Coach Of Aramoho Eight Confident For Next Saturday

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 November 1948, Page 5

Coach Of Aramoho Eight Confident For Next Saturday

Though the Aramoho rowing eight was beaten at Sydney on Saturday by the Haberfleld Rowing Club’s eight, recognised as Australian champions, the coach of the New Zealand crew, Mr. D. Holmes, is confident that they will do better next Saturday. A message to this effect was received at Aramoho yesterday morning. It was relayed through Mr. P. Benefield, senr., of Kelvin Street. Aramoho. one of the supporters who has accompanied the oarsmen to Sydney His son, Mr. Percy Benefield, jnr., put a telephone call through to Sydney yesterday morning and spoke tc him at the Great Southern Hotel, George Street, where the Aramoho rowers are staying. “Reception was not the best and I had to ask my father to repeat portions of the conversation.” Mr. Benefield told the "Chronicle’’ last night. “He did sa'y. however, that all the boys were well and that Doug. Holmes had said that he was quite confident of the result next Saturday.” Apparently conditions were not of the best in Sydney on Saturday, but the weather had improved yesterday after being unsettled during the week and preventing the Aramoho oarsmen from completing their full training programme. Mr. Benefield added that his father had said that J Schneider had put up a good performance to beat Kevin Webb. Schneider expects to meet the Olympic champion, Mervyn Wood, next Saturday. Keen interest was taken in the rowing on Saturday, particularly at Aramoho. It is understood that results were broadcast over station 2UE Sydney, but reception was not good in New Zealand at that hour of the day. At 5.45 p.m., however, supporters of the Aramoho crew were listeningin to an Australian station on shortwave and heard the announcement that Schneider had won. Mr. Benefield jnr., originally planned to telephone his father on Saturday flight, but Mr. Benefield, senr.. could not be raised. The call was put through again yesterday morning over the radio-telephone system and was successful. Mr. Benefield added that he greatly appreciated the help given by the staff of the automatic telephone exchange in Wanganui.