ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1330, 6 January 1912, Page 12

ROWING.

(Br Heiicuby.)

PICTON-SURFING OR WHAT? Feb. 7—New Zealand Championships, Lake Waihola. Feb. 17—Wellington Regatta. Feb. —Waugauui liegatta. Picton Squarely Looked At. The lowing man's racing season practically commences with tlio New Year. One or two associations mako a Hying start by holding their meetings on licking Day, but it is the Lyttelton and Marlborough regattas on January 1 that mark tho real commencement of regatta racing. Of these two fixtures, naturally tho one that most immediately concerns local oarsmen is the Pictou gathering. It was, as usual, a particularly exasperating affair—exasperating to its promoters and officials, to the visiting public, and, lastly and mostly, to the competing oarsmen." For this the executive were in no way to blame. All the details of management were well in hand, and all contingencies had been auticipated and guarded against except one—the ono that spoilt the meeting. What Do with Picton? 'This was of course the ruffled state of the water. It is not for "Mercury" to say how this contretemps could be guarded against, but it has happened so frequently of late years that, if possible, something must be done if the regatta is to retain its popularity. One hears suggestions of a breakwind across the head of the Sound, of ingenious devices connected with the establishment of oil stations at intervals down the course, and of alternative courses to suit all winds. It is in this last pcherne that the remedy—if one exists—is to be found. This procedure is followed at Wellington, and works admirably, and (although the writer is not sufficiently schooled in the topography of the locality to suggest a pluce for an alternative course that would render null and void the machinations of the usual .regatta nor'-wester) there surely must be such a spot somewhere near enough to Picton to allow the boats and their crews to be shipped there if necessary. The obvious objection is (hat it would take the regatta away from the public. It would, of course, but the answer to this is that tho regatta is for the oarsmen moro than it is for the public, and, anyhow, the public (Ims not take up the dog-in-the-manger attitude —that if it con't fee the racing, the racing should not take place. Picton Cut to Pieces. Tho contests of late.years can havo afforded very little pleasure to the public, except to that small and not-to-bc-consid-ered portion thereof that don't care what happens so long as Picton gets a win. '.I lie constant delays and postponement? are as vexatious to the spectators as la the (ompetitors, and a public that b to l-io-(ifi tn see good rowing cannot be anything but dissatisM with so iv- of the recent displays of surf-boat work given by the racing crews. As exhibitions of watermanship, some of the contests have been admirable, but as rowing—well, the loss said tho better.

If the public cannot see the regatta under ordinarily decent conditions, it would not care if it did not see it at all. As for the rowing man—what he wants is good racing water. He does not mind travelling and humping round his bents, getting his meals at any old times, being wet through and cold, provided he can look forward with certainty to a good row at the end of it. And the Picton peoplo should use every endeavour to sec that ho is provided with reasonable prospects for getting it on each New. Year's Day—or else they should change the date of the regatta to that of one of the three hundred and; sixty odd days in the year that are not rough in Picton. On the present occasion the first race was scheduled for 10.45 a.m., but it was not actually rowed until 4.30 p.m., what time the Wellington excursionists had departed for the peaceful shores rf l-'ort Nicholson and the Blenheim visitors were beginning a concentration movement from all points on tho railway station. At about nino o'clock a halt was cnlh'd, and the last raco was postponed until six o'clock next morning. Up till the adjournment, the coxswains had been steering by the harbour lights, and what would have hnppened to tho judging had any of the finishes been close it is hard to say. The Picton Performances. As usual Picton annexed the bulk c f the prize-money, but. on the whole, (Le winnings wero more evenly distributed than has been the case of late years. The local men got .£35, by virtue of wins in the Senior Pours and Pairs, and Junior Doublo Sculls and a second place or two, Blenheim got .£lB, with two firsts, tho Junior and Youths' Fours, Stars won ,£l4, first in the Junior Pairs and sundry seconds, aud the ; Wellington Club also .£l4, with two firsts, in the Maiden Fours and Double Sculls. On this last performance, the Wellington Club is to he heartily congratulated, and it is to be sincerely hoped that the success marks tho "coming back" of tho old club. The' maidens are the first winning four-oared crew which the club has had for threo seasons, and it is a particularly good augury for the future welfare of the crew that' its success should have been attained in such a year as the present, when everything has been against proper training. Picton's Fine Senior Four.

