ROWING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 51, 24 November 1926, Page 8

ROWING

(By

“Sculls.”)

Wellington Rowing Club. There was a scene of great activity around the Wellington Rowing Club’s boathouse during the week-eud, members displaying the keenest enthusiasm and taking full advantage of the fine weather and favourable winds to indulge in solid training. The regatta crews put in some good practice, and are now beginning to show a little more combination in their work. It is yet too early to predict their probable success, but there is no doubt they will all be hard to beat in the more strenuous contests to come if they continue with their training as at present. For those junior members, not in regatta crews, a junior fours club race is to be organised. In this manner, the new members will be enabled to obtain experience in combination work by rowing in the one crew for a period. Petone Regatta Crews.

The following crews have been selected by the Petone Club to go into training in readiness for regattas at the New Year:— Junior Fours: A. Jones (stroke), R. Cameron (3), T. Slinn (2), R. G. Duncan (bow). Maiden Fours: F. Crop (stroke), H. C. Kent (3), N. Dickens (2), G. Medhirst ' b Youths’ tours: S. Burns (stroke), L. Horn (3), R. Moss (2), G. Davis (bow). Light-weight Fours; F. Cometti (str.), G. London (3), R. Bowater (2), D. Heeney (bow). The senior fours and balance of the regatta crews will be selected as soon as the programme of events comes to hand from the Picton Rowing Club, which hold their regatta on New Year s Day. The following are the crews selected to row in the senior-four club races: White! scr.), Srowthers (3), Burns (2), Medhirst (bow); Gardiner, Rogers Cruse, Pahmauntain; Jones, Haddock, Duncan, McLauchlan; Slinn, R. Cameron. Kenward, Horne; Hickson, Warden, Monks, Broad.. Star Boating Club.

Social life, which plays no small part in the fostering of interest in the club and in maintaining it throughout the season, is being fully catered for by the Star Boating Club. Club nights are held onee a week, and at these various formes of entertainment are provided. Apart from the social aspect of these evenings the younger members and novices in the club are given an opportunity of meeting the more experienced scullers and discussing with them, various phases of training and rowing in general, which undoubtedly must tend to increase interest in the sport. Occasionally, lecturettes are gij’.en on what is required if one is to acniei'e success as a sculler, while for this day week (December 1). the committee has arranged for Mr. W. R. C. Oswin to give an address on “the importance of success at the new year regattas.” Mr. Oswin is one of the few Star members who has won New Zealand championship honours and his remarks on rowing will be well worth hearing. . . The Star regatta crews are training earnestly, and everv available opportunity finds the skiffs on the water. During the last couple of week-ends a whaleboat crew has been made up, and cruises taken to Day’s Bay. The value and benefit of these cruises will no doubt stand those members who indulge in them in good stead when more strenuous efforts are required at regatta time.

Wellington Regatta. At a meeting of the executive cf Hie regatta club the date and programme for the forthcoming annual regatta at Wellington was given preliminary consideration. It is probable that some changes will be made in the programme with a view to eliminating the morning races, which have long been a source of trouble, both to the officials and competitors.

England’s Amateur Champion. T. D. A. Collett, of Pembroke College, Cambridge, is probably the greatest ama. tear sculler that England has produced, certainly the greatest of recent years. He is not officially recognised as amateur champion of England, however, as tho title is held by Beresford, who won from •illett on a foul when they met for the AVingfield Sculls, which carries with it the amateur championship. The utu. pile for that race was subjected to a deal of criticism for his decision, but the contestants settled the matter by agreeing to row a private match over the same course. Collett won. i»nd lift followed this up by winning the chain nionship of the Seine from Rieder, a Swiss, who was one of the crew that won t he European championship double sculls this year. Beresford won the single sculls - at the last Olympic Games, and last year defeated Hoover, the American champion, in a race for the Philadelphia t Cup, which is generally regarded as being emblematic of tlie world’s amateur championship.