WITH the OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 16

WITH the OARSMEN

BY

“RIGGER"

MORE NEW MEMBERS The signing up of another four men brings St. George’s total up to 12. new members so far. On Saturday the club skipper, V. Dunne, and M. Symons, took the new men out for some valuable coaching, while others went out in the whaleboat. Some of the experienced oarsmen went for a pull to Cheltenham, two fours and a stump making the journey. It has been definitely decided to hold the opening night dance in the Parnell Park tea kiosk next Saturday, at eight o’clock. * * * West End, North Shore, and St. George’s open next Saturday. Waite - mata, last of the city clubs to commence club trials, will commence its season’s programme on November 17. Auckland has two sets of racing oars and two sets of practice oars awaiting shipment in Melbourne. * * * St. George’s has definitely ordered two single sculls from Norton, of Wellington, and the committee expects to take delivery about the second week in January. * * * The first of the three clinker fours recently bought from West End by Auckland was brought to its new home on Saturday. Four “Aucklanders” took a four around to St. Mary’s Bay, and, stroke and two taking one boat, and bow and three taking another, set out for home. They found it a hard pull back. Whangarei Club opens on November 24. The club membership now stands at 20 honorary and 60 active, which is a record. A suggestion to row the inter provincial eights in heats of a mile and a-half was rejected at last Wednesday’s meeting of the New Zealand Association. * * * ST. GEORGE S CREWS St. George’s regatta crews for the season will be picked from the following: Junior fours—M. Simons, Soloman, McGregor, Colbeck, Duncan ; heavy maidens —Hislop, Coote, Wilson, McGlashan, Colebrook; light maidens —Carr, E. C. Auger, McAlpine, C. Kelleway, Wynyard; youths, Carr, Colebrook, McAlpine, Auger. Scullers and pair - oared experts will be picked later. U Authreau Some little difficulty is being experienced with the senior four, as only Hargreaves, Woolhouse and D’Authreau are' definitely available at present. Page could stop the gap occasionally, but as consistent training

would be out of the question for him, it is considered advisable to fill his place. HENDERSON CUP CREWS A new departure has been tried by Auckland in picking trial four crews a week ahead. It is thought that this innovation will afford oarsmen some opportunity to train together, trim any rough edges, and show Improved form on Saturdays. Henderson Cup crews for next week are: First heat—Bygate (str.), Wigley, Stacey, Hirtzell (bow), Cochrane (cox); Ooutts (str.), Barrett, Duck, Cuff (bow), Johnson (cox). Second heat —Eaddy (str.), Thorburn, Morgan, Jackson (bow) , Cobb (cox); Jonson (str.), Martin, White-Robinson, Wood (bow), Johnson (cox); McComish (str.), Andrews, Battley, Leabourne (bow), Cochrane (cox). Third heat — Ross (str.), Mahon, Hirtzell, Horsfall (bow), Cobb (cox); Cleal (str.), Morgan, Scott, Finn (bow), Cochrane (cox). TIDES UNSUITABLE The opening day ceremony which St. George’s had intended holding next Saturday has been abandoned on account of unsuitable tides. Arrangements had been made to borrow a punt from the Harbour Board, and stage such entertainments as pillow fights on it within full view of the clubhouse. Exhibition rowing also figured prominently on the programme, but, as the tide will be unfavourable, all these plans have been cast aside. Trials will still bp held for the Coates Cup, and it is hoped that the usual opening day dance will be held in the evening. In addition to the general renovation work that is going on at the club, Mr. J. Drummond has repaired the clinker four that was so badly smashed in the tidal rip under the railway embankment last season. WEST END NOTES Good water and a full tide resulted in a muster on Sunday morning which was reminiscent of the good old days. It was encouraging to the club’s officials to see once again men lined up on the skids waiting for boats to return. New members . were not neglected, and had a couple of tryouts during the morning. The veteran oarsman, W. H. Conway, has a crew of youths in hand, all new

