WITH THE OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 16

WITH THE OARSMEN

BY

brLAoHhb The North Shore picnic will be held at Pine Island next Sunday. The Condor is to leave Devonport at 9.30, calling at Auckland. Shore is also holding a dance in the Devonport parish hall this evening. The A.R.A. meets tomorrow evening, when the chairman, Mr. V. Dunne, will call on all hands for another working party at the Whau on Sunday. There is still a considerable quantity of furze to be cleared away. One of the A.R.A. eights will probably be stored in the Auckland shed. West End made application to house one some weeks ago, but nothing further has been done. Possibly the; West End executive realises that it is better for everybody to have the boats in a central position. ft * • CHAMPIONS MEET One of the surprises of the Wellton regatta was the defeat of W. Turner, amateur sculling champion, by A. K. G. Jackson, last season’s champion. Turner led practically all the way, and was caught by Jackson near the finish. Jackson is said to be a much improved man. largely through the efforts of coach Sharpe, a.nd his victory will add a decided spice to the meeting of the two champions at the championship regatta. Haua. the promising young Tauranga sculler, did well to keep within striking distance of the leaders all the way. A feature of the race was the narrow escape of the three contestants from losing their boats on the rocks, whither they were blown by the strong northerly breeze. They threaded their way through a veritable labyrinth of rocks, and emerged safely. They were saved only by the high tide. WHAU impressions; A glorious day, with the water perfect. The full advantages of the Whau course can no longer be disputed, though the Stuart Reids were only the. second series of races staged on the course, the first being the last provincial regatta. On the starter’s launch were the two selectors for the interprovincial crew. There was little that they missed. West End did well to find a scratch crew with four of the best oarsmen in the sihed at Wanganui. Six of the West Enders were youths, most of whom were under 18. Shore was also handicapped by having men away, but training always tells. There were men in the Waitemata boat who felt the strain of three races. With three races, the Waitemata men covered nearly 15 miles in the day. The attendance of 250 was quite good, seeing that it was impossible to arrange any means of transport apart from private vehicles and launches. Mr. G. H. Reston and

"RUGGER"

Mr. W. Rapley again placed their launches at the disposal of the committee. They are the sort of enthusiasts the sport needs. AUCKLAND’S EIGHT Two of the selectors of the Auckland eight to row in the interprovincial eights were keenly watching the racing on the Whau during the week-end. Mr. V. Dunne and Mr. C. Cairns did not let much escape them. Mr. W. Oliver unfortunately found it impossible to be present. The crew will be selected in about a week’s time, after which will come the appointment of a coach. The crew will train from the Waitemata shed, where the boats are housed. SUGGESTION BY CRITIC Sir,— Having studied the form and styles of the various Auckland City clubs for this season, I have come to the conclusion that the selectors could not do beter than pick a crew from North Shore to challenge a crew picked from the other four Auckland clubs, the winner of such contest to meet Hamilton. In view of the recent success of the North Shore Club. I would suggest the following crew:—W. Dean, F. Eaton, D. Davies, S. Gardiner, A. Cotes. B. McCallum, C. Oliver. F. Norris. The crew I would suggest to meet them would be: J. Johnson, L. Brooker (Waitemata), F. Solomon and V. Hargreaves (St. George’s), J. Bygate and A. Ross (Auckland), . W. Bright and G. Bloxam (West End). This race could be arranged as an exhibition at the forthcoming Whau championships. CRITIC. Devonport. Note. —Bright, though included among the “rest” as a West End oarsman by Critic, is now a St. George’s man and strokes the senior crew for that club. * ft « WEEK-END ROWING It has been a great week-end for oarsmen. At home there have been the Brett Cup inter-club fours and the Stuart Reid eight-oar series. In the South, Hamilton, Shore, and West End have more than justified their journeys to the Wellington and Wanganui regattas. Saturday’s Brett Cup was a triumph for Shore with both first and second places. It was not an easily-won victory, by any means, as both Waitemata and St. George’s held the lead at different stages of the race. Then came the Stuart Reid eights, and Shore notched another victory. There its strongest opponent was Waitemata. Training told, however, in the final, and though Waitemata held the lead through the first mile, the fresher crew captured the race without being unduly extended. The Smith Shield on March 8 will be awaited with interest, as if North Shore can pull off that race also, the

club will have won every inter-club event on the harbour this season—a record that would probably be unprecedented. The Caro double sculls, and the Mason Pairs, are yet to be decided, but Shore’s record is in respect of four-oared races. ft ft ft NEXT SATURDAY Trials will be rowed by all clubs with the possible exception of West End on Saturday. Auckland is to put on pair-oar trials for the McCormick trophies. Shore and St. George’s have trial fours, and Waitemata will rowfours for the Walter Dennison trophies. Mr. Dennison is president of the club, and may act as judge. * ft ft CREWS FOR WHAU All clubs are occupied with training for the Whau. St. George’s is entering the same crews as at Hamilton, and Shore will do the same. Auckland’s representation will be strengthened by the juniors who have not raced in regattas since the win at Tauranga. W'aitemata’s light maidens will be the same as at Whangarei. The juniors will have T. Impey in the bow seat in place of C. Belton. The heavies will have to find a new bow, as it is understood that D. Gladding will not be available. There will probably be three crews in the senior race. St. George’s are certain to have another shot at Hamilton, and Waitemata is a likely starter. There was a possibility of a Shore senior crew starting, but that will probably not be until Ngaruawahia. ft • ft SUCCESSES DOWN SOUTH Auckland crews did well at awayregattas on Saturday. Hamilton demonstrated that there was no senior crew in the North Island to come within lengths of it, and Star was 10 lengths behind when the line was crossed. On the form at "Wellington, there does not seem anything to touch Hamilton at the championships. Aucklanders who were at Wanganui do not speak favourably of the standard of senior rowing there. Healey’s crew was well beaten by Aramoho on Saturday, and it is understood that Wanganui will not be represented in the fours at Picton. Unless Wairau or Picton can produce a crack crew, then it looks like Hamilton all the way, as it is understood that there are no senior crews entering from Christchurch or further South. A good race in the senior pairs at Wellington was spoiled when the Star boat was caught by the wind and blown among the rocks, where a new boat was ruined. Hamil■ton finished alone. Hamilton also walked away with the junior double sculls, and gained a third in*the junior single sculls. At Wanganui, Shore and West End were placed in four events, three firsts and a second. Contrary to expectations, West End juniors won the best-and-best race, and came second in the clinker. One would have expected the result to be the other way about. An illustration of the vagaries of rowing is afforded by the fact that Aramoho, which beat West End in the clinker race, had already been beaten by Shore in the heavy maidens. Shore notched, good wins in the heavy maidens and youths, the latter race being won by three lengths.