ROWING

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1396, 23 March 1912, Page 12

ROWING

[I3y "Mwicunr."] A O.UESTION OF STYLE, April 6—Napier Regatta. Aro our Methods Correct? A recent refcrenco elsewhere to a matter that is assuming large nrooorlions in boating circles the world over, and calls for earnest research on (he part of those in charge of (he sport in Xew Zcahind, serves to introduc- the question as to whether the style of rowing in vogue in the Dominion is in accordance with that from which the best results are being derived in other parts of the world, and whether, iii the event of i( being found to differ in any vilal respect from outside styles, an improvement in our rowing could be elfeeled by the adoption of other methods. The question opened up is n wide one, but if ultimate benefit would result from any investigation of tho subject, the end would more than justify the labour and trouble involved. A good deal could be done in the desired direction bv the Now Zealand Kowing Association during the close season of the sport, which will lie upon us shortly. A sub-committee, consisting of, say, three experts, could be set up, whuse duly it would be to get by correspondence or otherwise as much expart information as is obtainable ditrhi" the winter months, from which data a comprehensive report could be furnished by the association to all our clubs. Now is the Appointed Time. Tho present time is peculiarly ripe for such a project. The matter is one that is exciting discussion everywhere that rowing is followed up, and much expert advice could be obtained with very little trouble. Furthermore, the rowing eontests at the Olympiad will furnish an object lesson from which much could be leanit. There will 1* seen there the elite of English, Continental, and Australian oarsmanship. The two extremes of the English and liclginn methods—the long swing of the one and the short hard "jab' of the other—will bo opposed Indie "in-between" schools, of which tlio Australian (or more correctly, the "Victorian." stvlo), nppoars to' be a fair | sample, and a careful study of the con- ! trusting methods, with n .subsequent judicious selection of the best features of each, would probably give a style that would approach as near to perfection as possible. Owing to our geographical disabilities, it is of course impossible that this study could bo made at first hand, but it could be done, to a certain extent, by a systematic collection of expert opinions on the different theories illustrated at Storkholm, and the making of such a collection would come within the tcope of the sub-committee suggested. The New Zealand Style. It would be interesting, too, to learn exactly where the style of rowing that has proved most successful of late years in the Dominion lies in the scheme of things. On account of the geographical disability already alluded to, we have been thrown back on our own resources as regards .style. We have not had the advantage of seeing for the purposes of comparison the representatives of other nations at: work, and the result has been the evolution of a style that, from accounts of the rowing at the Australasian four-onreil championship regatta in Tasmania, three years ago/differs materially (and effectively) from styles "on the other side." The methods used there by the Xew Zealand represenlalives, the YVniigamii Union and Blenheim H.C. crews (eliminating for the present the personal equation) proved immensely superior io those of their Australian opponents. This stroke, as rowed then by Blenheim and Wanganui Union, is also afi'octod by Victon, the present champions, anil to a certain extent by the Christchurch Union' senior crew, our four most successful clubs, so may fairly be said to be representative of New Zealand rowing. Moreover, the performances of two of these crews, Vicfon and Union (Wanganui), stamp them as being the fastest combinations yet boated in tho Dominion.

Now, the point is, where does this style of ours fit in with those used in other countries? "Mercury's" opinion is that it comes in somewhere between the Australian (or "Victorian") and the Belgian systems.

Two Experts on the Belgians. Writing of the latter point, a great English authority, Mr. ]!. (.'.. Lclnnann, author of "Bowing," the standard British work on tho sport, after witnessing the Belgian victories 'in the Grand Challenge Cup contests at Henley in 19011 and 1007, said: "The first point that struck me about them was (heir admirable uniformity. They had evidently been couched according to a definite system, equally well understood both by the instructor and bv his pupils. They had mastered to peri'ec'tion and applied with consummate ability Iho great principles which inculcates extreme steadiness and gcod balance of the body movement forward, and of (he sliding that accompanies it. Tb lead up to tliis I hey were very quick and springy with their hands oft' the chest. 'J lien they moved forward very slowly, so slowly towards the last part that their blades seem to hang on the water. Their bodies did not swing so far forward as the English oarsmen, but they took their beginning iirm and clean, and w;ith a hearty good will. During the stroke they kept the leg-power strongly and eonsisfcnlly applied, but the bodies swing back less than the English representatives. The finish was hard, and the blades came out very clean. The bodies were erect, and all the movements: wen graceful and easy. No awkward plunging rush checked the even speed of tho boat, which kept travelling beautifully." Another opinion'before "Mercury"—that of Mr. 51. ll.iggius, an Australian, who rowed with much success at Oxford up till last season—says of last year's crew:

"The most striking fentures of the Belgians' rowing are their wrist work, their uniformity of sliding and blade work, and a perceptible, and intentional pause when the bodies are full forward, and before.the blades enter the water." Their body swing is, shorter, both fore and aft, than in English crows', but their boats are fitted with longer slides, I think they are 22in. in length. The weak point in their rowing seems to me to be the hangoi er the stretcher, when their weight in the boat is dead."

, 1( will be noted Hint the "slow forward" action referred lo in the iir.st: critique hud developed into the "intentional liause" alluded to in the second—a fact tnat might account for the circumstance that Hie iirst creiv was successful while llio second, last year's, was not. However, it will he seen from the above that in >lr. Lehmann's description the melhmls are practically in accordmce with tlio Victorian theory, introduced here with siteli success by Yeoman's Queen's Drive crew ol' the early 'nineties. Then, in the second description, with Hie elimination of the faulty "pause'" and the extra length of slide,' the similarity lo our own stylo is very plainly lo Ijc seen. In Conclusion. It may be, of course, that the long swinging English stylo is the correct one after all—it does not matter which method is the correct one so long as it can be discovered, and tlio elements thereof instilled into our oarsmen, and, to this end, it is to be lionetl that the X.Z.A.If.A. will institute 1111 investigation of methods on the lines indicated. Valedictory. . The Star Boating Club is losing two of its most active members, in the persons ot F. Alcs.in ter and A. Stewart, both of wlirmi are under transfer from Wollaii"loa. Alexander was stroke of the club's successful junior and senior four of last season, and this year stroked the winning crew in Hut club senior fours. Stewart had not reached representative honours, but. was in a lair way to do sn. as he lia« be'ii rowing in good form throughout Hie season. He stroked the winning novice pair combination, and was prominent in other club events, liotli oarsmen earrv with them the best wishes of their fellow tuembsrs.