CULT OF THE OAR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1056, 20 February 1911, Page 3

CULT OF THE OAR.

WELLINGTON ROWING REGATTA. BLENHEIM WIN SENIOR FOURS. TIIE CHAMPION CHEW DEFEATED. Given fairly favourable weather conditions on Saturday nftoruoon tlio annual regatta of the Wellington Rowing Association was n decided success. Several hundred spectators watched the racing from tho Tnranakj Street and Clyde Quay Wharves, and tlio steamer Admiral, which followed tlio races, was crowded on every trip. Tlio courso was ' from tlio Magazine Point to a finishing-lino between tlio end of tho Taronaki Street and Queen's Wharves. A fresh southerly wind knocked up a disconcerting lump m tho sea 011 several points of tho courso, but by. keeping under tho Ice of tho hills comparatively smooth water was assured for tho greater part of n milo. . Tho Senior Fours had to bo raced over a shorter courso than two miles on account of tho sea being too heavy to allow of a start being maun from Evans Bay. This raco was' the piece do resistance of tho day, two of tlio competitors being tho .Union • Boating Club, AVanganui, which won tho big four-oared championship raco at Hobnrt last year, and Blenheim, tho runners-up in the sanio event. On Saturday tho Blenheim men turned tho tables on the Wanganui crow, and their win was a popular one. They certainly rowed a fine raco, and sculled with dash and beautiful combination. . Tlio Wanganui Boating Club pair, An- . dorson nnd -Marshall, showed tho-way homo in tlio Senior Double Sculls, winning rather easily after racing alongside tho Union Boating Club, 'Wnnganui, crew for over two-third* of tho journey. TII6 Senior l'nirs fell to Union, Christchurch.' but tho raco lost interest owing to the Xlogglun Bros., of Blenheim, having to scratch, .as the race was too closo- to tho Senior. Fours, in which tliev were also encaged. The Senior Sculls only attracted .two entries, Jackson, of Blenheim, nnd Anderson, of "Wnnganui. Anderson took tho lead from tho word "go," and won as ho liked. Ono of tho best finishes of tho day was in tho Maiden Fours, in which Cantorbury snatched ft victory from Star bv a quarter of a length. In the Junior Clinker Pairs also thero was an exciting finish, Potone defeating Union, Cliristchurch, by half a length. Tlio Star crew set a warm paco iii the Maiden Double Sculls, but they had to go under, to Sumner, who put in a really brilliant ui and won by half a length. . The Christchurch Union Club topped tho prizo list with winnings totalling X2l, Blenlieim were next with -£15, nnd then Wangnnui B.C. and Canterbury R.C. each .£13,. Picton £8 Union OVanganui) £7, Sumner X 7, and Star and l'etono J. 5 cach. ' ' . ... Tho officials for tho meeting wore;— Judges, Messrs. R. W. M'Villey and A. G. Fell; umpire, Mr. N. Galbrnith; starter, Mr. J. E. Widdop; committee, Messrs. R. W. M'Villy, J. It. Crawford, J. h. Widdop, C. E. Bridge, W. A. Gemmell, D. R. Mcnzies, F. G. Hume, J. C. A. Dudley, 0. 11. Burridge, L. Drummond, W. M. Nidd, W. J. Gaudiu, N.-Galbraith, A. D. Bayfield, and A. J. Bishop; boat committee, Messrs. A. J.. Bishop, C. E. Bridgo, and C. 11. Burridge: course committee, Messrs. J. E. Widdop, A. J. Bishop, nnd B. A. Morris; in chargo of steamer, Messrs. Dudley, Gemmell. and _Nidd; 11011. secretary and treasurer, Mr. B. A. -Marris'i time-keepers, Messrs. Vi • I' • Ross and L.'W. Ludwig. ■■ Details are as follow:— • MAIDEN FOURS. . One mile.. First prize -CS, second -C 2. Canterbury R.C.:' D. E. Cogan, : (stroke), E. It. Baxter* (3). C. G. Farrow (2), H./B. Hamblin (bow) 1 Star Boating Club: F. J. Alexander, F. G."Craig, ( ll. C. Akors, F. W. # Abcrcrombio ' - Wairau R.C.: C. A. Adams; 'J. ,M Donald,; G. Adams, nnd T. Gill 3 Also started: .Union- (Christchurch), Union (Wanganui), nnd W cllington. Tiine, Gmin. 32sec. •. \ ' ' ■ , From a good start, .Wairau, Canterbury, and Union went to tho front, and before half ; tho journey was:,over Canterbury had, established a lead from Wairau, who were in tho worst' of tho water. Star were l third at this stage and Wellington fourth. Canterbury widened • the Enp • between themselves nnd Wairau, but they hod not dono with Stars, who canto up to second placo with a tteady swing a quarter of a milo from home. The local men choso tho best Water, and, finishing strongly, pressed Canterbury until the end. 