HAMILTON REGATTA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 87, 27 January 1947, Page 5

HAMILTON REGATTA

WHAKATANE TEAM’S SUCCESS WIN FOR OPEN WEIGHTS About eighteen members of the Whakatane Rowing Club left town on Friday night to attend the Hamilton regatta on Saturday and returned on Sunday after a most enjoyable and profitable weekend (especially as regards regatta experience). The local club entered three crews and each peformed excellently especially under the circumstances. In the first race Youths (under 21) the crew was not made up until the morning of the regatta and was put in as a post entry. The personnel of this crew had never rowed together before and included a high school boy. They comprised G. Dines (s), P. Armstrong’ (3), R. King (2), K. Dines (b). T. Windley (cox) and gained fifth place out of eight starters.

The lightweight (10 stone and under) did well considering they barely averaged 9st. Out of nine starters they gained sixth place. The crew was as follows: W. Rivett (s), A. Atkinson (3), A. Edmondson (2), B. Fitzgerald (b). H. Jar am (cox). The open weight crew put the club on the map again in the regatta world by winning their race comfortably by one and" a half lengths from a field of ten with Waitemata second and Auckland third. It is some considerable time since a Whakatane crew had a win at a regatta and we hope that this is the forerunner of many more. The club and especially the crew are to be congratulated on their performance. The members of this crew are L. Carey (s), E. IJunt (3), G. Dines (2), G. Moore (b). T.-Windley (cox).. After a fairly good start the field got going Whakatane being content to just keep somewhere near. At the railway bridge they were lying in fourth position. As the crews swung under the arch Whakatane stepped up their stroke a bit and slowly forged their way into first place. A quarter mile from home the lads had about three-quarters of a length lead over the second boat but by the time they crossed the finishing line they had increased it to one and a half lengths. This was a most popular win with .the spectators- as many realise the difficulties and expense confronting this club in transporting their boat and personal to regattas. A pleasing feature of the day was the excellent steering by the two local coxwains Masters Windley and Jaram.

The party arrived back at the shed with their boat at 4 p.m. tired but happy after a grand weekend.

It is intended to send one or more crews to the Auckland Championship Regatta at Mercer next Saturday, February 1, where it is hoped they will give a good account of themselves.