ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 86, 4 January 1908, Page 10

ROWING.

(BY -Mbkcuhy.)

' -■; V COMING EVENTS. ■ Jfeb. 15.—Christchurch Regatta. ■ Jfeb. .29.—Wellifl'gton'Regatta..: Feb. —. —lnvercargill Regatta. J<'qb. —Wanganui Regatta. i"eb. 20.—Webb-Tresiddor Match. March' 25.—N.'Z. : Championships, at Napier t

Says "Victor" .in- the "Wanganui ald" : —The fact that W- Fogwell and probably Georgo Towns, intend coming- to -Wanganui to see tho ;Tregidder-Webb match suggests that the Towns' stablo -is anxious.; to recapture the wo.rld's championship .title .if possible. It'is. scarcely likely George;-Towns contemplates re-eptgring the. arena,- in .which' he has played subipa conspicuous parti but no doubt 110 :has ; .hopes • of-, Fogwell •■' as. ail aspirant: Charli.Q ;Towns seems to have.;ipst all form, since his;defeat bv^Webb,• arid bej for the time boing "at least, does-.not look-.'to bo a likely candidate. Fogwell -is- a • young and brilliant' sculler, probably better than over Charlio Towns was, and- it is on- him that the hopes; of New South , Wales will rest, providing Trcsidder fails against Webb, Both Fogwell and George : Towns are very popular, and will be heartily.welcomed hero by all aquatic enthusiasts. •• ■ • .'•••

With Arnst, Fogwcll, Fred. Ford', arid pi'.ihaps ono or two other visiting scullers here, not to monfciou tho champion arid Trosidder, an all-comors' handicap race could be arranged, perhaps for tho Saturday after the big race, or somewhoro about then.' Such an event would "possibly draw ono'or two local men; besides, it may be, competitors from othct parts ; of tho Dominion. .. 1

Dick Arnst (says tho Sydney .'.'Referee") has returned home a disappointed man—sowe aro told. Yet, if tho position" is "fairly considorod, his right to appear so bitterly disappointed may bo rather questioned. ' .Til tho first place, he camo, or was' se'nt, It'ero to learn to scull with a view to challenging for tho world's , championship, if good enough. This, according to accounts, he has accomplished, and if. lie can ..find., backing Arnst should surely have no difficulty in obtaining a match with tho winner of the Webb-Tresiddor raco. Whilo on this part'of tho Bubject, Arnst in ' his 'interviews- seomingly gives no credit to tho man who taught him, or at any rato never mentions his mime. Ono would have thought or ospccted ho would havo said a littlo in favour of<ex r champion Goorgo Towns, who taught hini and also boated him. Arnst has, of course, yet to provo his ability in a match; handicap racing is quito another matter. Tho rowing, public hore aro no doubt disappointed that ho has not been tried out; still, ,in ;all-the talkcd-of matches thero has always, seemed'a lack of real desiro to get down.to.-biisin.e_ss, and an absence of tho real talking article —cash.

Another instance of the difficulty the old hand has in (jiving up tlio sport According to Dunedin papers, old-tirqers Jack M'Grath and Maurice Priest, of the Otago Rowing Club, who won the.champion double sculls for three years in succession bcforo Webb and Green, of Wanganui, made the evont their own, &re in training again,: and were to have competed at the Port Chalmers rogatta on Boxing Day.

Tlio big money (£35) for tho senior 'four event at tho Blenheim regatta was won by iho Kawatiri Boat Club. Tho raco appears to havo beon marred by two fouls, and, after consideration of a protest, was awarded to tlio looal club, whoso crow comprised three of the old champion combination, viz., Sheriff (stroke), and tho Atkinson brothers.

.a, con venation; with, .a spectator I was ablo tg.'.gleaii'.goina Reticulars of tlio unfortunate. mix-up. . It: appears that, under yesncctiiig tiio current in. tlio river, about which I could get no dofiiiito'inI formation, tho Blenheim crew foiilcd tlio local L'nieri-.iihmedi'atoly after ,the start. The race, I however,-.was proceeded with, and, when Hearing the .finish, tho Kawatiri boat bored the Blenheim crow to such an citont as to force it. into, dangerous proximity .'to tlio wharf piles and .completely destroy its chances. Tho Blenheim, inon! aro |( naturally very wrath at tlio wliolo affair, and intend to carry tho i matter beforo''tho Now Zealand A.R/A. If, .there was no notice .of protest,given .011 tho, occasion of tlio first foul," arid..if,as' "seems'.probable, tho local riilo of tlio river, referred, to runs in any way counter." to or'.'outside: of", the., rules of boatIraoiiig as. .laid. down. .by tho New Zealand iißX'; thop there is every probability of tho aimpire's- decision being, roversed. Tho situation. is rather unique,, and tho outcome will bo watched for with., groat interest. The deciadul will have an effect 1 on, the.' qhampipnfours at Napior ■in Maxcli,.as':it was the intention" of the Kawa■tiri.Club to- invest.tho.£3s in purchasing a bestrandrbest ".boat; for', tho purpose of contestin&j,lj,o:big.;evdn't'againi ;