ROWING CONTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 37, 22 January 1946, Page 5

ROWING CONTEST

KING’S CUP CHANGES HANDS

.CLOSE WIN FOR TAURANGA

After holding it for eight years Whakatane lost the handsome King’s Theatres Rowing Cup. to Tauranga last Saturday. The Cup Race, was one of the closest finishes witnessed on the Whakatane Harbour, the winners nipping the event by a mere six inches, while the crowd oil tlie bank was almost delirious with excitement.

The visitors were warmly congratulated by Mr Bert Norman on behalf ol' the Whakatane Club, when lie formally handed over the. silver trophy to the stroke of the winning crew 7 , Mr N. Smith. He spoke of the keen and sporting spirit throughout the race and warned that the local club would be entering a challenge, in the near future in an endeavour to recapture it. The river events provided a full programme of interesting sport for the large assemblage of spectators', and a happy departure was the running of several novelty contests on the bank. They included a tug-of-war and several dinghy contests. Apart from the main race there were several friendly fixtures which provided excellent finishes for both light and heavyweight crews. The final race saw* three mixed crews

take the water, members from both clubs mingling in order to put on a spectacular event.

The. Whakatane Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band was in attendance and helped brighten the occasion with a few selections. The announcer, Mr J. Whitehead, kept the crowd posted as to the progress of the races and also kept up a happy run of verbal observations. Mr 13. Hooper the local veteran of the sport made an excellent judge of all events.

The visitors were entertained at

a dinner in the Commercial Hotel, and were later the guests at a complimentary dance in the King Street Hall which was very well patronised.

Details of the events were as uiW tier:—

Cup Race: Tauranga—N. Smith, W. Smith 13. Snowden and »R. Camhie (T. Peake cox), beat taiie—F. Price, R. Byrne, G. Dines and E. Hunt (R. Ellis cox) by six inches.]

After a false start in which a broken scat in the Tauranga crew caused a mishap it was decided- to recall both boats to the starting point. Both crews got away to an even start, Whakatane with a slight advantage.’ The visitors evened up and from then to the finish it was a struggle between two evenly matched crews.' As the boats passed the boat house Tauranga had about a :fin. advantage but Whakatane threw in their weight from then on a;vci it was neck and neck until Tauranga crossed the line. The race was a splendid one and had the crowd well on its toes.

Local Challenge Race: J. Dent, S. Carey R. King and N. Dowering beat S. Dent, G. Price, N. Maxwell and W. Henderson by three-quarters of a length.

Heavyweight Race: Tauranga N. Smith, W. Smith, D. Snowden and R. Gamble defeated Whakatane F. Price B. Cutler, L. Carey and J. Dent’ by two lengths.

Lightweight Race: Tauranga D. Cooney, H. Stewart, R. Stewart and L. Oliver defeated’ Whakatane A. Head G. Moore, G. Price and P. Maxwell by three-quarters of a length.

Youth's Race: A. Moore, W. Henderson R. King and N. Bowering (Whakatane) defeated Cooney, Doherty Dickson and Gilpin (Tauranga) by two lengths.

All.-in Race: Harvey, Oliver, . Stevens (Tauranga) and Maxwell (Whakatane) won from Head, Cutler, Keepa and Carey (Whakatane) 2; and Price, King, Stewart (Whakatane) and Gilpin (Tauranga) 3.

Miscellaneous Events

Tug-of-war: B. Hooper, C. Hudson, Hay, H. Armstrong and A. Fisher beat R. Thom, A. Head, S. Stewart D. Stewart and E. Hunt.

Cummings Hanwright, Whitehead and Garlick defeated Hooper, Hudson, Hay and H. Armstrong. Dinghy Races. No. 1 Event: S. Dent 1: P. Maxwell 2: A. Head 3. No. 2 Event: D. Keepa 1: J. Chadwick 2; C. Dines 3. No. 3 Event: T. Reid 1; 13. Adams 2; H. Armstrong 3.