ROWING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 301, 12 March 1928, Page 7

ROWING

WAITEMATA LOSES SOMERVILLE SHIELD HAMILTON SUCCESS FINE SPECTACLE ON HARBOUR Perfect conditions made yesterday’s eight-oar race, in which Hamilton prevailed over Waitemata, a great spectacle. There was a great parade of all types of rowing craft. Waitemata has held the Somerville Shield since 1925, when it won it from the Wanganui Rowing Club. The shield is likely to stay on the W'aikato River a long time, as, to race for it, a challenging crew will have to take two boats to Hamilton. Yesterday’s result was no surprise, as Hamilton’s strength was plain. What was surprising was the ease with which the race was won. Hamilton won by a good four lengths, after leading by six lengths for a good part of the journey. The course lay from off Orakei to the Queen’s Wharf, over water that was glassy in its smoothness, and many onlookers had gathered on the King’s Wharf and Queen's Wharf and other vantage points. The crews were: Hamilton. Waitemata. Str. N. Pope T. Johnson 7. B. Sandos L. E. Brooker 6. ’W. Bayly N. Doubleday 5. G. St. Clair A. M. Mackay 4. I. W. St. Clair V. Smith 3. C. D. Moles- W. Lowe worth 2. E. A. Waters C. G. Fearon Bow P. Edmonds J. M. Stevenson Cox’n. W. Bryden H. Cullen Starting by mutual consent, the crews broke to an even start, from which Waitemata, quickening, had the advantage for the first furlong. After that Hamilton, maintaining a long and sweeping stroke, jumped into a sudden lead, which was increased rapidly to about five lengths. Waitemata was on the inside course, and appeared to strike the full force of a tidal ebb round the end of the tidedeflector. Approaching the deflector Hamilton were striking 30 to the minute, and Waitemata 28, but whereas the Hamilton stroke was long and crisp, Waitemata’s was short and listless. There was absolutely no life in the boat. Hamilton now had the race in hand, but Waitemata made an effort after passing the King’s Wharf, and picked up distinctly. This was the only stage at which Waitemata’s rowing was at all convincing. The winners got a great ovation when they crossed the line. SHORE TRIAL FOURS The weather conditions were perfect for the North Shore Club’s trial fours which were rowed on Saturday for the captain’s trophies. The course was from H.M.S. Philomel to the boathouse buoy. The racing was very close, the final resulting in a dead heat, and having to be re-rowed. The following were the crews: E. Korn (str), E. Harvey, W. Wrigley, D. Jack, F. Norris, M. McCallum, 5. Challinor, P. Musket; W. Dean (str), D. Townsend. W. Atkins, B. Vowles; D. Davies, W. Seager, J. Stead, P. Musket. In the first heat crews were level to the three quarter mark when Korn drew away to win by a length. Dean got away well in the second heat and was a length ahead at the three-quarter mile. Davies then spurted hard and crossed the line a short canvas to the good. Korn and Davies fought out a hard race in the final, crossing the line together. The crews turned round and immediately re-rowed. Davies’s crew winning by the narrow margin of half a canvas. CARO SCULLS RE-ROWED As the double-sculling race held earlier in the season for the Maurice Caro Cup resulted in a dead-heat, the race was re-rowed on Saturday afternoon, in perfect water. The course was from Orakei to the tide deflector. Owing to the defection of West . End, only two crews faced the starter: —St. George's (K. D. Page str, M. Simons bow); Auckland (G. Cleal str, W. Eaddy bow). V. Hargreaves was to have stroked the St. George’s boat, but as he was indisposed, his place was taken by K. D. Page. Auckland got away well and led by a canvas up to Point Resolution, where St. George’s spurted, and came up to the lead. Auckland soon went up again, however, and won the race by three-quaters of a length. FEARON PAIRS AT WAITEMATA A series of pari-oared races rowed by Waitemata crews for the Fearon Cup before last Saturday resulted as follow: Keegan and Platt (255) beat Lowe and Read (10s) by six lengths; Belton and Barker (12s) beat Pullen and Impey (12s) by four lengths: Cairns and Bishop (255) beat Richards and Sadler (255) by three lengths. The races were continued on Saturday, the course being from King’s "Wharf to the tide deflector. Results are as follow: Fearson and J. Stevenson (7s) beat A. Smith and Hunn (225). Fearon drew ahead at Luna Park and, across the gap, had a lead of two lengths, which he increased to three lengths at the finish. D. Gladding and A. Dunn (255) beat Johnson and Simmons (255). Across the gap Johnson was leading by a length, but Gladding spurted and the leading stroke became bustled, shortening his stroke and losing the race by two feet. Beasley and Shore (19s) beat V. Smith and Brooker (scr). Smith got away late and found the handicap too much for him, Beasley winning by a good six lengths. Henrich and Lawrence (28s) beat Johnson and Mackay (scr). Kenrick took full advantage of his big start and was seven lengths ahead at Luna Park. Johnson, however, rowing a splendid stroke, made a great effort, reducing the winner’s lead to one and a-half lengths at the finish. Second Round.—Cairns and Bishop (255) beat Belton and Barker (12s) by half a length, after a hard fight all the way. Dunn and Gladding (355) beat Fearon and J. Stevenson (7s) by a length. Fearon fought hard, but found Dunn’s handicap too much for him. The races will be concluded at the first opportunity. TAURANGA “AT HOME” HARRIS TRIAL FOURS Six crews entered for the_ W. S. Harris trial fours at Tauranga on Saturday, when the club's “At Home” was held. The following were the crews:—Aeal ( str), Gifford, Collard. Hammond; Campbell (str), Lindell. Agate, Evans: Tonkin (str). Mirrielees. Alley. Bickers; Turner (str), Mansell, Dennison, Gilligan: Handle (str), Clemson, Fenn, Goulding; G. Denniston (str), Hau, Broad, Vennell. In the heats Neal defeated Campbell; Tonkin defeated Turner; Randle defeated Denniston. Tonkin beat Neal in the semi-final. Handle rowed a great race against Tonkin in the final, winning by three-quarters of a length.