McDEVITT WINS.

Shannon News, 13 June 1924, Page 4

McDEVITT WINS.

CONDITION TELLS IN HARD RAGE

DARGAVILL.E, Last Night

The mueb-talked-of race for the Australasian championship was rowed on the'Nortihern Wairoa River to-day, in beautiful weather, and with excellent water conditions. The starters were: W. McDevitt. G. Ceruti (Australia), Darcy Hadfleld (Auckland), and James Mason (Whangarei). It was recognised that the race would be a -con-test between Hadfield j and McDevitt. The latter was favoured on the day. and the result of the race proved the public's ideas to be right, as after the first two miles he took -the..lead and won fairly comfortably by three lengths' from Hadfield, who was plainly out of condition-. The other two starters were out-classed, and finished some distance in the rear. Th e race was started at $.47, tho whole four getting away in line. Hadfield, rowing about 30 to the minute, soon- took the lead, and when he had gone half a mile was a good five, lengths ahead of McDevitt, who was next, and also rowing 30 to the minute. It was now seen that' there were only two men in the race—Hadfield and McDeviW, —who kept plugging away, at 26 to the minute about i a dozen lengths in front of the other two men. At two miles, McDevitt crossed over closer to the bank, and rowing vigorously, dre_w level, and keeping his effort going, had drawn ahead at two and a-half miles, where Hadfleld seemed to tire badly. At three miles. McDevitt was still well ahead, and although Hadfleld put in aii effort over the last bit, he failed to.sustain it, and left the Australian the winner by a little over three lengths. It was a great race for third place. Mason, urged on by admirers, finished very strongly, and beat Ceruti, who had boon in the rear the whole way, by half a length. The lime was 20 minutes 59 3-5 seconds. The winner rowed a good race, and his better condition enabled him to keep Hadfleld going at top for the first two miles. These- tactics evidently had a good effect, as the latter, who had only been on the rivor seven days, was undoubt r cdly not in a condition to row at the strong pace that McDevitt set liim after passing him. Still, Hadfleld rowed a wonderful race and was fit and well, and with a better boat (toie on© he rowed in to-day being , old- and heavy) would have given McDevitt something to think about. McDevitt's win was very popular, as he had trained consistently and'made many friends on the river. Mason, who was making lyls debut as "a professional, pulled a good stroke, bub has to learn a lot i about the game, as he steered very ert ratically at times. Ceruti did not give the impression that he was a long-dis-tance rowor, and seemed content just to row along behind the otdiers until the finish, when he spurted and just failed to the third .raau, Mason.