ROWING NOTES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 1, 2 January 1936, Page 5

ROWING NOTES

I— (B,

* TANIWHAT ) —■

So far as the rowing events were con- I: rerned. the regatta at Sandy Hook last I Thursday was a successful fixture. Provided satisfactory arrangements ran be made in future, the Boxing Dav icgatt.i should be fostered in Wanganui, i It could easily be made an annual • event of much more than local import- ' ante. It appeared, however, that a com bined regatta could not very well be run with the rowing and motor-boat events controlled by different organisa- < lions. Lack of co-operation between the twn bodies nearly wrecked the re- i gatta last week. Perhaps a controlling executive would prove more effective. i • • • • A feature of the regatta was the manner in which the children we e 1 catered for by a hard-working com inn- < tee. A number of parents made a point « nf extending personal congratulations ( to members of the committee and this 1 recognition of their voluntary efforts 1 was well merited. It would be well f r those in control of rowing to apprecii-e the fart that the oarsmen of to-morrow 1 l will come from the youngsters who en I joyed their Boxing Day picnic at ‘he ' regatta It was rather disturbing to note that I the standard of rowing at the regatta 1 was not high. This remark applies .0 1 the local crews as well as tn the visit- < ing crews. Their displays cannot be • excused by reference to the occasion- : ally choppy water, for watermanship is 1 one of the things the experienced oars- i men should cultivate. * Tn event after event rhe number of ?- crabs” caught by careless or indifferent oarsmen was surprisingly larg". r Even the winners of the senior fours •? were not immune from the cpidem ' r Some of the crews caugth as many r-s ; eight crabs, and that over a mile < course. It is a reflection nn coaching 1 and training when such errors arc al 1 lowed to creep into rowing. 1 Congratulations must bp extended t<» f the starters for their uniformly good 1 work. It was their first attempt 8t tii:« important work, and as they got the large “fields” away well in line and ) right on time they were deserving _>f ■ commendation. Tn another direction a word of com mendation must be penned. The fact rhat the scheduled time for the rowing events was adhered to almost to the minute reflected credit on the whipper in. Anyone who has had experience of the task of getting several rowing crews out to time would appreciate th'* punctuality that was observed in this connection. Nothing makes a worse impression on the general public than to find a programme dragging out i<> inordinate length through inability re maintain the schedule. • • • • Petone won the maiden fours (open' by a comfortable margin from Wanga aui. The winners gave an impressive display, and their exhibition of com bination was far ahead of that pro duced by any other crew at the -0gatta. They were last yer.r’s youth’ • rew from the Petone shed, and thev I should go on to even more impressive . victories in the junior events whi< 1 I they will now have to contest. Th* Wanganui crew rowed well but r were outclassed by the winners. T, 1 New Plymouth crew have been coa<’rei by Darcy Hadfield and thev have shown i considerable improvement under r * ; tuition. The Wellingotn erew in the maioe? double sculls shot to the front at th ■ ’tarter’s gun and opened up a big gap. 1 They deserved their win. but th** I t<’No. 1 crew were overhauling t’ne.r rapidly at the finish, and if the d.<- 1 tance had been a little longer the tight biues might have got the decision, b • ’ there was a good deal of merit in the winners’ feat, for Tregurtha had a no-. ! bow with him. I nion also had :■ la- ’ minute change. Tonks taking <’■ 1;' ley's place. Dillon had not had a rewith Tonks as stroke prior re • • i event .and the manner in whi* • settled down tn combination as the *•;*■*• j' progressed indicate! that a pip** ■<’** <*r ; would have ocen invaluable. \ m. ho • were fighting it out over th* ea • , stages with Union, but towa*i h? finish they appeared to drop on- • I picture. The Union No. 2 crew are first year scullers, but they shaped we»: ; enough to suggest that thev v> well in the future. All six crews started in the j .s • fours, which was won with e; > Star, of Wellington .a rugged cre« w plenty of weight and punch lacking in polish. This was #> ident when they were challenged by A more toward the finish, when the leader-’ stroke became rather ragged erhays because of lack of experience. \- was, the lead they had estab! -hed • the early stages enabled S comfortably in spite of this r«igg.*dr< •-*. Aramoho rowed better than was . pected by their supporters .id p ■ dently had been training nns *-i | tiously. There was a great str g-lr for third place betwen the two I - ’rews, but at the critical monre »n r 7f the No. 1 crew caught a rr:, .an’ their club rivals were abb in me the minor placing. Keen interest was dispt ed n • ■ senior fours content, for wi,,.crews were boated, the several ■ doubt having an eye to the W. Sharpe Memorial ‘ up. !r wa« fi-?. after all. that this trop'n- should _* J to a crew which had proved its wnn) I in the best company, for three of •’■.* winning rrew had been in 're oar when Aramoho carried off »he New Zc , land rhampionshin fours at Au-khnlJ last February. The water at the 11 of starting was rather choppy. I i: r ‘ senior oarsmen should be experren enough in watermanship to >vercom: any such obstacle. Thu< it was rar , | disappointing to find the standard Towing below rhat expected from crews , of this calibre. A really good start w ( * J effected, but so quickly did Aram* ? I and Petone get. under way that the-.- j* I had a lead of three or four length- re- • fore the others realised that thev w. racing in earnest. With this lead Ara n.oho were enabled to cross right ov.r from the left bank to the smoothei , water on the right bank. This, it turned out. might well have been the deciding factor, and in this connection Aramoho must be congratulated on being a ire to take advantage of rhe opportune? j presenter!. It was another instance of , the race being to the swift. got away with Aramoho. but caught a < crab, and their craft turned sidewi -s on. Thev were soon hopelessly out ot

