WITH the OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 580, 5 February 1929, Page 14

WITH the OARSMEN

BY

“RIGGER”

The programme for the A.R.A. championship on the Whau was published in yesterday’s Sun. Semi-finals and final of the Schmidt double sculls will be rowed at West End on Thursday evening commencing at 0 p.m. . Owing to the regatta falling on the same day as the A.R.A. championshiiJ, there will be no rowing at Rangiriri this season. Waitemata’s “Big Bay’’ next Saturday, when the annual At Home will be held. HAMILTON'S DAY OUT Seldom if ever has Auckland Province seen such a triumph as that enjoyed by Hamilton at its own regatta last Tuesday. Out of 12 starts the home club gained 10 firsts, two seconds and a third. Certainly Hamilton was fortunate in drawing an inside position in almost every race and anyone who has ever rowed on the course knows what that means. However, the course is much better since it was buoyed? and the winners undoubtedly deserved their triumph. The rowing, particularly in the senior and junior class, showed the advantages of strict coaching and the specification of a definite style. More particularly was this noticeable in the eights, when Hamilton swung along evenly, getting the maximum speed out of their boat with what looked like the minimum of effort. Though both Shore and Tauranga did remarkably well, it was possible to count several different styles in each crew and the steadiness and machine-like precision of Hamilton was decidedly lacking. OFF TO PICTON Eleven of the oarsmen artd scullers who raced at Hamilton on Tuesday are likely to be making an appearance at Picton on February 23. The Hamilton senior four, which is going particularly well at present, is a certainty for the trip and it is possible that the juniors will also be present. I. W. St. Clair and Moles worth will race in both double sculls and singles. Turner, of Tauranga will also appear in the'sculls.

BESTS OR CLINKERS? There has been considerable fluttering in the Christchurch dovecotes recently over a proposal that senior events fit regattas should be rowed in clinker-built boats. While the suggestion- would naturally meet with the approval of the small clubs in Canterbury, of which there are four, the regatta committee’s decision to stick ro Best and Bests will be generally applauded. In past years the senior events —that is. the senior fours, pairs and double sculls —have been rowed *n best boats. This is recognised as the highest standard of rowing. It should be, and no doubt is, every oarsrrran’s ambition to win championships, which events are, of course, rowed in best boats. If the proposal to use clinker boats were carried, how are oarsmen to get the opportunity of cultivating the necessary style and watermanship 9 Though it is admitted that at the present time the standard of rowing is not as high as it has been in past years, is this not a reason why the

oarsmen should bo given every possible facility and encouragement to attain proficiency and to improve their standard? It may be quite true there is very little difference in rowing a clinker boat and a best boat. Still, the fact remains that a best boat is lighter, is built on finer lines, and so is more difficult to sit than a clinker boat. NORTH SHORE NEWS “Shore Critic” submits the following criticism of crews from across the harbour. He also gives some interesting club news: “The Shore seniors performed rather well at Hamilton, and if they had had the luck to have drawn the bank course, Hamilton would not have been victors by so much of a margin. All the same, the crew requires a good deal of livening up. The catch lacks the snap at the beginning of the stroke and the slide work is far too quick. A crew I would like to see representing Shore in its next senior race is: Davies (str). Crease. Rutledge, Dean (.bow). “Shore’s eight was only a scratch

crew and as three ""outsiders had to be included to make up the number, it did well. It was only in the latter stages of the race that Hamilton got any lead. Davies (stT). Crease (7) Rutledge (6) and Dean (5) rowed well together.. and I would like to see them together as a senior four. Hen Rutledge rowed in his old position, Xo. 6. in the eight. “The Xorth Shore selectors would be wise to have in mind the following crew lor the head of the harbour eights: Davies (str). Crease. Rutledge. Jackson. Dean. Eaton. Seagar. Moral - lum (bow).”

TOO MANY TROPHIES Events at this season's regattas have shown that there is something very wrong With Auckland rowing; tiiat is, as far as the city clubs are concerned. There are now too many trophies to bo had almost for the taking and re- j gattu rowing has lost most of its one time importance. There are so many 1 club trophies to be competed for that ! city clubs find difficulty in fitting the i various sets of trial fours into the ! season's programme, and a-spell of bad ! weather upsets their arrangements for months ahead. Kvery Saturday club members race in drawn crews for trophies donated by some well-inten-tioned supporter of the sport. Regatta crews are consequently left U> train when, and as often, as they will. Anv stroke can tell how difficult it is to get all his men down at the shed at once reguiuriy. To take a case in point, the \\ aitemala senior four for Hamilton j was scratched because it had never been out and the committee did not fancy trusting the prestige of a club with a record like that of Waitemata to an unknown quantity. The healthv rivalry between clubs is disappearing and though it may be apparent on tin* actual day of a regatta, it is not sufficient to keep a representative crew together for any length of time beforehand. Practically any man with good physique and determination can join ** J‘°wing club and lift a pot or so, and wny should he worry’ about slogging and hard to travel to town l at his °wn expense on the nebulous chance of winning a few ! *\ or hls own c,ub? The result | is that the standard of regatta rowing | r°es rapidly down and a club that (loos I train with a view to inter-club successes can scoop the pool, as did Ham- . llton on Tuesday. A few weeks ago ! two of the harbour clubs declined to I u PPort the A.R.A. in its attempt to | P l,t ,J le into provincial rowing bv ! peopling the excellent Whau course | * Ol the championships. "Without being I unduly pessimistic, one cannot help ; calling attention to what may be the thin edge of the wedge. With so many trophies and so many of their own affairs to occupy’ their attention, the clubs are in clanger of keeping too much to themselves. Should this happen, the unity of oarsmen would be shattered and the sport would die a slow and painful death. The A.R.A. is doing its best to boost rowing this season, but without the support of all the clubs it can do little, so “a strong pull and a long pull and a pull ail together.”