Henley-on-Yarra

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 11

Henley-on-Yarra

Waitemata Crew Sails

Auckland Oarsmen’s Venture

WHILE much of the interest centred on the departure of the Waitemata Club’s senior four for Australia to-day is purely local, there is considerable importance attached to the trip from an international viewpoint. The crew has been selected by the New Zealand Rowing Council as the best available crew, and it will meet the pick of the oarsmen from each of the Australian States.

BOWING enthusiasts throughout the Dominion will await with interest the results of the racing. Already many of the crews from various parts of Australia are in training on the course, and by the time the New Zealanders arrive in Melbourne each State will have its representatives out night and morning on the Yarra. WEATHER A HANDICAP

The local crew has been in fairly con-’ sistent training ever since the invitation was forwarded, but the recent bad weather has made breaks in the available time. Leaving by the Maheno to-day, they will arrive on the course a clear fortnight before the race, and this period will make a wonderful difference in the finish of their work. The Melbourne Henley is the classic regatta of the Southern Hemisphere, and ranks with the Melbourne Cup as the leading event of the social season in the Victorian capital. From a public point of view the course is ideal. It is on a portion of the Yarra River, which passes through the Domain, and which has been artificially straight-

ened, although there are still two slight bends in the course. Each side of the river has high, gently sloping banks, and these form a vast natural amphitheatre. The course is one mile and 300 yards long, which is considerably shorter than the standard senior four course in New Zealand, where two miles is the rule. This, however, should prove very little handicap to the Waitemata crew. The course, as with many river courses, is not very wide, thus forcing the races to be rowed off in heats. In recent years there has been as many as forty crews in some of the events, so that a large number of heats will be rowed. In the all-important fouroared race there will probably be entries from about thirty' different clubs, besides the various State crews and the New Zealanders. RACING AT NIGHT The heats are run off at about five minutes’ intervals, with wonderful dispatch, and the racing goes on far into the night, the course being electrically lit. It is no wonder that the gates well exceed the 100,000 mark and that the regatta committee is a very financial body. The Waitemata cretv is a good, even lot, the weight averaging about 12 stone, which, while not particularly heavy, is a good rowing weight. DETAILS OF CREW The stroke man, T. Johnson (11.7), is the most experienced man in the crew. He has represented the pro-

vince in several inter-provincial fours, and was bow in the last representative New Zealand eight, which had such convincing wins in Australia in 1925. He commenced rowing in 1922, and in his first season rowed three in a maiden crew stroked by W. Lindsay, now of the Star Club in Wellington. In his second year he was scsleeted for the inter-provincial four —an outstanding performance.

The centre of the boat is made up of L. Brooker (3), and N. Doubleday (2), both of whom weigh about 13 stone. Both are neat, polished oarsmen, and are more or less certainties for the next New Zealand eight. The pair commenced rowing in 1921 in a maiden crew stroked by A. A. Lucas, with F. W. Arnold as the bow, so that all four members of that crew were well-known in Rugby circles. In the following seasons Johnson, Brooker and Doubleday were associated with A. M. Mackay in a crack junior four, which remained unbeaten after two long and strenuous seasons.

During this period D. W. Smith, now rowing bow in the senior fours, was in a crack Waitemata youths’ four

stroked by his cousin, V. Smith. He was brought into the four at the beginning of last season, after a season’s junior rowing. Smith has had considerable success a^ 1 a sculler, having won the champion double sculls with Stevenson on two occasions. ITS OWN BOAT The crew is taking its own best-and-best boat with it. This boat was built by Towns, of Sydney, last season, and is a fair boat, but a bit on the heavy side. It has been specially crated for its voyage to Melbourne and should arrive safely about the same time as the crew. Some new tubular oars are being purchased for the race, so that all plant should be of the best. The manager of the crew will be Mr. A. M. Mackay, who is club captain of the Waitemata Club. He was rowing in the two seat with members of the present crew when they formed the junior crew, but has been unable to row in recent seasons. Mr. Mackay is also well-known as a member of the Auckland Rowing Association, and as a Rugby referee. We have very little by way of comparison by which to judge the crew's chances in Melbourne. A couple of seasons back the Otago Club’s crew was sent over and won the event. As there is little to pick and choose between the Otago crew and the Waitemata crew', the present tourists should have a good chance. The crew w'ill race in its own colours, blue and gold.