ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1166, 17 June 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

BOUQUETS FOTC ALP. FELTON. (By MiiitcuitrA He May Do Something Big. Alfred Fulton profoundly impressed the crilics by his form in his recent match with F. S. Hagney, and ho has had many bouquets thrown to him in consequence. "Rigger," in the "Sydney Morning Herald," says:— ' "Alf." Felton has been designated "Peler Kemp's hope," by which it is inferred that he is looked upon by the wellknown ex-world's champion as having a good chance of securing again, for Australia, tho title that was lost by "Charlie" Towns. If one might judge by what happened on Saturday last, then Mr. Kemp is amply justified in his opinion, for Felton's display was decidedly a good one. This display, though, is not all that Felton has (o rely upon, for Uo is still a boy in years, practically speaking, although he has the physique of a man, and a very sturdy man at that. Having the advantage in years and bulk, therefore, and with several defects in his rowing to bo remedied, there is uo knowing whero he mieht work his why to. Tho defects in his sculling 'are, perhaps, the best asset he has, strange as the statcmfcnt' might seem, because it stands to reason' that if he can beat a man like Hagney, with numerous faults in las work, "then lie will bo able to perform greater deeds when he has acquired the knack of sculling perfectly. From a close observation of his work of Saturday, 1 was able to see that besides having one or two faults, Felton has some decidedly good points, and if he can only hang on to those good ones, and remedy the others, tve mieht confidently look to him to do something big in the future. , Dining the first quarter or n imlo of his race on Saturday, Felton rowed rather badlv, particularly as regards his swing and 'leg work, but when he got properly going lie settled down to good, hard work, using his shoulders well, and finishing very hard and clean. This, then, showed at onco lliat his faults in the early part of the race were due, more or less, to nnxietv and nervousness. This was his first 'race, and it was only natural that he would feel a little anxious, but wlien he threw that off he was all right. His blade-work was particularly clean and sure, as was his catch, although at the hllcr part of the course he seemed to knife his left skull a Mile. One of the Cleanest-living Athletes. Another thing in his favour is that he has always been, and is still, one of tho ulcanest-liviiig athletes one could wish to find. The most prominent scullers of todav—"Dick" Arnst and Harry I'earco— boih think a great deal of him, and foretell a fine future for him. Each of them thought that he would not bo able lo t.lay the course on Saturday, but now that Ihe'y have found he can, he has gone up immensely in their opinions'. It seems a puzzle now though who he will row next lime. It does not seem likely that he and Syd. Kemp will row a match, as they both come from the one stable, as it were, and so I cannot see anyone who is likely to conic up to the scratch with him. Of course, lie will have his opportunity with Pearco and Artist later on, but at the present lime there np-' pears lo be nobody with whom ho could makfc a match.

S-i; That Great "Classic" Come to This? In a recent issue of the London "Re' force," "Garcth" has sonic very trenchant criticism of the form shown in the recent Oxford ami Cambridge boat-race, and tint despite the fact that the raco was rowed in record time. He writes: Although the boat-raco is over, discussion on it naturally lingers in what are. called "rowing circles," and one of the best judges of rowing I know has kindly written mo his views, which are too valuable to be omitted/ lhat Cambridge furnished a debacle is agreed, 1m asserts, for with six sound oarsmen they should certainly have-made a fight with •a crew which admittedly carried rabbits. They made no tight, but showed signs of wear and tear at a mile and a quarter. They could only muster tliirly-tour to the thirty-six Oxford at the start, and all attempts to hit up a stroke tailed miserably, this keen observer unhesita.inglv declares. Stroke was weak and very short No. G was in no sort of condition for racing, and when Chiswiek was abeam could no longer get his, slide up. It was noticed both in practice) and during the raco that Cambridge were iding very short. Moderate bug s idng will easily, beat tho best shortjjlid- „■". Cambridge were boaulifnlly together, but (key slid very short hung over the stretcher, with •consequently light catch, finished short, had a weak leg drive/ and a ked condition. The first coach to take he crew in hand stayed several weeks with them, never murimiriiis the word •<w" He endeavoured to ton eh (horn (o win.!, but not lo drive with their w He'aNi shortened tho slides. The r w mi"ht as well liavo • thrown the stretchers into the Cam Cone. l\o. 2 kept the crew crawling along at an absudlv slow stroke, the result being a fearsome Imng which was ineradieab e, is during this P™""'* sluininin- he heart and lungs are not exerted, and the crews were not being Ria.htally seasoned to the severe task ahead thus (hoy reached Putney looking each, leg-work, finish, and condition. All these deficiencies Mr. Kthenngton-Smitn was expected („ correct; but though lie worked great improvement he was asked to do 100 '"cimbriclßC were beaten pointless, by a much crew containing several poor oarsmen stiffened by sonic very hard-shoving veterans. The hard-workers threw the canons of the orthodox to the winds, and tool: the weight of Ike beat upon rounded baek= giving a mighty Ihrust w;tn the i' , v 'i,ich sent their craft, spinning upon I.m. wav. That their finish was positively •nVcd" mattered Utile. At Oxford the colleges arc small, so lhat if ono gets

ft fad it is of no groat moment; but at Cambridge colleges are large. Trinity is probably the largest boat club in Kngliiucl, ii!i that when Trinity gets a boo in its aquatic bonnet the effect is correspondingly serious. Trinity's bee at the moment is a poker back and no legwork. ] have no doubt that this milcism will be vehemently derided at Cambridge, which, however, does not "rove, that it is not true.