'The southern crow lasted well,_ however, and gained the verdict, by a quarter of-a* length. About-a length separated eccond and third. Christchurch Union were fourth, Wnnganui Union fifth, and Wellington last.- ' ■ • . 1 . V SENIOR SCULIS. . One mile and a half. First" prize, Pearco ''trophy-and A tho trophy to bo held ..for one year. s . A. S. C. Anderson (Wanganui R.C.) ... 1 A. Jackson (Blenheim R.C.) 2 Thoso were the only starters. Time, lOmin. 44scc. Tho raco was a very tamo affair. Anderson put a couple of lengths between himself and his otiponont in tho first halfdozen strokes, and thereafter tho raco was a proccssion of two, with tho Wanganui man showing-tlio way, and increasing his lead without an effort. "Whilst Anderson very wisely kept in smooth water, under tho lco of tho hills. Jackson camo out to the rough water, tho worst course possible, and had a very.rough -passage. Sculling was out of the , question, tho Blenheim man being fully occupied in keeping • his shell afloat. Anderson won by about 200 yards. . , JUNIORvCLINKER PAIRS. Ono mile. First prize, .£5; second, XI.l'etono: I!. Tremain (stroke), and. D. Byrno 1 Union (Christchurch): W. Beaumont and 11. Dallison ?... 2 Wellington: S. Standen and A. N. Mathioson ,' 3 Also started: Star,- IMctou, Wanganui. Time, 7niiu. 20 2-ssec. ■ '■■■■ When half tho distanco had been traversed .Wellington and l'etono were in tho lead, and a little further on from this point Wnnganui retired. A fino . finish saw tho Union (Christchurch) como up fast, arid they-finished less than. half , a length behind Fetone,With Wellington a quarter of a-length. further back third, l'icton were.last. . SENIOR FOURS: ■ First prize, £15; esoond, JES. . Blenheim: It. Andrews (stroke), A, Jackson, E. T. Hegglun," 0. ilegglun : : 1 Union (Wanganui): J. Cotterill (stroke), ii. Jlylnml, W. Dustin, D. Corby 2 Union :(Uhristchurch): E. O'Brien, J. Fry, W. Duggan, 11. It. -Alanaicld 3 Also'started: Picton. Time, 7min. 42 sec; Tim*event was set down.tor 2.3U but.owing to tho rough water, was postponed until 5.45. Tlio water was tairly good by this time, but'it was still too rough to start' from Evans Bay and tho courso was shortened to about'a milo and a quarter aftor tile men had looked at tho full distanco starting point. Tho Christchurch Union crew got a littlo tlio best of tho start, Wangauui l'icton, nnd Blenheim following in the order named. Blenheim soon overhauled Picton and beforo 200 yards had been covered they had assumed the lead from the other threo boats which were in a line. A few strong strokes nnd beautiful combination saw Blenheim leading by.a clear length, Wanganui in tho meantimo bettering their position and leading Picton nnd Christchurch Union. By tho timo half tho journey had been covered Blenheim had a good couple of lengths to the'good nnd they were still going strong. Matters stood all in favour of the Blenheim crew until nearing tlio business end. The Wnnganui men had been crooning up gradually 011 Blenheim, and Canterbury Union had pnssed Picton. In tho last 300 yards a gronl finish was witnessed between Blenheim nnd Wanganui. The latter put in a great spurt nnd for a timo it looked as though they would still pull the raco off, but Blenheim responded willingly and staving off tho challenge, won by nearly two lengths. Canterbury Union were another length away, third, and Picton close up fourth. MAIDEN DOUBLE SCULLS. Ono mile. First prize, .£5; second, .£l. Sumner: F. Adkitis (stroke), 11. Adkins (how) 1 Star: J. Bennett end E. C. Little ... 8 Canterbury: 11. 1). Burn andG. liasttr 0

