WITH THE OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 14

WITH THE OARSMEN

BY

“RIGGER”

SPLASHES R. Mahon told “Rigger'* on Saturday that he was through with rowing for good. His defection from the sport follows an injured shoulder and he is acting on medical advice. He was a good junior oar, and Auckland loses a valuable man. Fields for the Whangarei Regatta should be as good as Tauranga. There is no senior race, but there will be a full representation from the city « lubs and Hamilton. Auckland light maidens will travel to Whangarei. It is not yet certain whether the youths will travel. Porter, a member of the crew, is suffering from an injury. * • * The next A.R.A. meeting is set down for tomorrow week. As far as is known, there is no particularly important business coming up for discus- • * * All clubs will resume trial racing on January 11. There are still large programmes to be arranged. The next inter-club fixture is the Mcllwraith Cup, set down for North Shore on January 25. Hamilton on January 29. is next on the list of regattas. Owing to indisposition, I. C. Horton of St. George’s, was unable to fly to Tauranga, as was intended. He was to have taken Mr. V. Dunne with him. but. as it was. the A.R.A. chairman did not attend the regatta. Mr. T. M V. Morton, St. George’s i secretary, is spending a holiday in Sydney. He should return in about I three weeks’ time. SOME STATISTICS Though Hamilton secured more placings than any other club at Tauranga, the position was very different than in regattas last season when the river club practically scooped the pool. Rowing men applaud Hamilton’s record, but there can be no denying that it is better for the sport in the province that the prize-money be more evenly distributed. Excluding the Bay of Plenty fours, in which Hamilton was first and second, the successes scored were as follow:—Hamilton, three firsts, three seconds and two thirds; Tauranga, three firsts, one second and one third; Auckland, one first, one second and two thirds; Shore, one first and one second; St. George’s, one first; Waitemata, two seconds and two thirds; West End, one second and one third. On the basis of three points, two and one, this works out at: Hamilton. 17; Tauranga, 12: Auckland, 7; Waitemata, 6; Shore, 5; St. George’s a.nd West End, 3 each. Hamilton was placed in all but three events and, in some cases, had entered two crews for a race, a great performance. Tauranga was rowing on its home course. At first glance it would appear that the City clubs failed badly, but there is some explanation. Many crews dropped out as regatta day approached •.nd the City was not nearly as well represented as was estimated. Auckland did well after its light maidens nnd youths had withdrawn. It is regrettable that Waitemata did not make the comeback that club members had hoped for. The club entered more crews than any other Auckland club, being represented in every other race but the single sculls. Not one win was notched, however, and the club scored only two seconds and two thirds. There should be an improve* m^ r ? t as the season progresses. To Waitemata, at any rate, goes the credit of making a senior race even though it appears to have been a procession. It was not such a fiasco as the meeting between the crews on the Whau fast season.

JUDGE AND STARTER There is no official in Auckland more zealous in the interests of rowing than Mr. A. M. Wilson, treasurer of the A.R.A. As a judge and starter of races he is particularly well-known, and he should be seen as judge at Whangarei on Xew Year’s Day. Few of the provincial regattas are not attended by Mr. Wilson, who is as popular with active oarsmen as he is with his fellow officials. Auckland rowing is particularly fortunate in tho attention of old rowing men, such as Messrs. G. H. Heston and W. Madden, vice-presidents. John Clark, patron, and E. H. Buckler, secretary. Messrs. V. Dunne, C. C. Cairns, T. M. V. Morton, A. M. Mackay and others are no less deserving of appreciation for their administrative work, but are still active oarsmen.

SENIOR ROWING Unfortunately only two aenior crews, the old rivals, took the water at Tauranga. St. George’s had intended to enter, but was unable to do so. Mr. V. Dunne, club captain, is confident that the club will be represented in the senior class at Hamilton on January 29. If I. C. Horton* who is indisposed, is not available, Hilton Jackson may be called upon to help his club out. C. D’Authreau, who would probably have been giveai a seat in the crew, is not available* Shore may also have a senior crew, if not for Hamilton, at least for Ngaruawahia, where the prize money is an attraction. That would mean four crews with Waitemata. Unfortunately there is rather a dearth of youing senior oars in Auckland this season, as Pope’s Hamilton crew walked away with most of the junior events lasit stsason. * * * BYGATE’S WIN J. Bygate (Auckland) was evidently determined to become a senior oar this season. He won the junior fours decisively at Tauranga by two and a-half lengths. “Rigger” has always held Bygate to be one of the best strokes in Auckland, and he rowed some good races last season. This season he started off by stroking a crew to victory in great style for the Pewter Mug in club trials. During the last few weeks, his rowing appeared to go off terribly. He was slumping forward in his seat and his stroke lost all its pep. He certainly seems to have enjoyed a reversal of form at Tauranga and to him goes the credit of scoring the- most important win whicli fell to the City clubs’ lot. Bygate was supported by a powerful crew in E. T. T horburn, A. Ross and A. C. Andrews. Lp till a week or so ago, Mahon was rowing three in this crew, but an injury made it necessary for Thoi burn to take his place.