ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1587, 2 November 1912, Page 12

ROWING.

■ ■ 9' [Bi "Meeodbi."] HOW GOES CLUB TRAIMINQ? Wellington Club Gossip. Tho Wellington Club have nine-crews in training for their trial fours; which are set down to commoner on November 9, and somo good racing is anticipated. Steady practice whenever possible is being done, but this has not yet been regular enough to allow tho .creyrt to settle down and show any form to warrant special mention. ■ Tho. club has been considerably strengthened by the enrolment of G.' Bldhohafd, late of tho Aramoho ■ Club, Wariganiii. Blanoluird roived No. 3 in the winning crow of .the Youths Fours at tho last Wanganui regatta, and being still available for this class, is fairly certain to be selected for hi 9 club in their youths' 'of'ew this season. -. "Morcury" is pleased to hear that thefo is also every prospect of good maidpri 'and junior crews doing battle for tho W.E.C. this year,.and somo really strong crews aro expected to bo announced, when the selection of regatta crews is conipleted. , Star B.C. Notes, , To-day, weather permitting, will see tho commencement of tho Star -Club'e races.. heats for Senior and Junior Pours and Novice Pairs having been -drawn. ■ , • Commbndablo, keenness has been bho'svi by some of the crefrs in their prepack-', tions. Others have been unfortunate iu , having td accept isubstit'utes.at ii lato hbrir, ■ to replace men unable to fp.w for yaribus reasons, including "that- . tired .feoling," which tie writer ia. of bpiiipn should, in' one or two iistarices. have been conquered (by somo/bf the older hands at ariy ratojj a little extra effort being all that was require/d.. , ./, ~ , Hoivevef, there should be. some., gpoa racing, arid the finals of the Senior aid Junior Fours will probably bo faced between Turnbull arid HoMes, arid Martii and Kirkef.: Regatta Prospects—What are theyt . I have .already said that., good crews, (other thai seniors),are expected froin thb Wellington Club, this, season/,,/.ai<l. .niy "readers will gatlief' from iriy-'last'week's notes that the Petone Club has also soriip men of good calibre, available. This bus already beeri demonstrated. ,-.'.. ; Now, what of the StarCTiib? A good junior, crew? Yes, there -are enough, candidates, to seat an eight, and a fairly .good eight too! Maidens also proiriiso bill youths are on unknown- quaiitity.' Seniors ? Where are they—both in. this club,and Wellington? ■,; With the championship regatta to.be lield in Wellington five'months hen'cp; aid the best training months :bf the. Seiisbi (February and llareh) for a-final.pit-paration, surely an effort should bo iriade by these clubs to be represented in sorior events. If the men now i-bw'teg ate not available, or arp not '■ considered 'good enough, ->annot one or two of the young Hands be brought back to fill any seats that may require filling? If some, ot the enthusiasin of their ,rs-" spective skippers coti.ld be grafted into . thja older meinberaof the clubs; I Heel sire that something tangible would result, and "red coats" for thb Wellington, clubs am long overdue. •.'.-'..■ ',',-In 1889 and ogaiii.ii 1890 tho whole, of the New Zealand cnam'pipnsMpe were woi by the Wellington Ctob. In 1891 this club won three more championships, and.tho Star Club one. Therelore, for three successive yeafs all thp' New Zealand.,rowingchampionships werb held in. WetlingfoiH-a. worthy achievement..indeed, and the', writer is wondering .(being .very/much a boy, in those ,<lays, he .doesn't remember) whether it blows any less, or the water is any rougher, or tradriirig any harder,, now than- tnen. Ybu, reader; bail perhaps, -enlighten ~ It. is some .years since either cLub'waa represented, in ■ the cbainpionship rsces, bther than the pairs, aind this season seeins to offer.an excellei't; Opportunity for Wei-/ lington to be represented. Amateur Definition. At a.local fuiction, a weelc or two back; a prominent member of a rowing olub;,fp-' ferring to the amateur definition father ridiculed the proposal for its amendment. He was reported to have, said.: "That any barsirien ivhb had played against professional cricketers, or. .'golfers would be 'outed' if the proposal, was carried." The speaker wis misinformed aid-his 'statement eitirely ivrbng. Such, a, contingency is provided for in the rules of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association whioh say: "Ainnteufs shall ridt lose their statu?, by cpinpeting with., or against professionals, ii any gamp ■ (list comprising some, fe/.branbhes. .of athletic sport, including'fpbtballv.fbwirig, cricket; etc., is. enuriiemted) fpf .which, no:mbnby prize is offered.'',,.,.