Some weeks ago "Mercury" prognosticated a successful term for the Picton senior four, and it now looks as though this prophecy is to be borne out in full. The crew on Monday consisted of R. Andrews (stroke), A. Jackson (No. 3), each of whoni occupied similar positions in last year's champion crew when rowiii" for the Blenheim Club, E. Konny (No. 2)° a successful senior regatta-oar of'previous years, and P. Norton (bow), who is shortly to bo replaced by Carrick, a champion pair-oar Picton representative of three seasons back. • With Carrick in-, this combination will be physically a fine crew, and its rowing form oil Monday gave evidence of every satisfaction. The stroke and bow will scale over eleven stone, tho No. 3 about fifteen stone, and the No. I about fourteen when saddled up for hard racing. So it will be seen that there should be no lack of power. It remains now for the crew to get into the necessary condition for a gruelling race over tho championship course, for it may be taken for granted that the crew that wins at ,Waihola next month will have passed through a severo ordeal bv the time the race is over. On Monday tho crew won as it liked. It rowed a comfortable 38, with occasional increases to 10 per minute, and appeared perfectly at homo in tho jobbly water. 'I he other starters were Star and Blenheim, who finished in that order, after a hard "go" over the last quarter of a mile, ending in Blenheim stopping one hundred yards or so from home. Some Other Pictoniana, Star would have beaten Blenheim easily but for a big mistake in tactics. Over tho first half-mile they led, and, on passing Mabel Island, instead of keeping a straight course for home, cut across under tho hills on the Domain side of the course, a procedure that must have lost them quito fifty yards. The Junior Fours, won by Blenheim, saw tho Star crow make a bold bid. At, hnlf-way tho Wellington men held a comfortable lead ot two lengths, and looked all over winners, when a "crab" by a member of the quartet let them down. They were beaten by about a length, but tho Junior Pairs saw them get some of their own back. li. Bird ahd C. E. Holmes rowod a good race in this event, and gave the other crews no chance at all. , The Junior Double Sculls saw tho Brewer Brothers, from tho Star Club, strike a big snag in Andrew and Jacksoil, of Picton. The two champions are to compete in this event at the New Zealand meeting, and, on their showing in tho clinker, will have to be reckoned with in the licst and best by the time that, tho Waihola fixture comes round. Tho other events do not call for further comment except, perhaps, in tho ease of the Maiden Pairs, in which the Star dim met with a mishap when holding a likely position. Something went amiss with'their steering gear, and I hey Inst control, and collided with Blenheim, being promptly disqualified. Details of the i.yttclton lf<gatta have already been-published. Nothing Martinis occurred, and the prize-money seems i.o have been well distributed. The only senior events were the Pairs and Double Sculls, which were won by I.yttclton and Union respectively,

Great Crew Together Again. Last week "Mercury" received word from a AVaiiganui enlluisiast stating that tho Wanganui Union ox-champion lour — ii'iimeri of tho last inter-Stalo fouroared contest at liobart—is together again. C'hrislchurch Union, lafct year's runners-up in ihe New Zealand chatii-pioii-ship, is also going strong, and with these two trews and I'icton ill tho field, tin; big nice this year should ho as good us it was la=t—which is indeed, guying something. Awarua? What Name is This? Another ercw that has been mentioned as a "good thing" has dropped from favour in consequenco of its showing at J'ort Chalmers on Boxing Day. Tins is Ihe Awarua four, for whom Ueorge Towns is building a "best and best" for uso in Ihe championship, hut the following remarks by ii southern critic on the senior race at Port Chalmers do not put the Bluff men's chances iu a very favourable light:— "The Union Club, in winning the Senior Best and Best Fours and Senior Clinker Double Sculls, headed the list of prize-money won. Awarua (Bliifl) were greatly fancied for the Senior Tours, and it was thought Union would be their strongest opponents. The former, who had not got their_ best and best l>oat, rowed in ail Association boat. Union, rowing well together, had little trouble over the last part of tho journey, and won by a couple of lengths. For senior form, the Awarua were most disappointing. There was much talk of them being a 'hot' crow, but tlieir exhibition of rowing was about tho worst } have seen in Senior Fours, ibey did not row, they simply 'dug' all the way,, having practically no swing at all. Ihe exhibition by Union was a big contrast.