WITH the OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 314, 27 March 1928, Page 14

WITH the OARSMEN

by

“RIGGER”

CHAMPIONSHIP CREWS Auckland.—Crews for the A.R.A. championships, to be decided next Saturday, have been entered by the Auckland Club as follow;—Maiden and junior double sculls: G. Cleal and W. Eaddy. Maiden pairs: R. Stacey and R. Martin. Junior pairs: J. Bygate and R. Mahon. No crews are being entered for the single sculls or the senior fours. Waitemata.—The Waitemata Club has entered crews for all events except the maiden double sculls. Maiden pairs: C. Belton and G. Parker. Junior pairs: C. Fearon and J. Stevenson. Junior double sculls: W. Lowe and J. Stevenson. Single sculls handicap: W. Lowe. Senior fours: T. Johnson (str.), L. Brooker, N. Doubleday, A. Mackay. PAIR-OARED STYLISTS Auckland oarsmen do not often row pair-oared, and that fact was most apparent when the Auckland Club decided its McCormick Pairs on Saturday. Even with the experience of the first heat crew to guide them, the strokes in the second heat would not adapt their styles to the circumstances, but persisted in reaching far forward and rowing a long stroke, although everything pointed to the foolishness of such tactics. Not only is it invariably good policy to row a short stroke in pairs, but when racing on a short course and in choppy water the advisability becomes a necessity. * « * OLYMPIC EIGHT F * H * Brown. (Canterbury) is one of the most experienced oarsmen selectedlie is already an All Black, having made the trip to Australia with the last New Zealand crew. While there, in addition to being in the winning eight, he stroked his crew to victory I f l . Australian Fours championship. At the 1926-27 championships held at Picton, Brown and F. Oborn. who was a member of Canterbury’s eight were most unfortunate in the Senior Pairs. When in a leading position, with every mdication of a good win, they had an accident with their boat which, though not serious, put them out of the raSe. Brown will probably be reserve stroke to Healey. He is a member of the Canterbury Club. C. S Morris, another Canterbury man, will be one of the biggest in the crew and one of the most useful Weighing more than 13 stone and six feet three inches in height, Morris is a true athlete, being always fit. He has had little experience in senior roww?rks hard both in and out of the boat. His rapid improvement during the last month has been due to ° f Ayres - and the friendly advice of his club mate, F. H Brown. h,3 A / (Canterbury) is a memwJ °? + J tl ? a £ von Club, Christchurch. He, with his brother. H. G. Styles, won ch?r, Pa .if? at the Wan S'anui charapionthis season. Styles is a consistently reliable oar, and has been a se ?. lo t. for a sood many seasons. G. Duggan (Canterbury) is the star oarsman of the Union Club, Christenurch He has had many successes thern re Sattas during the last f''" seasons and has made an exceljfrt®tr°ke for the Union senior fours. At the beginning of the season he was great deai of pair-oared work with tile late Harry Bush, who was drowned two months ago, and it was

rumoured in Christchurch rowing circles that the two were going to try for the red coats which ultimately went to the Styles brothers. H. G. Styles, the first reserve for the crew, has rowed with his brother for many years, his last notable victory being his association with his brother in winnings the pairs championship. C. A. Healey, who may stroke the crew, is a veteran general, and Brough (Otago) is another fine stroke. Olsson, a Picton junior, is a surprise selection, and McLean, of Star (Wellington) is in his first year of regatta rowing. Brooker and St. Clair, the Auckland representatives, had earned their places on past performances. Need for Punctuality “Old-timer” sends the following very sound observations: Complaints are frequently made of lateness in starting rowing races. This fault, in fact, seems to have developed into a regular custom, that must "militate against the success of the sport, and cost it much in valuable support. Competitors are greatly at fault. They seem to lack any sense of responsibility, and their lack of co-operation with the regatta officials is regrettable in the extreme. * * * Saturday's Events For the events on Saturday, when the A.R.A. remaining championships will be rowed, it is to be hoped that, for the credit of the rowing association, competitors will make it a bounden duty, and a pleasurable duty, to arrive at the sheds early, and be promptly on the marks so as to help the programme along. It must not be thought that, because a race starts at 3 p.m., it is necessary only to be leaving the sheds at that time. That is the time when competitors should be on their marks, lined up. Auckland oarsmen should endeavour to avoid, in connection with Saturday's programme, having the same adverse criticism levelled at them as was levelled at Wanganui as a result of the recent championship regatta. Draw and times are to be arranged on Wednesday night. West End “At Home” The following are the crews for the West End “At Home,” president’s day, next Saturday: First heat: W. Bloxham (str), A. Norden, R. Macey, C. Parven, Matthews (cox), rows O. Felton (str), G. Conway, F. Conway, L. McDonald, McCarthy (cox). Second heat: J. Skinner (str), G. Dowling. J. Stratton, P. Soufflot, J. Stow (cox), rows J. Haylock (str), V. McFarlane, E. Such, M. Taylor, F. Orrell (cox). * * * Championship Regatta A note from Wanganui: “Of course, there has been a lot of criticism about the running of the regatta, but, believe me, you have another side to hear. One or two visiting crews were unduly unreasonable, and that, together with the ‘heads’ thinking more about the Olympic probables than the running of the regatta, did not tend to hasten things forward. Though the Wanganui Association admits it was at fault in some things, in others it has had to bear wrongly-placed blame. In other

