HENLEY-ON-WAIKATO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 575, 30 January 1929, Page 6

HENLEY-ON-WAIKATO

TRIUMPH FOR HAMILTON OARSMEN 12 STARTS: 10 WINS Competing against seven other provincial clubs at the Hamilton Anniversary Regatta yesterday, Hamilton oarsmen put up a performance almost without precedent in gaining 10 firsts and two seconds in 12 starts. Altogether i£s7 of the £BO prize money stayed in Hamilton. Regatta gale receipts constituted a record, and a large crowd eagerly watched a day's racing that was crammed full of incident. The regatta passed off without a hitch, save that, largely owing to the leisurely manner in which some crews started out from the clubhouse, the programme was completed nearly three-quarters of an hour behind time. Messrs. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., A. G. Ross, and A. M. Wilson, of Auckland, were judges, and Mr. IT. IT. Buchanan started the events. The results were: .Junior Pairs (five crews). —Tauranga shot to the front from the start, leaving Waitemata and Hamilton to fight a desperate battle for second place. The Aucklanders were half a length ahead at the bridge, but Hamilton challenged and passed Waitemata early in the last quarter-mile. The home crew then had a tilt at Tauranga, but the visitors, rowing a long swinging stroke, maintained their lead to win by two lengths, with Waitemata a further two lengths back third. Auckland and St. George’s were well back. The winning crew was C. Haua (str.), G. A. Lindell (bow). Maiden Pairs (five crews). —-Hamilton, Waitemata and St. George’s came away in that order, with Shore and Tauranga well up. St. George’s made a great bid, taking second place from Waitemata, and challenging the leaders. Hamilton continued to swing along nicely, though when the finish was reached St. George’s had reduced the lead to three-quarters of a length. Shore was a length back third. The winning crew was S. Taylor (str.), G. A. Pennell (bow). Handicap Single Sculls (six starters). —St. Clair (Hamilton) came away best with Turner (Tauranga) and Molesworth (Hamilton) well up and fighting hard for second place. Under the bridge St. Clair was a length ahead of Turner, who had a slight lead on Molesworth. The pace was hot and Turner forged to the fore, Molesworth following him, and St. Clair dropping back to third. The Tauranga man was sculling cleanly and striking 36 to the minute. He crossed the line two lengths to the good with St. Clair two lengths behind Molesworth. Mercer, Waitemata and West End were well out of the picture. Junior Fours (four crews). —From a fairly even start Hamilton went ahead to gain a substantial lead, which was held all the way, the local men winning by five lengths. St. George’s were fairly close to the winners all the way, but between the first two crews and the rest of the field there was a ; gap of about a dozen lengths. Auckland was third and Waitemata fourth. The winning crew was N. Pope (str.), L. Brockett, E. Attwood, R. Salisbury (bow). Maiden Single Sculls (two starters). —Hamilton (J. R. Wink) led a procession of two all the way up the river, to win easily from St. George’s CC. D’Authreau). Senior Fours (three crews). —Inside position in the slack water aided Hamilton in its intention to make no bones of this race, and the red and whites gained a handy lead early in the proceedings. Tauranga was two or three lengths ahead of North Shore. Hamilton continued to increase its lead, rowing beautifully, while Shore and Tauranga tussled for second place. Tauranga crossed and came into Shore’s water. To avoid a foul they had to cross again, and lost ground. North Shore spurted then and took second place, being 50 yards behind Hamilton at the finish, with Tauranga third, four lengths back. The winning crew was G. St. Clair (str.), B. Sandos, W. Bayly, E. Waters (bow). Maiden Fours, open (seven crews). — The crews came away in a bunch and at the bridge were strung out across the river, with little between them, St. George’s having a slight advantage over Hamilton. Over the last halfmile Hamilton No. 2 was out of the hunt, but the remaining crews were still bunched, and it was difficult to pick the winners. Hamilton spurted and, though St. George’s pressed, the local men gained the decision by threequarters of a length. Waitemata was one and a-half lengths back third, and Auckland, North Shore and Tauranga finished in that order, there being little between them. Hamilton’s crew comprised G. Taylor (str.), W. A. Pennell, J. Partridge, J. Graham (bow). Maiden Fours, light-weight (seven crews). —Crews in this race came away together, but at the bridge Hamilton shot to the fore with Shore heading Auckland for second place. Hamilton increased its lead to win by three lengths. Auckland challenged Shore for second place, but lost it by two feet in a thrilling finish. Then came Waitemata, St. George’s, West End and Mercer. Hamilton’s crew was O. W. Lewis (str.). E. Gummer, W. Curnow, W. Nichol (bow). Eight Oared No Class.—First heat: Hamilton and Shore came away together, but the Shore bow man broke a poppet string and Hamilton waited for the repair to be made, a new start resulting. Both crews swung up the river together neck and neck, and enthusiasm was intense. A few lengths from home Hamilton ripped into it and established a lead of half a length, gaining the victory by that margin. Youths’ Fours (four crews). —Hamilton, with a long swinging stroke, soon established a lead, which it held right through the race. Tauranga, Shore and Hamilton No. 2 fought a spirited battle for second place, which was eventually gained by Tauranga. Shore, last under the bridge, beat Hamilton No. 2 for third place. Hamilton won by three lengths, there being two lengths between second and third. The winning crew was G. Taylor (str), N. A. Pennell, C. W. Lewis, R. Salisbury (bow). Maiden Double Sculls (four crews). —On almost the first stroke in this race Cleal, stroke of Auckland, had the misfortune to lose his scull, which jumped out of the swivel. By the time it was replaced he was far behind the field, Hamilton leading from Waitemata, with St. George’s close up. Auckland put heart and soul into the race and by the time the line was crossed had moved up to second place, decreasing Hamilton’s lead to one and a-half lengths. St. George’s, 25 yards behind the leaders, was third. E. Attwood (str), and J. R. Wink (bow), comprised the winning crew. Eight Oar No Class.—Final: A great race; Hamilton and Tauranga racing on almost level terms, with the home men slightly in the lead. The crews swung up the river in splendid style and, when a dozen lengths from home, Hamilton quickened and crossed the line half a length to the good. Hamilton’s crew was G. W. St. Clair (str). B. Sandos, W. Bayly, E. A. Waters, 1. St. Clair, L. Brockett, *N. Pope, C. D. Molesworth t (bow).