ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 12

ROWING.

(Bv Miinccrnr.); • FIXTURES. December /6.—Akaroa Eegatta. January l.—Pictoii Regatta. January I.—Lyttelton Kegatta. February 24.—New Zealand Championships (Wauganui). Picton Regatta Programme. The programme of the Picton Eegatta on New Year's Day is now to hand. It runs as follows:—11 a.m., Maiden Fours (clinker), one mile; first prize ,£8 second £2. 15.40 a.m., Senior Fours (best and best), two miles; first ,£l2, second .£4. 12.20 p.m., Junior Fours (best and best), one mila and a half; first £10, second ,£2. 1 p.m., Maiden Pairs (clinker), one mile; first £i, second £2. 2 p.m., Junior Pairs (clinker), one milo; first ,£6, second £2. 2.45 p.m., Youths' Fours (clinker), one mile; first £8, second £2. 3.15 p.m., Senior. Pairs (best and best), one mile and a half; first .£B, second £2. 3.45 p.m., Maiden Double Sculls (clinker), one mile; first <£4, second £2. 4.15 p.m., Junior Double Sculls (clinker), one mile; first £o, second £1. As far as can be ascertained now all three local clubs will be represented ant! it is really time that a fair proportion of the prize money came across the Straits.' Perhaps some of the local crews will give this matter their earnest consideration. The Boom in "Pro." Sculling. Matters in connection with professional sculling in Australia and New Zealand are booming at present. In the Dominion we have the.big match on Boxing Day at "Wanganui between Webb and Pearco, and the prospect of a return "go" between Whelch and Fogivell later on. On the "other side" there is the big handicap on the Parramatta-, for which Champion Dick A'rnst is already in Sydney to keep the scullers busy, and meanwhile there is much talk of other matches in the air. I\ S. Hagney, the big ex-cyclist, is talking business and . has every prospect of being accommodated. The "Sydney Daily 'i'elfsrnph , ' lm* the following to say upon the' subject:— "Thero appears to be so - many 'men willing and anxious to rowHagney now that, instead of hunting for a sculler to row, he will' have to pick out which one he will row first.

"Just at present there are no fewer than three young scullers squaring up to him. They are Syd. Pearce, George Day, and Alf. Felton. All these, men arc sturdy athletes, and bid fair to rise quickly in the sculling world, and each would make a good match for Hagney. "According to the laws' of sport, Felton should nave first chance at th 6 excyclist, as he has already deposited £i for a race, and if Hagney means all ho says ho should not be slow in covering it. There seems to be a rumour that Hagney is finding difficulty in collecting his stake. If that is the case, then it does not say much' for the men who call themselves sports.- Because ho has been defeated once ho is not to get another race, notwithstanding that ho defeated Thoroughgood, as ex-Australian charapion.'in' his first match;. However, it may only be a rumour, without any foundation. Let us hope it is. "Until a man is properly tried and found wanting in some respect he deserves the support of his friends. If it had not been for the loyal support of PearcoV friends, Harry Pearco would • probably not be the champion of Australia now. no has been beaten oftbiv in his career, but his admirers stuck to him, and he has turned out trumps. There is. no reason why Hagney should not do tho same. "Day would certainly be the most formidable of his opponents of the threo now' Willing to row him. Pearce and Felton should prove hard nuts to crack, but if ho could not beat them he'could not beat Day. Time alone will tell, however, and it is to be hoped that.an opportunity will be given, so that the future can decide. .

'. "Felton lias not yet had a match race; Poarce has had one against Fogwell.'and was defeated; and. Day has had numerous races, and 'whs always successful till he tasted defeat at the hands of Harry Poarce." The Perennial Hagney. The "Bcfcree" also takes a hand in the discussion, thus:— . . Hagney is as perennial as the flowers that bloom in the spring. At the outsot of his career ho found difficulty in Retting and ho was forced to break his teeth and tackle a man of oxchampion Ben Thoroughgood's calibre. Before that, he was after Alf. Feltoc, but Alf. ■was. not having some.'then. ,. Now, however, "the genial Alf. is prepared totalco a bite, and in earnest thereof has deposited £a with thp editor of "The Referee-""to'bind a match. -Hagney,-in Dddition, has been in communication with Geo. Day for a match of aside, and Day's expenses are said to be the only item that stands in the way of,a settlement. Geo. Day, it will be remembered, raced twice- against Harry Pearce, and was twice defeated. Hap;ney, in the. meantime, after beating Thoroughgood, from whom Pearce wrested the championship, has performed well in New Zealand. Failing matches here, F.S.H. intends to try England. On performances, Hagney ought to beat Day. Thoroughgood pushed Pearce hard, Pearce beat Day, Hagney beat .Thoroughgood. Star Club's Fitzgerald Fours, \ Tho only matter of local interest thattranspired during tho week—that is, during that portion of the week that has elapsed up to the time of writing—was tho rowing of tho Star' Club's Fitzgerald Fours. In the disposing of this event the elements showed, therasolves more, kind that is their custom, tho . consequence being that the preliminary round of three heats, the semi-finals of two heats and the final wero rowed off between Saturday afternoon and Wednesday evening—most unwonted celerity and: dispatch. ' The racing throughout was most exciting. On Saturday afternoon not one of tho three preliminaries was won by more than a length; in fact, two of the races were settled by feet only, and in ono the three boats engaged could hava been covered by the proverbial blanket, there not being half a length's difference between the first and last. In the semifinal were the crews stroked by Alexander, M'Kay, • Holmes, and Pyc-Smith.. Tho row-oil , left M'Kay' and Alexander to settle the matter. Tho personnel of the former's crew has already been referred to in this column as supplying n curiosity in nomenclature—the quartet being M'Kay, M'Whae, M'Caw, and M'Kay, and now they must be referred to as a winning, combination, as tho final saw them beat Alexander, after n stubborn contest, by three-quarters of a length. The "Macs" owed their welldeserved, victory to a bright, crisp stroke 6et them by the "Mac" in' coznmanu, which was well borne out by the combination of the supporting trio of "Macs.'' Alexander and Wallace, his No. 3, worked hard, but the support was not so solid as in tho winning boat, neither was tho combination so gpod—and other -things being equal, combination must tell. This is the second win of„ this season that lias fallen to the lot of the stroke M'Kay. He stroked tho successful club junior fours crew, in which was also included M'Caw, his No. 2 in the present instance. This appears to be a pretty effective "Scotch" mixture." Annual Inter-College Race. The annual race between the Wellington and Wanganui College crows takes place at Waiiganui on Monday. Tho local boys start for the front this morning, in good heart and condition, and with very reasonable prospects of gettinc in a win. 'They are by far the best, combination that has represented the local institution in this event, and though a trifle short of work, as a crew must be that attempts to train through the spring in Wellington, on account of the prevalance of the much-objurgated "northerly," have come on well during the last fortnight. The writer has received a note, from an ex-Star oarsman now resident in Wangaiiiii, in which lie says, auent tho College race: "Tho local crow is shaping very well. They are , out night -and morning,- and have a, new boat for the occasion, .which they sit very well.' They will take a lot of beating, although the crew as a whole lacks 'ginger,' but I expect they will havo some races with club crews that should smarten them up." >