AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 331, 26 November 1896, Page 5

AQUATICS

[By

Muritai.]

Beferring to the defeat of Stanbury by Gaudaur the London correspondent of the South African Licensed Victuallers' Gazette writes : — Experienced judges do not hesitate to say that the race was simply faked, and certainly one could hardly believe the evidence of one’s own senses to see plodding along in the rear, a beaten man, apparently incapable of making an effort, the same sculler who only a few weeks before smothered Harding and covered the course at every point but the finish in the quickest time on record ; and even then the whole distance, done in 21 min 51sec, could have been compassed in less time had the Australian not taken matters easily at the finish. It is races such as the one under notice that have brought professional rowing into its present disrepute, and one cannot wonder that our present day watermen experience some difficulty in finding patrons. As Stanbury was well trained and perfectly fit, the old excuse of lack of training does not fit his case, and it would be well if some better explanation of the in-and-out form were forthcoming. I wonder if the Rarere crew enjoyed their cruise on Sunday. Rather annoying to be piled up on the sandspit off the North Shore all day. Moral: Eon’t try to sail over a sand bank with a deepkeeler, more especially when a red buoy is moored on the edge of that bank to mark it.

It is a pity more is not done by the local rowing authorities to encourage sculling here. If I remember right there was only one event for first-class scullers last season —the Marshall Cup —and that can scarcely be called a first-class affair, seeing that it is for juniors. The programme of the great aquatic event of the year—the Auckland Begatta —will be found in our advertising col umns. As is well known, this carnival eventuates on January 29th, and as a lot of the old-time enthusiasm seems to have been revived, the regatta of 1897 promises to be a great success. There are about twenty events on the programme. They tell me the 5-rater Ida is sailing much better this season, and the altera tions to her keel has considerably increased her speed. Te Lira, the Auckland-built 30-footer, was beaten in her first race at Melbourne on Saturday last, but no particulars are yet to hand.