BOATING GOSSIP.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1875, 26 February 1880, Page 3

BOATING GOSSIP.

I was down on Wednesday afternoon to the estuary to see the Otago four go to work. Though from information received I thought I had given myself plenty of time, I was too late to see them start, and although I saw them working for a long time, I am free to confess that my touting was not of the most satisfactory kind, for to judge of the style of a crew you should, in common justice to yourself as well as to them, see them pretty closely. Their movements, so far as I could judge, wore rather of an erratic nature. After a long halt in the centre of the estuary they paddled about for sometime as if exploring the course, after which they rowed to the mouth of the Avon, where they disappeared from view. They shortly reappeared and finished again at a fair pace very close to where they originally halted. They then rowed home, but kept the New Brighton shore, and instead of finishing on the course proper came down by the Shag Bock. Thus I had no opportunity of observing them so closely as I could have wished. Stroke appears to me to be decidedly the beat man in the boat. He has far and away the best style, and has, I am given to understand, seen a good deal of the game in England. Number 3 is not a finished oar, but rows well up to stroke in his own way. Bow and number 2 are inferior in size and weight to the occupants of the two other thwarts. They are also inferior as oarsmen. The stroke of Ihi whole crew is not a fast one. At no time during the praetice I witnessed, and I timed them several times, were they rowing more than 34. Their average seemed to be 32. They rowed well together, but shortish in the water, and quite long enough on the feather. I should say from what opportunity I had of witnessing their practice yesterday afternoon that they are in very good form as far as condition goes, and will bo able to row their race from end to end. Balancing their prospects with those of the Canterbury Bowing Club team, I must confess I prefer the chances of the latter. They, too, were out later in the evening, and have greatly improved since I saw them last week. Both crews will continue to practice at Sumner between this and Friday, when the race takes place. The boats are kept at Mr Monck’s, where a tent is provided for dressing. &c. The Otago men row in a Clasper, which, so far as I could judge from a very cursory glance I had at her, is quite up to the usual mark of that well known builder. Her scats have a slide of 201 n, and on the water she is an uncommonly pretty craft. Whatever may bo the result of the present race, I must say I should like to sse a pair-oared race between Nos. 3 and 4 of the Otago boat, and whichever two of his quartette the captain of the Canterbury boat might elect to choose for such a competition. I have only to add that I wish the crews a pleasant day for the contest. That it will be a good race I have little doubt, and that it may be the precursor of many such is the sincere wish of Sampan.