material, but keen and heavy, who are all shaping well and will be heard of this season. Blomfield has replaced M. Taylor in the bow seat of the heavy maidens, business reasons preventing the latter from attending regattas this season. This crew is starting to strike combination and should improve rapidly. The maiden doubles are shaping nicely. Present indications are that there will unfortunately be no light maidens for Tauranga regatta owing to insufficient material offering in this class. The club will be holding its first trials on Saturday next for trophies donated by the committee, the course being from the mills to Shelly Beach baths, providing water conditions are favourable. The maiden pair-oar, E. Such and L. Strange, had their first spin on Sunday morning and look like developing into a really good pair. W. N. Bright has signified his intention of giving the game best. “Chuck” is the last remaining of the club’s old senior four, who finished third at the New Zealand championships of a few seasons back, A. Payne, J. Skinner and Joe Johnson having all previously given it up. Had this crew taken its training seriously, the men could have been wearing “red coats” now, according to the West End skipper’s opinion. * * * IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO Waitemata oarsmen are still busily engaged in training new members and some promising talent has been on the water during the last two Saturdays. Keegan and C. C. Cairns have been prominent among those who have given their assistance in teaching the new men in the way they should go. “Rigger” noticed last. Saturday, however, that a number of the new recruits, both at Waitemata and next door, were getting into the boats incorrectly. While the way a man steps into a boat need not affect his style, it is well to remember that a heavy foot should be placed nowhere but on the centre-board. A little carelessness, a man’s full weight on the planking, and disaster may easily result. Waitemata members are reminded that the club’s evening at Dixieland has been fixed for November 15. * * * RALLYING ROUND Life members of the Auckland Club are loyal to the red and black. Messrs. G. Hogan (president), H. Cleal, J. Gentles and H. Young, all life members, have guaranteed the bank for a further £3O overdraft, so that the three new boats recently bought from West End can be paid for promptly. Members are asked to pay their Subscriptions as soon as possible this season, as £4O is required to meet a demand draft to pay for the new oars which will shortly arrive from Melbourne. * * * 1928-29 CHAMPIONSHIPS Picton, which was the scene of the championship regatta in the season before last, has been selected for this season’s championships. As a rule, it is an excellent course, though many oarsmen could tell heartfelt tales about the water when an unfavourable wind is blowing. F. H. Browne, one of last season’s Olympic oarsmen, and F. Oborne, of the Canterbury Club, have decidedly unpleasant recollections of the 1-926-27 meeting, when they were robbed of an excellent chance of victory in the senior pairs through their boat swamping as a result of a sudden wind squall, which did not affect the other boats in the race. Picton is quite in keeping with the controlling body’s desire to centralise regattas as much as possible and crews should attend in fair numbers. The association has also decided to allot the eights to Canterbury. Though the claims of Auckland are urgent in regard to this race, Canterbury, as the holders of the Hallyburton Johnstone Cup, are quite justified in asking for the race to be held there. Whether the race will be held on the Waimakariri, which is the present Canterbury championship course, or whether Corsair Bay, where the inter-collegiate races were rowed, will be favoured, is not yet certain, though the latter seems more probable. ASSOCIATION’S OFFICERS The 41st annual general meeting of the Auckland Rowing Association was held last evening, Mr. G. H. Reston presiding. The election of officers resulted: Patron, Mr. John Clark; vice-patron, Mr J. Lovett; president, Mr. W. G. Mason' vice-presidents, Sir George Fowlds* Messrs. G H. Restoil, W. Madden, w’ Bridson; hon. secretary, Mr. E. H Luckier; hon-. treasurer, Mr. A M *WilI executive, Messrs. V. Dunne, 't M V. Morton, C. H. Hunt, D. Davies, A M Mackay, G. Jonson, N. C. Cossey A Pooley delegates New Zealand Asso’ciation, Messrs. D. R. Menzies and E. Innes* hon. auditor, Mr. J. C. Gulliver. A lengthy discussion ensued upon the mterprovmcial eights and it was finally decided that Auckland would not be represented in the race this season. It was agreed to call a meeting of club delegates to arrange the club racing programmes for the season.