ON RIVER AND HARBOR

NZ Truth, Issue 1203, 20 December 1928, Page 17

ON RIVER AND HARBOR

The Boom In Rowing Points To Great Competition At The Next Champion Regatta

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Rowing* Con'espondeht.)

Prospects are more than excellent for the forthcoming New Zealand championship rowing regatta. The sport is booming m the Dominion, and there are new clubs and promising crews m most river and seaport towns. '

THOSE who, witnessed the last championship regatta were much impressed by the' fine showing made by the Star. (Wellington) junior crew. • So far as style *went, no better crew was seen out at that regatta, and the opinion was expressed that if these juniors kept together they would be heard of m more Important events. Hopes are entertained m the- Star shed that this year's juniors will prove as successful as did last year's, who won at Wairau, Christchurch, Wellington and Wanganui. Tlie new best-and-best ordered' by Wanganui Union to replace the one smashed at Melbourne is not expected to arrive until the middle of January. In the meantime the champion four are without a boat to row m, and have not been out since their return from Australia. After *■ the holidays it is Clarrie Healey-s intention, according to Wanganui, reports, to start training again m some craft or other with a view to getting fit for the championship regatta at Picton. j A wonderful revival m rowing is reI ported from Auckland, where all the clubs have received a large number of new members. Everything points to .the: season being a remarkably " successful one, from a local point of view at all events. A. H. Brett has presented 'a ; Very handsome trophy, the Sir Henry. Brett Memorial Cup, to the St. George Rowing Club, for competition among clubs under the jurisdiction of the Auckland Rowing Association. W. R. Sharpe, who for fourteen years has filled -the position of secretary of the Wanganui Rowing Association, has,

owing to ill-health, resigned. "Wally" has been for. many years a really live wire m rowing circles m Wanganui, and the association is losing a good secretary. W.R.S. will continue to take a keen interest m the sport, for which lie has done so much as an oarsman, coach and captain of the Union Club. The Waitemata Cluh has no fewer than 25 new members this season, and still they come. The other Auckland Clubs are also m the happy vosltion of having enrolled a big number of new members. Keen interest is being taken m rowing m Poverty Bay district. The final of the Poverty Bay Club's trial fours for the Goodman Shield and trophies was' rowed recently The race was witnessed by a large number of spectators, arid they saw a splendid contest, which was won by the narrow margin of two feet by a crew stroked by R. Stevenson, who had with him C. Hume, H. Carr and J. Barrett (cox). The executive of the Canterbury Rowing Association are discussing how best to encourage an interest m single sculling. It has been definitely decided that the eight-oar championship, of New Zealand be rowed at' Corsair Bay, Lyttelton, on Easter Saturday. Last season's race was rowed on Wellington Harbor, five crews competing,- and it was a splendid spectacle, Canterbury winning after a great race. It is "doubtful whether more than three crews will compete this season, though Auckland might be represented, m addition to Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.