ROWING NOTES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 86, 5 January 1935, Page 15

ROWING NOTES

Active Programme Ahead

MOTHES SHIELD EVENTS

With the Picton regatta as a solid pipeopener for the Wellington province, the preliminary practice months of the rowing season are finished with and the season proper is well into its stride. The programme of the next month or so will keep competitive rowers busy. The time for the Wellington Mothes Shield competition is drawing near and will soon have to be decided. It is likely that a fixture will be made this month, at some time from January 20 onward. Jhe Wanganui regatta will follow, and the list of fixtures after that will culminate on March 2 with the New Zealand championships at Auckland. ~ . After the championships are decided the clubs will turn to tlie , t "' sk .°£® e ing and rowing off inter-c ub eight.and then selecting crews for the inteiprovincial eights.

Starting at Picton. , „ , Comments have been heard from Wellington harbour club members who rowed at Picton over the methods used in starting many of the races. It is stated that beating the gun was faiilj frequent and was not corrected by those in charge at the start. In the senior fours race, it is said, the Star club crew alone waited for the gun; in fact, they waited even longer than that, expectin B the other boats to be recalled, and even tuallv started some length behind. Another point raised was that several times the boats were started YnTts alignment with the flags, giving the boats on one wing sometimes a few feet o extra water to cover at the beginning the races.

Memories of a Marquee. Representatives of the Star Boatin» Club who went to the Picton regatta have returned with sad raemor ? es . of perience with a marquee tent which they took with them. The reason for the tent is explained by the fact that even two weeks before the regatta, when an attempt was made to arrange for Quarters for the Star contingent, no « tion of any kind was to be had. The first nwlit spent there was fine, and in the large marquee 23 rowers slept P ea S®' dlr On Uie second night came the rain? and only fire stuck it out under a multitude of leaks; but they did not sleep. The rest preferred emergency shakedowns found in odd corners of t township.

New Plymouth Regatta Unlikely. Following the recent postponement o'he New Plymouth regatta the suggests . i as been made that the races be held a. Waitara, but, as this not praeticab£ from the New Plymouth clubs point o, view, it was not carried further It appears unlikely that a regatta will be: held at New Plymouth this year, but the clubs are to discuss the subject and acquaint New Plymouth of their decision. Ini tut event of no regatta being held at New Plymouth, the McLeod Challenge Cup anil the Collett Challenge Cup will probrbly be contested at Wanganui aud Waitar'a respectively.

Wellington Club. The sympathy of the Wellington Rowing Club has been extended towards My. Pat Abbott, of the Petone club, in unfortunate accident at the Picton regatta, which will probably keep him out of competition for a period. The performance of the M ellington club’s regatta representatives was very creditable indeed, and the results reflected well on the way in which the men have trained. The maiden four did well to v.’in by two lengths from such redoubtable* opposition as was by the Star and Picton crews. The heavy Star crew went well, and Picton are always a tough proposition on their home course in a., classes.

The maiden four is probably the strongest crew in the club this season, and it it= probable that more W’ll be heard from them before the season is over.

In a trial race with the senior four ever a mile and a quarter shortly before the Picton fixture the verdict went to the maiden crew by half a length after the seniors had led all the way.

It is hoped that the club will also enter a junior four in future regattas Due to members being absent on leave and unable to train through examinations, the club was . unable to enter in this class at Picton.

The maiden pair fulfilled expectations by filling the major placing at Picton. The win of the lightweight maiden four was particularly meritorious in view of the fact that the crew was not together from Christmas Eve until it went out to the start.

The usual camp was held at Onahau Bay. Picton. and it proved a great help to the crews who availed themselves of rhe opportunity to finish off their training in the sheltered waters of Queen Charlotte Sound for the final week. It is not known yet just how many crews will be going to Wanganui and Christchurch, but it is hoped to start the maiden four and the whippets at both fixtures if the men are available.