places than Wanganui the champion I fours have had to be postponed as j many as seven times before the course j was calm enough to row on. The , sight the morning after the regatta, w*ith hundreds of cars and thousands of onlookers following the trial eights, was a reflection of rowing enthusiasm in Wanganui.” • • • DISAPPOINTING PERFORMANCE Aucklanders can hardly be pleased with the result of the first inter-pro-vincial eight-oar race wTiich was held in Wellington on Saturday. It was recognised that the crew was not the best that the province could produce and that it was hardly placed to the best advantage. But some further reason must be found to account for the crew’s being so far behind. It was quite out of the picture at the finish, and under the circumstances Auckland is distinctly lucky to have two men in the All Black crew. INSIDE CREWS AIDED The weather conditions on the day were hardly all that could be desired. There was a fierce and gusty northely blowing, which swept down the gullies and over the protecting hills, and spoilt th ecourse for a) except the inside crews. Canterbury and Wanganui were lucky enough to strike the inside positions, and outside them were Wellington, Auckland, Marlborough and Otago in that order. Wellington ran their boat on to a submerged stake while rowing up to the start, and made a huge gaping hole in the side of the boat sufficient to sink the craft in a few minutes. This kept them very definitely out of the race, which must have been a bitter disappointment to their supporters, and to the crew, which had been training solidly for some weeks. • • * DELAY AT THE START There was considerable delay at the start, the starter having trouble in getting the crews to move to his directions. At. last they were sent away beautifully, every crew together, and j the whole forming a perfect picture from the Hutt Road, on which were lined some thousands of spectators. The first crew to show out was the Auckland eight, which for the first quarter mile held a slight lead from Canterbury and Otago. This, however, was short-lived. Otgo, rowing about 38 to the minute, quickly overhauled the northerners, who had setled down to a long slow stroke at 26 to the minute. At the same time Canterbury and Wanganui, with the beat off the water, went ahead, and at the mile Cnterbury led with Wanganui and Otago about three-quarters of a length back. Otago had by this time crossed the bows of both Auckland and Wairau, and reached the good water against the Hutt Road embankment. Marlborough were at this stage some three lengths back, rowing a very fast stroke, but unable to make any impression. TELLING LAST MILE This order of the crews was maintained throughout the second mile. About the mile post, however, Marlborough, still rowing very fast, managed to overhaul Auckland, from which stage the Auckland crew, still rowing at 25, were never in the race. The leading crews maintained their positions until about half a mile from the finish, when the Wanganui crew seemed to lose all life, and the Marlborough crew overhauled them. The two leading crews went on with their positions unaltered for Canterbury to win by half a length from Otago, with Marlborough two lengths back third. * WINNERS' FINE FORM The winning crew rowed beautiful form throughout the race. and appeared to be rowing well within themselves. The stroke set varied

from 35 at the start to about 28 the major portion erf the race, qu lc ' ' ening again at th& finish. The erg is exceptionally averaging 6ft. I* . • in height, and well over twelve weight. Three of the crew were 3in. in height. nta*o. The heroes of the day were With a crew averaging only 10§ 8 ‘• ’ and in the very worst position, succeeded in crossing the bows other crews, a’id rowing a 9 01 lS 1 , rpeably longer distance kept within tiu quarters of a length of the lea There is little doubt that, if had Canterbury’s position at the they would have won the race-