ROWING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 63, 8 December 1926, Page 8

ROWING

(By

“Sculls.")

The Petone Club. With wind blowing up from the south it is quite impossible to get in any work on the water at Petone, and the present run of southerlies has made it particularly unfortunate for the club there, the members of which have been able to do little training during the past few weeks. During recent weekends the water has invariably been too choppy for the skiffs, and besides a number of club races which remain to be completed, regatta crews have had little opportunity of working together The Star Boating Club and the Wellington Club have been more fortunate, and there training operations, so far have not been hampered to any great extent, for it is when the northerly blows that the water on the city side is too rough for the sculling boats. The Star Club- however, has the benefit of the whale boats, and these, which can be taken out in practically any weather, provide excellent training. Star Regatta Crew Changes. Several changes have been made in the regatta crews ol the Star Boating Club. The services of C. Blundell, who rowed in the maiden fours two years ago. but has been away from Wellington for some considerable time, Laye been taken advantage of. and he will row No. 2 in the junior four. Taylor, who was originally selected to row No. 2, has had to undergo a minor operation, and he will not be available until after the New Year. Brooker has been transferred to the stroke seat of the maiden crew, and Diehl will take the place of Taylor until the latter’s services are again available. The maiden crew has been considerably strengthened by the inclusion of Brooker as stroke, and Shot lander, who was previously chosen to row at stroke has been moved to bow. The present combination looks a particularly promising one indeed. There are, of course, minor faults to be eradicated, but with consistent coaching by the club captain (Mr. E. Diehl), “Sculls” is of < pinion that this crew will be a hard nut to crack when the Marlborough regatta is held at Picton on January 1. Goodsell and Hannan.

M. Goodsell expects to race J. P. Hannan, the New Zealand champion, for the world’s sculling championship off San Diego, in February or March ol next year, according to a cablegram from Ixis Angeles, The cablegram further states that Goodsell signed a contract for 10 weeks in vaudeville. He would appear in a sculling act, and stage performances would be part of his training for the match, the exact time and place of which had not been determined. Reg. L. Baker also made interesting comment about the champion’s movements in a letter which appeared in the Sydney “Referee”, recently. “Interviewed last Saturday tcoinments the paper) Goodsell’s chief supporter said ho had not ratified the match with Hannan. It also does not appear that the latter will make an early move to U.S.A. He is to race James Mason at Whangarei for the New Zealand championship this month or early in December. Then, if successful, ho intended to accept Don Straker’s challenge to race for the New Zealand title, Hannan stating that he desired this contest to take place at Wellington (N.Z.). "Goodsell, in a letter to his chief backer, asked that the Hagon Cup bo put up for competition in connection with his race with Hannan. One of the conditions under which the cup was donated, states that the first race for it must be, held in Australian waters. The trustees also have the power to withhold the cup from competition in any race which they do not consider would be of championship standard.

"It is certain that some arrangement was made with regard to Goodsell’s trip to America, and his backer hinted that he was expected to return to Australia at the end of this month (November). Evidently he is of opinion that the match with Hannan will not eventuate. He has received no word from England with regard to the proposed visit to Australia of Bort Barry.” Victory at Expense of Weak Crews.

There are men who row for years without experiencing the thrill of winning a race in the last quarter of a mile (says an exchange). Their victories are scored at the expense of weaker crews, and are usually given to them early in their races. They get the credit of their victories, but they miss the real satisfaction of the game which comes from really worthy success. There is a general inclination to accept the theory that the crew in front has an almost insurmountable advantage in a boat race. Certainly the leaders can watch their opponents, and respond as a rule to any aggressive movement on their part; but holding tlie lead most of the way is not what counts. It is the amount of extra punch a crew can muster- for a killing finish, depending on the way the race has been rowed, that tells the tale at the end of the course. It is a bad notion to instil into an oarsman that once tailed off he has no chance of recovering, and, though in the majority of cases the crew that gets the early lead does win, it is frequently the case that only hotheadedness ruins the losers* chances. Inter-club Races on the Avon.

Whoever was responsible for the movement to hold a series of interclub races on the Avon is to be heartily congratulated for his initiative (says the Christchurch "Star”). The racing will commence on December 18 with a junior fours and youths’ double sculls, and after the Christmas and New Year holidays are over will be carried on weekly from January 15 to February 19. The idea is a splendid one, from every point of view, but perhaps the point that is the greatest of all is the bringing tc gether weekly of those immediately concerned with local boat racing, and who under the conditions of the ; ast, meet only in a casual way at regattas. 1 liese miniature regattas on the Avon will also serve to create a desire for somethin'* on a larger scale, and with interest in this direction stimulated among rowing men, their thoughts will naturally gravitate towards a real Henley-on-Avbn regatta, which is capable ot realisation under the kcheme tor improving the Avon. The rowing men nave not so far displayed any feeling of a concerted nature in the matter, but .ucy will immediately their imaginations are stirred bv what is capable of being accomplished by combined nctiou 'in I tlie will to achieve.