ON THE RIVER

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20693, 31 December 1938, Page 22 (Supplement)

ON THE RIVER

OARSMEN OF WAIKATO ‘ j Eagerly awaited for some time, the return to prominence in the province I of the Hamilton Rowing Club should | become a reality this season if the I form displayed by the local crews at | the Tauranga regatta on Monday can I* be taken as a pointer to future racing this season. Although the Hamilton crews did not gain a first placing the two seconds in four starts were both j very creditable and the form revealed | by the oarsmen was indicative of a [ successful season. Hamilton’s stocks • in the rowing world slumped badly last j season but a return to prominence may j be expected at the Anniversary Day j regatta on the Waikato. Tauranga j results promise success for future enj gagements this year. ! Little Preparation. i The Hamilton crews all rowed well with the exception of the youths’ four. J which did not strike the form antici- | pated of them. Four crews made the j trip to Tauranga, two heavies, the j double sculls and the youths’ four, j The doubles, I. Duncan and G. Smith, ! in spite of a short preparation, rowed j very well to finish second, one and aj half lengths behind St. George’s. They j were finishing on and. with more trainl ing together, they should present a solid proposition to opponents on their J own course on Anniversary Day. | Met With Misfortune. i The two heavy crews met with misI fortune, wmen was disappointing, especially to the No. 1 four, G. Smith, j J. Turner, R. Reese and D. Paterson. I

The club was represented in the No. 2 crew by J. Corlett, T. Sotham, J. Pickworth and C. Holloway. After a false start in the heavy event, the crews went away well with Hamilton No. 1 and St. George’s just in front of Hamilton No. 2 and Tauranga. St. George’s held a slight advantage for a while but Hamilton gradually took the lead and maintained a break of half a length till the bridge, where the trouble commenced. Striking a buoy cost the local No. 1 crew the race, as one of the crew lost his seat and had lo finish the race on the runners. Half a mile had still to be covered and the handicap a severe one. Fighting Out the Finish. The Hamilton No. 2 boat, which had been in a handy position early, was put out of the running altogether when it became jammed between the Tauranga crew and a dinghy. Up to that stage they hau every chance of fighting out the finish. The No. 1 crew, in spite of the upset, held the lead until about 100 yards from the gun, when they lost ground in turning too much to come in-shme, v.h< re Si. George’s were having the betti : ' it was a struggle between tin* two crews. The Hamilton crew wa si living to hold the bi eak, but St. G ■ slowl • ov< rhauled lem and the gun. It wa.Hamilton four to lose almost in the last few strokes after having led all the way. The fact that they performed so well, despite the fact that one man was rowing on the runners over the most vital part of the journey, indicated that the four should row splendidly on their own yourse. To strengthen their claims on .Anniversary Day "ill be the they will possess after rowing sc* well at Tauranga.

Course Not Clear. Several small craft and buoys about the harbour course at Tauranga interfered with some of the crews on Monday. With obstacles of that nature anchored on the course, steering became a difficult proposition and the ‘ luck of the draw was felt to a greater I extent as coxwains who were not famj iliar with the harbour had a difficult j task made infinitely more The water was not as choppy as might j I:.i vc been expected but the crews who j obtained the inside running had dej finitely the better of the going, esj pccialiy over the deciding stages of J the races. I Left on the River. The youths were rather disappoint- ! ing in their display as up to a week 1 before the regatta they were showing pace in their work. It appeared as if they left their race on the river. How- . ever, the crew has, for the most part, "l n«i . ‘ing experience, and they should benefit from their outing on -Monday. They will have every chance to make amends on Arniversary Day for after more train ng, with the knowledge of their own course, and the experience gained at Tauranga, they should-be in w inning fettK Alt' get hi r. the club put up a good showI ing at tin irgatta and it was pleasing, | indeed, to see the Hamilton crews in ! the familial red and white square* again lighting out the finishes. It looks like a good season for Hamil* | ton.