WITH the OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 52, 24 May 1927, Page 7

WITH the OARSMEN

BY

“RIGGER”

A CHAT ABOUT SCULLING

“Rigger” has received from Mr. M. Steele, Parnell, a correction of his statement that New Zealand service crews were not permitted to compete at Henley. He writes: “I was fortunate enough to attend the four days’ Regatta held at Henley in July, 1919, and on that occasion a New Zealand eight, a New Zealand four and D. Hadfield competed. “The New Zealand eight was beaten by Cambridge by three-quarters of a length in 7min. 17secs., the final and the King Cup going to the Australian crew, who beat Oxford oy a length in 7min. 7sec. “Hadfield won the single sculls and the Kingswood Cup and the official results of all his races were ‘Won easily.’ ” SOLDIER OARSMEN Mr. Stewart's correction only slightly modifies the complexion of the case. Simply Decause the 1919 regatta was held at Henley, it did not possess the historic flavour of the time-hon-oured Henley fixture, whieu had been dropped during the war. it was more of a servicemen’s regatta than the real old Henley, and the King’s Cup was a series put on specially for the benefit of soldier oarsmen. The Kingswood Cup, won by Hadfield, lacked the importance of the Diamond Sculls, in which the New Zealander was not allowed to compete. Moreover, the New Zcala .ders were not allowed to compete ir. the Grand Challenge Cup, which is the star event at Henley. England's qualification for these events is ilut the oarsmen be “gentlemen,” and a gentleman, as defined. is a nan whose hands are untarnished by manual toil. The Austral ; an Murray Bridge crew, composed of Australiar amateurs, was also barred from the big events at Henley. AMATEUR SCULLING Winning the Kingswood Cup, in 1919, against the best amateur talent then offering, D. Haineld captured what could be regarded as the amateur sculling title of the world. He is thus the only man to have held both amateur and professional titles. In English rowing circles, however, the Diamond Sculls is regarded as the test for genuine amateur scullers. In this Hadfield, as well as many other overseas scullers, was not permitted to enter. Several Americans made attempts to enter, but were barred, so the friends of an aspiring sculler named Hoover, of Philadelphia, U.S.A., presented a magnificent gold cup, the Vesper Cup, to carry the amateur championship of the world. Unfortunately, the Vesper Cup has not been competed for outside America, and it has not yet threatened the prestige of the Diamond Sculls Hoover was later cn allowed to enter for the Diamond Sculls, and ! won. * OVERSEAS SCULLERS The standard of sculling reached by j English amateurs has been consisI tently high, but there is no evidence | that the New Zealand amateur chamI nir.« each year could not defeat them.

! A very good sculler named Bull, of 1 Queensland, left his accountancy business four years ago to pursue the Diaj mond Sculls, but was not quite good ! enough. In the Olympic Games sculling matches, overseas scullers have generally played a prominent part. Kelly, the Canadian, and Hoover, the American, have been prominent in recent years. England’s cracks have been Beresford and Gollan, the former a. particularly fine sculler, and winner of the Diamonds many times over. GOLLAN’S SUCCESS New Zealand has a distinct link with English amateur sculling through the fact that D. H. L. Gollan, winner of the Wingfield Sculls, and a runner-up for the Diamonds on several occasions, was born and brougTit up in this country. His father, Mr. Spencer Gollan, was ;i well-known Hawke's Ba y »P : owner of a great tract of land known as the Mangatarata Estate. When the property was sold he retired to live in England, and since then he has been in New Zealand on casual visits. His son, Donald Gollan, hacl the misfortune from infancy to be afflicted with defective vocal chords, and like another famous athlete, J. K. AyrosOosterlaak, he was unable to speak properly. But he developed into a fine Rugby footballer, golfer, and oarsman, and many of his acquaintances in this country have followed with intherest his excellent performances in recent years. DOINGS AT WEST END Like the other Auckland rowing clubs, West End is offering its members plenty of winter rowing. On Sunday a four-oar and a pair-oar undertook the long plug to the Auckland sheds, where a set of oars was picked up, the return trip being made at a clinking pace. West End has excellent plant, including six fine practibe fours, three of which have lately been idle because they are swivel-rigged, and popular favour has lately swung toward poppets. The respective merits of swivels and poppets will be discussed later in this column. It is a costly business to keep boats and oars idle because only poppets are favoured, and the club would be wise to concentrate definitely on one or the other. From last summer’s; events one final remains yet to be despatched, and this, the Schmidt double sculls, will be rowed in the next fortnight. The pairs are: A. C. Norden and L. R. McDonald, and R. Snowden and J. Stratton. HANNAN GOES NORTH In the city yesterday was Paddy | Hannan, on his way up to Whangarei. Hannan, who holds the Australasian sculling title, is now 43. and is probably the oldest man to hold an athletic title of any kind. Hannan does not allow advancing years to deter him, and looks as fit now as he did ten years ago. He claims to have the right for a challenge to Goodsell for the world’s sculling title, and possibly may visit the United States to race the Australian.