-.-.. . -, The; rowing, definitibn. forcontests (Australian)';'and the late Olympiad, unlike the Athletic. Asspciation, ■ha-vp no clause in. theff .definitions prohibitingtheir competing against p/fofessjbnals i'i another branch .of/'sport' and jflll- allow same provided, of ioufso, that, there.,is no moriey. prize, therefofp ..thb exception clause mentioned above is .'unnecessary, so far as rowing is-/concerned. •■ ; ... ~ ■' . The statement made, perhaps, explains •jvhy there is opposition to _ the proposal ii some, parts or the Dominion, and it is the duty of thp controlling', body to sbe that suoh .misconebptibi is removed. That the proposed'chaigo is lipped lia we Ira'ow, : aid '"Riggef,"- writiig tb the "Daily Telegraph" says:— It is certainly unfortunate that New Zealand is debarred .. from sending crews oyer here, as the inclusion of a New Zealand crew,,in: the, annual ,- inter-:State races would certainly mate the' contest more interesting. It is; certainly, encouraging to. know that the question is. not to bo allowed to die but altogether in the Dominion. Perhaps the special, iheeting ybt to be held will femovb. the 'obstacles, which now prevent their oarsriipi ffbin cpnipoting in Australian inter-State faces, Peafce and Barry. Nearly all Pearce's stake has-.been subscribed; but it is yet a question Whether ho will measure blades with Barry. "Rigger" says:--- ..- ' , , Messrs."-Petef Kefa'p', senj; Geo. Town's, and Harry Floyd have expressthb opinion that Harry Pearce should not go. td England to raco Barry on publib moneys until he has .proved that ho is the best man in Australia.'' To prove.who is the. best man, it, is further stated, Geo. Towns and Peter Kemp are going to put ip a prize, of i! 100, entrance fee, fpf a race pi the Parramatta, all scullers to start from scratch and the winner to race .Pearce. Just, what this;;prpposal is going . to bring forth, I cannot say, but certainly ' there will be a good deal of I controversy about it. In the first ! place, I feel pretty, sure that Peatce will not submit kindly to the proposal i if it coriibs tb a bea"d, aiiil in ia seise I db.hot blame hini., The proposal itself is all right; and was rib doubt put forward for the gopd of the sport, hid for. thb purpose of teri'suring that Australia should be given ev? ry chance of regaining the title; but is it. quite fair at this stage to question Pearce's , right to the trip? , Since May; 1903, when ho won the championship from Thoroughgood, hP has held it oiainst allcomers, lii& victihl's after. Thorougligobd being Mitchell, Day /twice), Hagney, Webb- (ex-world's champiori), ■ and Syd. Kemp; dndif. no others have cbme forward,since his last race that is not Pearce's fault. Tliei-e has been for some time, a good (leal of talk, about .nia.tcnihg.Fcltori or someone else against tlie Auitrriliap cham- , pioii, -biifc it has all eided in smoke. Seeing has already deposited for his match with Btery, in the writer's opinion he should have it, though if all Arnst says pf Barry is gospel the world's championship is likely to remain with England for squib time tb come.

In the history of thp English hirf, thp largest "odds-ori" tharipe ever beaten was Julius, starting at the price pf 50 to ono on, in the Hurstbpume Cup at Stockbridge in 1868. ■ ' The sweet' soprano hung her head, Her blue eye.held a tear., . ' "I fear niy cold's top bad," oha said, "And so I shan't appear." "Cheer up, Miss' Notes, a young friend cried, (A budding.aniatepr),. Don't give up hepn until you've tri-^d Some Woods' Great Peppermint Gum. 52*