EIGHT-OARED ROWING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 636, 12 April 1929, Page 7

EIGHT-OARED ROWING

Indications during the past summer are that rowing is on the upgrade in New Zealand, both in regard to the quality of the oarsmen offering and in increased public interest. For instance, the interest that is being taken in eight-oared rowing is a fair sample of the growing fascination of the sport, and the class of athlete it is producing. When the first eight-oared race was held in Wellington Harbour last summer, there were indications that such rowing was likely to prove a popular sport with oarsmen and public, and this year’s contest on the Corsair Bay course in Lyttelton Harbour showed the advances which have been made. The fact that the ’varsities of New Zealand have taken their

part in eight-oared racing is a further indication of its popularity. Rowing has now become an important side of the athletic life of the four universities, and the matter was discussed at some length recently, when delegates assembled in Christchurch with the idea of directing the sport into the proper channels, with the result that a New Zealand University Rowing Council was appointed. So far, Otago has not joined up, but the indications are that it will do so next summer. Although eight-oared racing has been the chief reason for the interest di# played by the universities, it is by no means intended that the spurt shall end there, and all classes of rowing will be catered for each summer.