ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1663, 1 February 1913, Page 12

ROWING.

(By "Mercury."). - CLEAN OARS OR GOLD-TIPPED? February 15—A. Felton v. J. Paxldon, Parramattn. - •* •. February Regatta, Cor- : sairßay, Lyttelton., ■ ; March G-rWanganui Regatta. March 22— N.Z. Championships, Wellington. Important News on the Matter. Thus the "Sydney Daily Telegraph" on a matter of vital import to New Zealand oarsmen on the amateur definition. ' Clean oars or gold-tipped? That is part of the question. Says the "Telegraph":—"Hitherto New Zealand oarsmen have been debarred from rowing in Australia, tho question of the, amateur status having proved the stumbling block; In Now Zealand, professionals in other branches of sport can row as amateur oarsmen, besides which they have been in the custom of rowing for money. Of course, the rowing for money part of their methods is easily explained. Travelling iu New Zealand is very different to what .it is in Australia, ami thpro is so much expense attached to. it, that clubs ivin money prizes to pay expenses. The oarsmen do not handle tho money, but still the fact that they row. for it transgresses the spirit and the letter of the Australian definition.

"It has been New Zealand's ambition though to compote in, our inter-State raoes, and the controversy on tho subject has been a long one. Efforts have been made oh both sides to ovorcome the difficulty, but so far unsuccessfully. Tho rowing men of the Dominion, however, have now done all they possibly can, and it simply remains for the Australian oarsmen to decide whether they can accept them without prejudicing their own position.

At the last meeting of tho New South, Wales Rowing Association, n letter was received from tho secretary of tho New Zealand Association, stating Vliat a proposal bad been mailo to alter theil- rules and amateur definition, so as to preclude any professional athlotc in another branch of sport competing as an amateur oarsman. It had also bren -made perfectly clear that nothing hut trophies must be rowed for. A meeting of all the rowing delegates was to ba held at Wellington in March next, and it was felt that these proposals would bo confirmed and made law;

"In view of this having been done, and anticipating tho adoption of tho proposals, it was considered, the letter continued, that there was nothing to hinder tho New Zealand oarsmen being represented in tho iiitiT-Stato races in Australia in tho future, and that Australia might make allowances for those who had transgressed in tho past by accepting cash prizes for their club. ,

"Tho New South Wales Association naturally could not. deal with a subject which nlTectcd the whole of : Australia, nnd ro Ihey wrote back requesting the New Zealand Association'to put their pro. posals before the. next inter-State con-

ference, which.is to be held in Adelaide I in April. i Felton's Staying Power: Now Proved. The truth of the, rowing axiom that "a good big man will beat a good email man" was again exemplified by the result of last Saturday's race between "Alf." Polton and Chas, Towne. When tho big man has his advantage in poundago and strength increased in other ways,_ as was the case with l r el ton, h« can then afford to concede to hiß opponent somo extra skill in scientific sculling, and this was evidently the case on Saturday. Last i™ek "Mercury," in Bumming up tho prospects of the race, wrote:— In short, Helton has everything on his 6ido to-day—youth, strength, weight, and more frequent racing of late years—and if ho cannot beat Towns, it is either because his appearance in championship racing is premature, or because ho .is a "false alarm" as a championship oandidate. This appears to have been, borne out by what happened. Towns, aftor. leading for a mile or so, succumbed to the power of his younger and more vigorous opponent, who proved himself to be anything but a "falso alarm." . The impartial enthusiast oannot hut bo satisfied at the result. It proves that, there aro good men coming on in Australia to take the place ,of itmt and Pcarce, and it also settles the point about Feltons staying, power, in' which the Sydney oritics were not inclined to place too much faith. Tho timo of the race, 21min. 44seo. for tho 9} miles, shows that tho .winner must have stuck hard to his work for the whole distanoe, and the performance as a whole puts him in the top flight, of soullois. ... , . ' r Felton Now to Face, Paddon.' On February 15 the new Australian champion will be oalled upon to defend his title by, "Jim" Paddon. In this case the conditions as toTsize and weight will bo reversed, for, big and all bb Felton is, his opponent-to-be is still bigger. Ho' is, however, very much :in the rough as yet, and although working under the, advioe of "Harry Floyd," will, from all accounts, have to: improve considerably in his boat work during the next fortnight ,to be up to ohampionship standard.

The "Referee's" last account of his training operations rends:—"'Jim' Paddoa, who is to meet Fellon three weeks from next Saturdny, is beginning to 'brown up' with his two rows daily. Ho ia accompanied iii his work by Frank Starr, whom the handicappers seldom, treat generously, whilst Harry, Floyd coaches him from a pleasure,skiff. The Evans River man is already pretty well down to weight, and oontinucs to show improvement in, his work: but his style is etiff, and not yet at all free. Floyd has changed his rigging a little, and has him rowing a slightly longer soull." , ' ' , Getting Into Harness. Of "Dick" Arnst's first appearance since his English trip, the samo journal says:—"Following out his intention expressed ten or twelve days ago, ex-cham-pion 'Dick' Arnst made an ; , appearance last week, on tho Parramatta River, and accompanied Felton in. hia training. Dick acknowledges that the work has not got any easier, and with considerable flesh on and being pretty soft, ho blistered rather badly on the hands." Wellington Rowing Club Notes, '• By t tho end of next week the Wellington Rowing Club l bono to have its championship four in full going order. Arfchui Jackson is expected to arrive from Picton during the .week, and "Dick" Hogghm is due. any. day from Marton, -which will comploto the quartot. Cnas. Hegglun and Blanchard nave, been working , to. gather in the pair, iand have been out occasionally in a four. Hegglun 1 rowing stroke end Bknchard three, bo cs to mil tho feel of things a bit before settling down to'tho final preparation with the oomplote orow./ ; .

The Star Boating Club., ; 1 The Star Beating 'iCliib seniors' haTo been getting in some wood work of late, and'appear to have got godng in earnest. Already > the men are showing pood row,ing; forpi, And the '.work is lively ; and pleasing to watch—signs that condition is beginning to arrive. A. D: Bayfield, the club captain, lias had lniuch worry in pelting his-crew together,-but at present it appears that his reward is coming, as the quartet, although'perhaps not up to tho best championship , standard, looks like making 'a ; respectable showing in tho -best company, if the prosait good work is persisted in. 1 , i The orews in the longer grades in this club could; with advantage, take a lesson from their seniors, j At present training . opierations have been carried out in the most perfunctory manner. Easter , and the championships aro not to very far off, and, if anything is to be done, a start should be made at'onco'. ; Overturn In Plcton Club. Yesterday there soiled for England Rog. Andrew, strokfe- for the last two seasons of the Picton champion . four. Before leaving he called on 'Meroury," and. in the courso of conversation, reported a sad upheaval in the Pioton Club. I Following upon tho loss of Arthur Jackson came the defection through illhealth of Carrick, tho pair oar champion bow, and hard on the hoela of this.double event cornea the departure :of Andrews himself. The loss of three such oarsmen would bo a grievous blow ix> any club, but to a small one like Pioton it becomes a disaster as far as championship prospects are concerned.. ■■■■.. _ ' Andrews himself is on a sight-seeing trip.. He is working his passage _ Heme, 'and has no very definite plans for the (future, hut naturally he.intends to see as much: English' Towing as possible,: and his opinions, thereon on nis return- should' bsiworth hearing.