FLASHING BLADES AT HENLEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 181, 21 October 1927, Page 11

FLASHING BLADES AT HENLEY

WAITEMATA COLOURS ON THE YARRA gruelling tests for oarsmen and scullers THE attention of Auckland oarsmen will to-morrow be focused on the results from the Henley-on-Yarra Regatta, Melbourne, where New Zealand is represented by the Waitemata senior four, and by W. A. Stevenson, also of Waitemata, who is champion sculler of New Zealand. Preparations for the classic struggle are here described for THE SUN by L. E. Brookes, who is No. 3 in the Waitemata boat.

HENLEY, along with the Melbourne Cup, is the outstanding ec cial event of Melbourne’s year. Coming with the advent of spring, in a warm and attractive climate, the regatta attracts young and old. Each year the attendance increases, the competitors become more and more numerous, and interest spreads further and further afield. It is at such a function that the Waitemata Boating Club has been invited to represent New Zealand, both with its senior four and with its champion sculler. W. A. Stevenson. Stevenson. \\ ith his trainer, W. Logan, left New Zealand on the Niagara in the middle of September, and had a very bad- voyage over. The four, along with its manager, Mr. A. M. Mackay, left on the Maheno a fortnight later. The voyage across the Tasman was good up till the last day, when very dirty weather was experienced —weather bad enough to smash up the Maheno’s accommodation ladder and do other minor damage. However, the members of the crew were able to keep up continuous exercises, and they owe much to Captain Martin, of the Maheno, for the privileges he extended and the facilities he placed at their disposal. After a day in Sydney, spent In visiting Geo. Towns’s shed and one or two of the rowing clubs, the crew came on to Melbourne—an exhausting and trying journey. At Melbourne they were met by Mr. Kenney, the secretary of the Henley committee, Mr. Hill, the president of the New Zealand Association, and one or two other officials, and were taken to their quarters at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Flinders Street. MAGNIFICENT COURSE A visit to the course that afternoon was an eye-opener for the New Zealanders. The Yarra passes through Alexandra Park and under Prince’s Bridge within a minute of the heart of the town. The park has banks sloping gently up from the river, and forms a perfect natural grandstand for the 100.000 or so persons that attend each

year. The river itself has been artificially widened and straightened, so that now there is a course of about a mile and a quarter with only two slight bends, and wide enough to accommodate three crews comfortably. Portions of the banks have a concrete staging and at this a large number of houseboats are moored. Flags, streamers, hundreds of pleasure boats and launches complete the gay scene on Henley Day. The entries this year constitute a record. There are eight events, with entries ranging from five up to 20 odd crews. So many entries necessitates a large number of heats, and these are sent off at five minute intervals throughout the day, so that interest is maintained throughout. All the club sheds arc set among trees and green lawns along the banks of the river. There are some dozen sheds housing some two dozen clubs. In addition there is Jerram and Sons boatbuilding sheds. A fire just before list Henley destroyed three or four of the sheds, including that of Edwards ?ml Sons. the famous boatbuilders. Kd wards have shifted to the Albert Park Lake, while several of the clubs are now rebuilding. Later last season another lire destroyed the boathouse of the Mercantile Club. This club has just finished rebuilding and now possesses a wonderful clubhouse. It is here that the New Zealanders’ boats are housed. WAITE MATA'S RIVALS As far as the New Zealanders are concerned the important race is the senior fours for the Stewards Challenge Cup. In this, the entry of only five crews is disappointingly small, and as all these crews represent Victorian clubs the race loses the international character it was intended to possess. The entries are Essondon. Waitemata, Hawthorn. Nagambie and Barwon. These are a very even lot, and it is hard ; on past records, to pick out any individual crew as being outstanding. Last Henley. Otago had very little difficulty in defeating similar opposition, but the rowing has since improved to a considerable extent. The races are rowed In heats of three crews, so that any crew will have only a heat and a final to row. This is in strong contrast to some of the other classes, for instance the maiden eights, where there are 21 entries, necessitating 11 or 12 races to complete the event. The Waitemata four has so far been doing only light work, twice a day up and down the course. The crew is paced by Stevenson and coached by Mr. A. M. McKay. Coxwains have been borrowed from the local clubs, and they have been found very efficient. smart and capable. The boy who is to steer on the day of the race is particularly good. Up to the present the crew has shown very little of the good form expected of it. There is little life

