), Holmes (2), Shaw (bow). With the exception of Heath, who > has not started rowing this season save for stroking the winning crew on opening day, the crew have shown good form in trophy racing and would be a ; hard crew to beat. The selectors will have difficulty in . choosing two junior crews as only four

junior oarsmen remain from last season—Halligan and Firmin (junior crew) and Boyland and Sleyer (junior welter). Four other men will have to be promoted from the maiden ranks to fill the vacant seats. Talent will not be lacking in the Open Maiden, Lightweight Maiden, and Youths’ classes. It is unfortunate that Laird, stroke of last season’s Open Maiden crew, will not be available this year, but the selectors should have no trouble in filling his seat. It is not yet known whether Campbell will be able to scull this year as his work necessitates his being away from Aramoho all the week, and his training would have to be confined to week-ends. It will be remembered that Campbell sculled well in the championship at Auckland last year, although he did not gain a place, and it will be very unfortunate if he cannot carry on with the game.