AQUATICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 710, 15 October 1903, Page 12

AQUATICS.

a. (“y" ThO K,efer ” )

, EhSi ! St. George’s Rowing Club “At Home,” is fixed for Saturday, October 31. Tbs is* always an, exceedingly popular fufiWon, and is sure to be well attended. Trifl jL Fours are to be rowed for prizes presented by Mr T. Russell. —xni<

tells me he is exeeedingwith the little cruiser which and Lowe have just completed for him/ for she exceeds his most sanguine expectations. The little vessel is due to sail ori~B%.turdav for Gisborne where a mate wiftstoe picked up. It is very doubtful, however, whether' she will be away as soon” as then. From Gisborne the Kia she is named, is to sail for Plymonth direct via Cape Horn. Everyone win wish the ex-mate of the Tilikum well thi’euigh his adventure. —oil. * * • • has reported that an Australians going to build a yacht to have a go for the America Cup ! Not much ! Austrians are just about as likely to make exhibition of themselves by tryingeito play America at baseball I Oh. no 1. If there be any people in any part of Ba! the world who fancy themselves at cricket or sculling they can be accommodated by coming to Australia, but Australian yachting men are quite of Sir TStomas Lipton’s opinion, that Herresthe blind American yacht builder, is and they are content to accept. tkt->4tatement without seeking the costly proof obtained by the famous tea mer—(l< Javelin,''' in “ The Leader.')

approaching race between the Fife Sayonara, of Melbourne, and the cutter Bona, of Sydney, is arousing a lot of enthusiasm on the other srcfe} and promises to give rise to a great bgjj-ye. Would not the interest be increased if Auckland was allowed to take a haiftl ? I have reason to believe that if tMsowas the case Vi’ce-Commodore Gray, ot tne Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadwould be willing to take his fine 3»Rainbow over to Port Jackson to try conclusions with the cracks of the Ifeytil Y’acht Club of Victoria and the Prjpce Alfred Yacht Club. I do not see how any serious objection can be raised third contestant enuring the lists, it would certainly tend to increase public interest in the event. If the other S fetes could also send forth their chaihpiqn then so much the better. —1&! • • ♦ *

"West End Rowing Club intendsi holding an “At Home " on October 31, wiifin the customary trial fours will be hfijfil, Mr ’l’. Peacock having donated the prizes. It seems almost a pity that the fixture will clash with the St. George’s 1 , as fhe fact will militate to a certain extent in the success of both.

"The annual meeting of the North Shore Y-afcht Club was held last night. * * - *

"The Waitemata Boating Club will hold meeting in the Federal Club rooms this evening. Prizes won last year a're to be presented and a programme of music gone through. *

The following fixtures have been arranged for the season by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron : —November 21 : Class handicaps under 32ft and over 32ft, mtitor launches'. December 12: First ocean handicap race. January 23 : Second ocean handicap race. February 6■' Glass racing. B, C, I), E and F (if suffi-

cient inducement offers). February 20 : Third ocean handicap race. March 6 ■ Yticht, handling, life-saving, and motor launch race. March 20 : Fourth ocean handicap race. • * * •

Mr C. H. Gorrick, the well-kn’ewn Sydney pigeon-shot, is leaving for Dunedin on Tuesday next, taking with him the oil launch Standard recently completed by Bailey and Lowe. It is Mr Gorrick’s intention to race the Standard in a ’ match against the power launch Vera.

Mr P. Hadley, of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, is offering twentyfive guineas towards a trophy for an inter-colonial Challenge Cup f° r launches. If, as seems very likely to be the case, Sydney and Melbourne, or indeed any other colonial town, take the matter up and subscribe a like amount Mr Hadley will send his new launch Standard over to Sydney to compete tor the Cup. This is certainly a move in the right direction, for the power launch looks like proving immensely P°P ula s’ and a race of this description would be certain to create a lot of attention. I trust that Mr Hadley’s generous offer will meet with an equally liberal response from motor launch owners on the other side of the Tasman Sea. A competition for such a trophy should draw a verv big fleet. It is Mr Hadley s idea that the race should take place in De cember, and Mr Gorrick would probably go over in charge of the Auckland lepresentative.

The boating season was opened at Christchurch on Saturday, in the presence of a large crowd. Sixty-eight boats took part in the procession, many or them being beautifully decorated, Some scratch races were held during the .liternoon.

The Otahuhu Yacht Club members have elected the following officers for the season •—Commodore, Mr John J odd ; rearcommodore, Mr J. W. Andrew; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr A. hearnley . handicapper, Nr James Grant ; staitei, Mr W. Auckram. ; timekeeper and judge, Mr J Todd ; general and sailing committee Messrs L. ’Sheppard. W. Sheppard. J. Hotham, H. Fearnley, J. W. Andrew, A. Waddell, W. Taylor. J. Taylor, A. Feamlev.

Sir Thomas Lipton, to whom "Bunch has given the title of ‘‘ ’1 he Last of the Vikings and the First of the ’I ea Kings,” has offered €5OO as a prize for a race across the Atlantic. Such a contest would give rise to an immense, amount of interest. but I am afraid the season is getting rather late for any such ocean race. The famous battle across “the herring pond” between Henrietta, Fleetwing, and Vesta took place in the dead of winter, but in those days yachts were built to take the sea in any weather.