MERCER REGATTA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 89, 3 February 1947, Page 5

MERCER REGATTA

AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

WHAKATANE DOES WELL Once again the local club were away for the weekend. This time about 12 members left on Friday nifht for Mercer to attend the Auckland rowing championships. Again this proved a most enjoyable weekend and although the club did not have quite the success of last weekend the crew’s performance nevertheless was under the circumstances a credit to them. In the lightweight W. Rivett (s), A. Atkinson (3), K. Dines (2), B. Fitzgerald (b), Jar am (cox) the crew was made up on the day owing to some members not being able to make the trip. Out of a field of nine the locals finished eighth being just behind the bunch at the finish.

In the heavyweight race' eleven starters faced the starter. Whakatane was unlucky in drawing No. 11 position and had to row through a lot of dead water. After a lot of trouble at the start the field got away to a reasonable start. Waitemata took the lead from the jump followed closely by the home crew Mercer. After a quarter of a mile it developed into a race and Whakatane in that order with less than ten feet difference between the three. With about 600 yards to go the three crews were racing neck and neck with the rest of the field well back. At this part of the race Whakatane ran into the shallows with dead water for some 400 yards with a result the other two crews pulled away to cross the line with Mercer a canvas ahead of Waitemata who were a length and a quarter ahead of Whakatane with the rest of the crews well back from the three leaders. '

The crew was the same as last wsek L. Carey (s), E. Hunt (3), G. Dines (2), G. Moore (b), T. Windley (cox) and it is their fourth representative race being placed in all four two firsts and two thirds. It is hoped to send at least four crews to the Tauranga regatta in a month’s time when once again our local boys will compete against Auckland’s best.