, in the boat and the },*) ?** gagged. No doubt most of the disappear in the next fortmghts training. o , e crew's own boat arrived on Monwaa unpacked and rigged on th , l uesday. The first row in her on t * . e dn* sday showed a marked improvement in the crew, although there

is still a long way to go. The Australians row with smaller blades than the New Zealanders, and have their oars leathered much further inboard, all of which would tend to disconcert the crew. The improvement noted on getting their own gear leads one to hope for a return of the old, even, swinging stroke. NOTE.—On October 12 the crew did the course in 5.25, which is close to the record, 5.15. STEVENSON’S RACE The other important race is the Yarra Challenge Cup and Silver Sculls for senior single scullers. It is in this race that the New Zealanders will meet the most opposition. With Stevenson’s entry the entries total nine, and include H. R. Pearce, who is champion of New South Wales and of Australia, A. Cambridge, champion of Victoria, and L. R. Marsh, who is champion of Tasmania. There is at present in Melbourne the sculling champion of Austria, Hellmutt Koffler, whom it was intended to enter for this race, but he has not been in a boat for six months, and it is impossible for him to get into anything like condition in the fortnight left. He will, however, compete at the Melbourne regatta to be held on the Yarra a week after Henley. The other entries are J. A. Goulding, of Sydney, who was champion of New South Wales before Pearce; H. E. Ricketts, Sydney, and J. Kranz, J. C. Hardy and E. Beablehole, all from local clubs. The entries are thus fairly representative of the various States. Pearce is coached by his father, who used to be world’s champion, and he is trained by Floyd. Goulding is coached by G. Towns. Cambridge, Goulding and George Towns all arrived here to-day, October 3 2, also the Mildura eight, and should all be out to-morrow. Sydney critics cannot see Pearce being beaten and credit him with some remarkable performances. Geo. Towns has built a new boat for him this season, and so highly is he regarded that his supporters consider it is unnecessary for him to Compete in any com-

petition to decide on any sculler to represent Australia at the Olympic games next year.

The only other sculler to be seen in action is Hardy, who sculls with a beautiful swinging style without any apparent effort. His boat was destroyed by the lii*e last season, but he has a new boat for this race.

The other most likely winner is Cambridge, who rows for a country club, Bendigo, and who was, last year, easily the best sculler in Victoria. He was not a competitor in the Victorian championship race, but a special race was arranged to decide who . should represent Victoria in the inter-State contest. Cambridge won the trial race easily but was defeated by Pearce in the inter-State race, although many say that Pearqe won only on account of Cambridge getting badly off his course. Ricketts was the Victorian champion last year, but he has now shifted to Sydney. It is not known here whether he has improved to any great extent, but he was outclassed by Cambridge last season. Of the other entrants Kranz was the Maiden champion last season, and this race will be his first match in high class company. STEVENSON’S NEW BOAT It will be seen that Stevenson is going to have the best of competition. I[e will have had a month on ?;he course by the time the race comes off. and is under the t constant care of his trainer and coach. W. Logan. He has received a new boat from Sims, of Putney, England, with which he is very pleased. The boat has nice lines, is just the right size, and sits and runs beautifully. a new set of sculls was received with the boat. Logan seems confident of turning out Stevenson in the pink of condition on the day—in fact, he appears very fit even at the present time His style is very little altered, but his work appears more polished, and neater. His fitness and that fierce determination of his, will make him a hard proposition for any of the Australians. It is a pity, however, that the course were not a two mile one, instead of only a little over a mile. The sculling race at Henley is to be followed by a test race on the Monday. to decide which Australian sculler if any, will be sent to the Olympic Games. Stevenson is, of course, not likely to compete in this race, but considerable interest is attached to the race on account of the important issues at stake. It is a foregone conclusion in Sydney that Pearce wilj be the winner, but in other parts of Australia, Cambridge is given an even chance with him. and there seems every possibility of a very even struggle. The other important events at the regatta are the Grand Challenge Cup for senior eights. Founders Challenge Cup for junior eights and the Maiden eights. In addition, there are junior and Maiden fours, and a four-oared race for the school crews. In the Grand Challenge Cup the entries include Mosman, the New South Wales champions. Tamar, the Tasmanian champions, and Melbourne Club who are the Victorian champions, as

well as some other crews. The Melbourne crew defeated a very similar Mosman crew a couple of years back, but only by a narrow margin. This year the chances of Mercantile, one of the Melbourne clubs, and Mildura, a club from the Murray River district, are very much favoured. They will, however, need to be very strong combinations to defeat either the Mosman or the Melbourne Club’s crew. Of the junior eights seen, the crew that impresses most is the Richmond crew, but there are large entries in this class, and it would be impossible to see all of even the most likely crews. All the maiden crews are unknown quantities, and it would be hopeless to endeavour to sort out any crews af all. The University Club has no less than four maiden eights entered. These remarks will give some idea of the opposition and the class of race in which the New Zealanders will compete. It remains now for them to put forward their best efforts, and maintain the prestige for which New Zealand rowing has so long been famous.