Big entry for S.L rowing regatta

Press, 13 February 1986, Page 22

Big entry for S.L rowing regatta

All the “mainland” rowing clubs bar Picton and Arapawa are sending crews to the huge South Island championship regatta at Lake Ruataniwha, Twizel, this week-end. Among the 23 South Island clubs entered are Wairau (Blenheim) and Nelson, which both missed last week-end’s Canterbury championships, and Kawatiri (Westport) which can now boast a Miss New Zealand, Lynda McManus, as a former club member. The prestigious regatta has attracted 471 entries, making it the largest in New Zealand this seasn outside the forthcoming national championships and Auckland championships, both at Lake .Karapiro. Thirty-six events are being contested at Lake Ruataniwha with heats beginning at 9 a.m. on Satur-

day. Some finals may be raced on Saturday afternoon, but the bulk will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday. The most popular event is the Intermediate single which has 36 entrants. Of interest will be the result of the premier single sculls, with hot competition between John Cook (Avon), Dale Maher (Union), and the Nelson scullers, George Keys and Warren McLaughlin. In the absence of the Nelson men, Maher was a comfortable winner of the Canterbury title at Ruataniwha last week-end with the influenza-ridden Cook three lengths back in second place. Missing from this weekend’s regatta will be the national champion Canterbury premier women’s eight, which has opted to contest the Auckland regatta next week.