Also started: Wanganui and Christchurch Unions. Time, Gmin. 581-ssec. AA'angamii and Star went out from the jump and when tho crews fairly settled down the order of the leaders was: Star, AA'niißanui, Sumner. At tho half-mile mark Star wero well out in front, Sumner being next and then Canterbury. AVlicii less than a quarter of a milo remained, Star looked winners all over, and when the Sumnor cox took his men in on a big surf towards the Tarnnaki Street AVharf tho local men's chanco looked better thnn ever. Sumner, however, came with a rattlo over tho Inst couplo of hundred yards and scored a brilliant win by half a length. • AVanganui wero a bad last. . YOUTHS' FOURS. • Ono mile. First prize, .£8; second, ,£2. Picton: F. Burns (stroke), Lcr Godfrey, N. Godfrey, and J. Timms, 1 Union (Christchurch): A. V. Empson, F. Dyer, R. Mann, and E., A. Lmpson « 2 tTnion (Wanganui): AA'. Findlay, M. Coutts, M. Crotty, and A., Sliarpo 3 Also started: AVanganui R.C., Petone, Star, and Canterbury. Time, Cmin. 21 2-ssec. AVhcn a couplo of hundred yards had been covered Star wero leading and Picton next. Canterbury, Christchurch Union, Picton, nnd Wanganui Union wero in a t bunch over a considerable part of the journey, but in tho end it was n tusslo between Picton and Christchurch Union, which crews pulled away from tho rest, the' former winning a great race by about four feet after a stroke for stroke fight over the final stretch. - . SENIOR DOUBLE SCULLS. One milo and'a half. First prize, _CS; • , second, .£2. AA'angamii R.C.: A. K. C. Anderson and G. N. Marshall 1 Union (Wnngamri): 11. Sharp and J. l arrow n Union (Christchurch): J. Fry and E. O'Brien 3 Also started: Canterbury, Star, and Wellington.- Time, Smin. '18 l-sscc. • Tho crews all got away v well, with (110 exception'of Canterbury, who lost a couplo of lengths. AYhen thov settled down to steady rowing, the order was:—AYanganui Union, Christchurch Union, AVanganui 8.C.. Wellington, with Star and Canterbury last. The AVaneanui Boating Club gradually displaced Union (Christchurch), and were at lenetli on level terms with the leaders. Tho Wanrranui (Union) men set li merry paco for threeparts of tho distance, but in the last quarter they wcro no match for Anderson. and Marshall, \vho rowed . in tasy winners by two lengths. Union (Christchurch) put. in h strong finish, and got a'good ■ third. Stars were last, a long way behind. , ■ JUNIOR FOURS. • Ono milo and a half. First prize, .CIO; ' ' » second, £2. Union (Christchurch): AA r . Beaumont (stroke), H. Dallison, S. Mitchell, and E. Pugli J Star: C." 11. Lawrence, M. A. Turner, •H. C. AA'allace, R. M. Brewer 2 Picton: AY. Godfrey. F. Bush, J. ; Timms, Les Godfrey 3 Also started: Union (AYanganui), AVanganui R.C., Petone, and AVellington. Time, Bmin. 2sec. Star showed the way over tho early part of the course, Christchurch (Union) being next. The latter drew on to level terms at length, nnd at half-way the order was:—Star and Christchurch (Union) first, nnd then AVanganui (Union), Petone, Canterbury, AVellington, nnd AVanganui 8.C.; in. tho order named; In tho quarter of a milo the Christchurch (Union) men took up tho lead, and won with a little to spare. SENIOR, PAIRS. .One mile and a half. First prize, .£8; • second, .£2. Union (Christchurch): AA'. Duggan and 11. R. "Mansfield 1 .Union (AVanganui): AY. Sharpo and . C. AVadman 2 Picton: C. Perano- and "F. l Carrick 3 Tho only starters.' Time, Bmin. 22 1-5 sec. At the quarter-milo peg Union (Christchurch)'wire a length nnd a half to the good from Union ; (Wruiganui), Picton being third another half-length away. Tho.Southern pair held their lead to the end,, and won as they liked. Tho latter part of' tho raco was spoiled'hy. tho fact that the steamer Maponrika ran'across tho course near the finishing line, thereby arousing tho indignation of a section of tho spectators, who showed their disapproval in a marked manner,, ..MAIDEN, PAIRS. , Ono-.mile. > First prize, £5; second, JCI. Canterbury: C. G. Farrow and H. B. v .".Hamilton 1 Sumner: AV. do Their and C. Champ 2 Star: F. J. Alexander and F. AV. , Abercrombio •••••■• 3 Also started: AA r airau, Union. (Christchurch), and AVellington Time, Cmin. 58 3-ssec. . The Sumner, Star, and Canterbury crews made the paco'ovcr the early stages of • tho cours;, but on ncaring tho business end Canterbury held tho bost position, Sumner being next, and then Star,. Christchurch (Union), AVairau, and AVellington. The. boats were divided up into threo sections a quarter of a mile from home, the first of them being Canterbury, Sumner, nnd Star; then, n fewlengths off, AA'airau and. Christchurch (Union), and then AVellington several lengths in the rear.. Tho Canterbury men maintained their advantago to the end, , and won by a length, Star being half n length away third.