AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 452, 23 March 1899, Page 8

AQUATICS

[By

M uraitai.]

Edward Trickett, the veteran ex-champion sculler of. the world, has been transferred from Moama to Sydney by the Customs Department, in which he is engaged, and on the occasion of his'departure he was presented with a purse of sovereigns by his-friends in the Murray town. Trickett’s faculty for making friends must be a happy one, for it seems whenever he changes his location he carries with him a substantial souvenir of the esteem of. his-old. associates. The final set of races in connection with the North Shore Sailing Club were sailed on Saturday. Very little interest was taken in the two events set down, which were for third-class boats and Patikis. Z.inita (first-class) and Rogue (secondclass) had already scored sufficient points : to win their trophies, so it was decided not to hold races for these classes. The flat-bottomed boat Freak I eaiily won the third-class event, and Rambler had no difficulty in winning the Patiki race. The final cruise in company of the Auckland Yacht Club was held on Saturday , and there was a good muster of boats, from the Volunteer and Thelma downwards. > From Sydney files to hand yacht racing is still in full swing over there. The Auckland built ' 30-footer, Meteor, was racing in a handicap event on Saturday of last week, and she won from the 13min mark, finishing 9min 19sec ahead of the

' scratch boat, Isea. The wind for all the races was very light and unsteady, but Meteor is said to have shown better form than she has done since her memorable matches against Bronzewing last season. On the same day Mercia was competing in a handicap for small raters, but the light flukey weather evidently did not suit her, as she finished last, Bmin behind Waimea, who won from the limit. Mercia was giving the winner llmin. The other Auckland 1-rater, Laurel, was also racing, but in a different event. The handicaps are not given, but Ena (14 footer) won by lOmin from Foston (20-footer), Laurel being /. ■ a fairly close third. From an American paper £ gather that the new boat to defend the America Cup will not be a fin-keeler, but an improved Defender., Her displacement, however, will be much less than the old boat, and she will carry about fifteen tons leas lead on her keel, which will be shorter and much more bulbed. Captain Hank Haff will sail the new Defender, and Barr will handle the old boat in the trial races, afterwards joining Haff as second in command. English papers state that Shamrock will be built of manganese bronze plating on steel frames. West End Rowing Club had quite a day out at the Ngaruawahia Regatta last Friday. Crews representing this club won the Senior event, North Shore be ng second, St. George’s third ; the open Junior race, North Shore second; the \ Heavy-weight Maidens; and pulled a dead heat with Auckland in the Lightweight Juniors. Auckland R.C. won the Light-weight Maidens, West End second, St. George’s third. For the University boat race Cambridge is quoted at 6 to 4 on. The cable informs us that this crew put up a great' performance the other day over the Thames course. They did the distance in 18min 55sec, which is a record for a trial It is curious how a time trial affects the betting on the ’Varsity beat >ace. Three weeks -•- ago the L’ghl Blues were viarm favorites. The

Oxford crew did,,a good spin over the four miles and a quarter course, and became favorites at 6 to 1 on. Then the Cantabs, with this record trial, again established themselves in the public fancy. My experience of the time test in rowing is that it is of absolutely no use. The trials are very nearly always rowed on the flood, and at this time of year there is a very strong tide in the Putney reaches. I have known both crews to beat record time, .and in the actual contest row the race in anything from 22min to 24min. from what I have received of the two eights this year’s contest ought to be a good one. The Cantabs have been losers for a very long time, and a change in their luck would give the Light Blues confidence for the future. They want it, for the best oarsmen from the public schools go to Oxford, as they think they have more chance of rowing in a victorious ’Varsity crew. On Saturday afternoon the Auckland Swimming Club holds its Championship Meeting in the Auckland Graving Dock. The chief race of the day will be the 100yds Championship of New Zealand, for which the entries are—G. A. Tyler, V. Lindberg, B. Bell, and H. Hoey. Tyler, the present holder of the title, will have to swim up to his best form to beat Lindberg, who has benefited by his experience in the Old Country. Hazarding an anticipation of the result, I shall select Tyler 1, Lindberg 2, Bell 3. The race is sure to be a good one, and the finish between Tyler and Lindberg will well be worth witnessing. The Plunge Championship of Auckland ought to be won by Jack Russell, though Wilson and Cooke have been doing very well in practice lately. Numerous entries have been received for the various handicaps, including a large contingent of visiting swimmers from Wanganui, Patea, Whangarei, and. Waikato. The St. George’s Swimming Club, of Wanganui, are sending a polo

team to represent the provice against Auckland in the Water Polo Championship of New Zealand. The Wanganui boys have an unbeaten record, so the Auckland team will have to be at its best to beat them.

A. Hargreaves has returned to Auckland after his lengthy trip to foreign parts, and will compete in several of the handicaps on Saturday,