Rowing OTAGO WINS EIGHTS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 18

Rowing OTAGO WINS EIGHTS

Auckland Boat Hits Buoy (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, April 21. There was a sensation in the interprovincial rowing eights contest on the Upper Harbour basin this morning when the favourites, Auckland, hit a channel marker halfway and failed to finish. Otago, who had been trailing by a length and a half, then came through to win comfortably by more than two lengths from Marlborough. Otago won the Hallyburton-John-stone trophy. This race along with four Universities Easter tournament events w r as to have been rowed yesterday, but a sharp breeze and light drizzle made conditions unsatisfactory, and the events were postponed until this morning. In the interprovincial eights, rowed over a three-mile course, four crews representing Auckland, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago, faced the starter. Otago and Auckland, as was expected, soon jumped the field. The Auckland crew, rowing with a firm, high stroke, looked to have the race won with about half the course covered. Auckland then crashed into a marker which lay directly in the boat’s path. Two bow oars were ripped from rowers’ hands leaving the nine Aucklanders (eight oarsmen and the cox) drifting helplessly on the harbour. Otago took over the front position and did not look like being headed. The Auckland coach, Mr Eric Craies, who prepared the unsuccessful Olympic eight nomination last year. had his crew trained to perfection. It looked to have the race won when the accident occurred. Results:— Interprovincial Eights.—Otago (J. Ellis, stroke; O. Borlase, B. Malcolm, J. Werges, A. McMillan, D. Martin, N. Wilson, R. Blaney, bow, and R. Snell, cox) 1, Marlborough 2, Canterbury 3. Invitation Race.—New Zealand (M. Watkinson, Auckland, stroke; P. Watkinson, Auckland; J. C. Williamson, Auckland; H. Smith, Auckland; D. James, Canterbury; E. Blackburn, Auckland; O. Borlase, Otago, bow; R. Low, Auckland, cox) 1, New Zealand Universities (Gill, Otago, stroke; McWinter, Canterbury; Crotty, , Victoria; Irwin, Otago; Spooner, Canter--bury; Canham, Auckland; H. Brathwaite, Otago; Wardem, Otago, bow; D. Poese, Auckland, cox) 2.