it ’Star, though they did not appear to inft*e much vigour into their effort, marAgeJ to head off the rest and secure set»id placing, though at no stage did they appear to threaten Araniouo. Union were third, and with the exeep--1 tmni that they may have lost a little whan Petone “crabbed,” there can do ex>*yse for their indifferent display. Still, it was not their training form, and it may that they will make amends next ‘ime out. The Petone crew, which had carried off the honours in the. maiden fours, proved superior to the opposition in the junior clinker fours, and they won jest as impressively as in the earlier rface. They gave another smooth exhibition and pulled up without showing any signs of distress. Star No. 1 were second, so visiting crews carriej off the donation money. There was some doubt as to whether Petone ha J erred in going inside one of lhe buoys marking the course, but as there was no indication in the official programme that crews must pass on one cr the other side of the buoys, no action was taken. The incident did not detract from the merit of Petone's win. A surprise win was effected by Wan ganui in the lightweight maiden four’, but it was a success well earned and as well receive*!. Setting a solid pace from the gun. Butzbach, lhe Wanganui stmke. never let up and his rrew responded so well that the advantage gained at the start was maintained ad the wav. It would not be surprising to find this ciww winning further events, and in even better company. Union No. 2 crew were second. They are a mmh younger crew than the No. I combination, and two of them are only first-year oarsmen. but they shaped like veterans throughout and must be congratulated on’their performance. The Napier crew were in lhe calm water on the far side of the river but they rowed very well and had tin’; not stopped before crossing the lin* thev would certainly have been third. A little more experience should enable this crew to give a good account if themselves. ♦ ❖ ❖ Unfortunately, a misunderstanding marred to a certain extent the senior handicap sculls, an outboard motor race being started while rhe sculling event was in progress. As a result some of the contestants were unable 10 finish the course. Stokes won the ra ■** fmm a 30sec. mark, but Luke, who was th** virtual scratch man, was doing very well until the motor boats appeared on th** scene, when he was in danger of being involved in a collision. The den nralising effect that a fleet of motorboats ran have on a sculler who is ur - abic to -ce what is just beyond hie bow was evident from the manner in which Luke was compelled to lose ground. At that stage he was gaining rapidly on the leaders, so his second placing was full of merit. Probable Stokes would ha-o won in an event from his liberal handicap. but the finish between |S?->kes. Luke and Foster would have 1 been an interesting one. 1 Ti lhe junior double sculls spectators were provided with some splendid sculling. As a matter of fact, it was regarded as the highlight of the programme. am! the splendid finish bej tween Union. Star and Wellington had the crowd on their toes. At the start I I. the Union bow. lost his gnp in* me of the sculls and a good deal !of leeway had to be made up. Wei were the early leaders, with Stnr pressing them closely. Union igraduallv made up their leeway, and a: •ie half mile had drawn level. From iih'* stage tn within a couple of hu idred yards of the finish it was nnvbo? 's race, with all sculling splenThe Union pair, who had been j «h "ing fine form on the river, pulled 'out the best finishing effort and crossed I rhe line with a length to spare. Wp|j!if_yon were only a canvas behind Star. | E c crew< lined up for the junior ! w*>!rerweight fours, and Wellington, , v n have won as a combination on previous occasions, went into the lead at igii-iire ami increased their lead all iha wa;-'. The further they went the furt'r* they got in front, and thev evenlutali won rather easily. Aramoho rowed a ■_'>od ra*-e but had no chance with the Union Boat Club. J »ne success and two seconds came wav of the light biues at the Wangamii regatta. As the Union Club had 1 rep esentatives in practically every e- ent. and in some instances two crews l were entered, it apepared as if the tally =h**;id have been better. J T was, however, very satisfactory to not** that the amount offered in donitio”, was well distributed, practically levprv competing club getting a share. I *.ion Boat Ulub crews were nomij naterl for each event at yesterday’s Nev Plymouth regatta, and two crews wore the light blue singlets in the Col- • t’ «’»ip event. I r the Hamilton regatta on Januarv 29 the Union Club will send at lea- two crews, the senior four and the yn’. hs* four being in training for the Waikato River events. T<» Union Club’s new boat was lau; bed in approved style by Mrs. Hi Id Sharpe over the week-end, though as the wine disappeared oxer the edge of the pontoon there were a few glances of regret. The new craf; wa> out twice rhe same day, and bor 1 crew- expressed themselves ns well >ati ied. From the bank this boat appeared to run smoothly, and it certain •- is a credit to the builder. T ** Union shed will probably be well repr ..ented at the New Zealand chaai- : -nip regatta at Wellington on Feb- •• 22. The crews are to be select?d next week-end. and some solid Uaia i<rg vill be indulged in. , Aramoho Boating Clut>. The success of the Aramoho Boating I’ luh in the Wanganui regatta must trv gratifying to members and >'upp»:ters. To have topped the pole • agr.- t strong opposition is an achievemenr ~f which to be proud. < ■ .gratulations must be extended to the senior crew on their sterling perf’lrni'ince in winning the Wally Sharpe Memorial Cup. Right from the gun they looked like winners and had no trouble in completely outclassing their opponents. winner of the senior handicap sculling event, must also be congratulated on his splendid performance. His transfer from the club will be a blow, as he is now a senior sculler and sPri r ♦ oarsman. T junior welterweight crew ex1} expectations in running into

second place. It is unfortunate that this crew will be broken up a’gairi as the two man has received nvtb-p of his transfer to Napier. The open maiden and yon Ihs rrew rowed well and should do better in later regattas. The juniors were unlucky in running foul of a crew just after Ihe start ol the race. Had this not happened they would, no doubt, have becu closer up at the finish. In the double sculling events the Aramoho entrants did as well as could be expected but should not be discouraged. The ladies who turned nut at a minute’s notice without training are to be congratulated ou rowing as thev did. Another member shortlr to leave the dub is W. Loveridge. Joining last season Loveridge won the Hollier Uup for lite most improved lirst-year oarsman. This season he was a member of the junior-welterweight crew which finished second at the Boxing Day regatta. Loveridge, is a keen oarsman and a splendid dub man and his departure will be a loss to the dub. Ail members will wish him the best of luck, in his new sphere of business. D. Holmes, the dub captain, has just about recovered from his operation and was seen down at the boatshed last, week-end. It is very pleasing to see him back again. The dub was represented in five races at the New Fly mouth regalia yesterday. Wanganui Rowing Club. (.General satisfaction is felt by Wanganui Club me in here at flic seaworthiness of the new clinker four. The boat is indeed an acquisition to tne club’s plant, and it is a pleasure to row in it. Crews feel more confidence in it and that counts for a good de 4 The open maiden crew disappointed somewhat at the Wanganui regatta in doing no bcitei than secure second place to I’etonc. The ’winners’ conibination near lhe finirj was becoming very ragged and stroke had nothing lei 1. to drive his crew along. Congratulations must, be extended to the successful lightweights. Mr. L. Clapham had certainly coached them up to the lightweight rate, c-f stroke, but the feature most pleasing to the. critics was the way they stuck to their ia?-k. Butzbach, stroking his first regatta crew, showed that he. has the making of a first-class oarsman. Hearty congratulations will be extended to lhe light Aramoho senior crew on their achievement in the big race. 'l’he winners rode the choppy water like expert watermen. The quer-tic-n which will now demand the Wanganui sclctcors’ attention is whether the senior four is under-boated or whether the crew is not well enough balanced. During the race at Sandy Hook the best-and-best boat had the appearance of a partially-submerged U-boat rather than a racing skiff. There may therefore be left to the imagination the disappointment cf a crcw r finding themselves, after weeks of folid training, with a waterlogged boat before half the course is covered. With the Club Doubles to come up for decision soon, it will be necessary for all crews to speed up their training as the racing will be commenced almost immediately