WITH THE OARSMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 912, 4 March 1930, Page 14

WITH THE OARSMEN

BY

“RIGGER”

SPLASHES Auckland’s crew for the Mason Pair on Saturday is R. K. Stacey (str.), A. C. Andrews (bow). The A.R.A. meets tomorrow evening when Whau finances will be discussed. Further progress will also be made with arrangements far the interprovincial eights. Mr. E. H. Buckler, the secretary, is out of town at present. Shore has won 10 inter-club trophies so far this season. Regatta donations for the season total £7B. • # * To be a successful oarsman it seems that a man must be able to box the compass. Waitemata officials appeared to be giving a spirited impromptu lecture on bearings on Saturday. There was dark talk of angles, north-east, north-north-east and so on. It is not likely that any club trials will be rowed on Saturday. The Smith Shield races will occupy the attention of all clubs and the Mason Pairs are to follow. REGATTA CREWS Shore regatta crews for Ngaruawahia are as follow:—Seniors: W. Dean, F. Eaton, B. McCallum, S. Gardiner. Juniors: F. Norris, F Eaton, B. Vowles, B. McCallum. Heavy maidens: A. Cotes. S. Gardiner, D. Walsh, C. Oliver. Light maidens: L. Carlyle, J. Seager, C. Willetts, C. Eagles. Youths: W. Seager, A. Coates, C. Oliver, . Maiden pair: D. Walsh, S. Gardiner. ST. GEORGE’S DANCE To raise funds for the new clubhouse, St. George’s are holding a dance at the Parnell Park Tea Kiosk on March 20. A novel feature of the fLinction will be that the orchestra will be composed of members of the club, headed by N. Ganley and W. Bright. Oarsmen who are taking part in the interprovincial eights to be held two days afterward, will probably be guests at the dance. * * * INTERPROVINCIAL EIGHTS Auckland’s representatives for the interprovincial eights are to be picked within the next week. They would have been decided upon by now, but the selectors have found it difficult to arrange a meeting. The three selectors are Messrs. V. Dunne, W. Oliver and C. Cairns. It now appears that there is likely to be a field of five crews in the race. Otago’s query about training facilities having been satisfactorily answered, it is certain that the Southerners will compete and the crew has already been published. A visitor to Blenheim saw a box being made for the transport of the Marlborough boat which is a most substantial straw to show which way tho wind is blowing. Wellington is practically certain to compete and Wanganui is a probable starter. The race is on March 22, a fortnight from next Saturday. There is not a great deal of time left for the crew to train, particularly as a number of the best oarsmen, in the city at least, are not by any means fit just now. CLUB RACING Auckland, Waitemata and Shore advanced a step further with belated club programmes on Saturday. The racing was rather uninteresting, and there are already signs of the listlessness that marks the approach of the season’s close Some of the Waitemata men, first year oars, were rowing in a style that should be seen in no shed after a season’s rowing. St. George’s and West End were prevented by exceptionally bad tides from putting on trials. It had been intended by St. George’s to row the Dingley Memorial Fours during the week-end, but that also ,was impossible, so three more heats of the George Cup races were decided: —I. Duncan beat N. Ganley; C. D’Authreau beat W. Bright; IT. Jackson beat T. Lambert. In about two weeks’ time the semi-finals of these sculling trials will bo decided. R. K. Stacey, who stroked the winning crew in Auckland’s trials, was rowing a better stick than he has done for many a long day. His crew was swinging along in great style, and there was real life in tho boat. Johnson, Waitemata’s winning stroke, was hard pressed by Impey at one stage of the race, but finished on his own after Impey stopped through misadventure.

NEXT SATURDAY The last four-oared inter-club race of the season will be held next Saturday when the Smith Shield fours are to be decided. The trophy, which is under the control of the Waitemata Club, is at present held by Auckland. It was presented by Mr. W. G. Smith, life member and foundation member of the club, to commemorate the opening of the new shed in 1914. Auckland has won the trophy two seasons running. Waitemata kept it two seasons running before that and St. George’s had a similar double victory before that again. The appointment of officials and all arrangements for the race are in the hands of the Waitemata Club and have yet to be finalised. The Mason Pairs will be decided on the same day after the fours. * * * NGARUAWAHIA SENIORS Ngaruawahia regatta, the last of the season, is to be held on Saturday week, when there will be a strong representation from city clubs. One of tho events of the day should be the return meeting between the Waitemata and Hamilton light maidens. When these crews met on the Whau they dead-heated and, in a re-row, Wiatemata won by inches. The race of the day will be the senior fours, however, as there is every likelihood of there being five starters. Hamilton will probably start two crews. Shore will have the same crew that started at the Whau. Waitemata and St. George’s will also start. St. George’s will start with Fogerty and Jackson in place of Hargreaves and Bright, who are not available. The prize money is quite attractive —£13 for first, £5 for second and £ 2 for third.

HADFIELD AGAIN It is 13 years ago since Hadfield was first acclaimed a great sculler, and he is still going well. When he sculled in regattas immediately after the war, Hadfield commanded the respect of English critics, and his was b. great record. His race with Mason on Saturday on the Hokianga was apparently by no means the hardest race of his career. He was in front all the way and had plenty in reserve as liis final sprint showed. The win will be popular in the City, as Hadfield has been a good friend to many aspiring young scullers here. * * * SMITH SHIELD CREWS Clubs have picked crews for the Smith Shield inter-club fours on Saturday as follow: North Shore, No. 1, W. Dean, F. Eaton, B. McCallum. S. Gardiner; No. 2, E. Korn, W. Seager, A. Cotes, C. Oliver; No. 3, F. Norris, G. McDougal, B. Vowles, D. Townsend; No. 4, L. Carlyle, J. Seager, C. Willetts, C. Eagles; Waitemata, C. Fearon, G. Barker, J. Beasley. T. Impey; Auckland, J. Bygate, E. T. Thorburn, A. Ross, R. Porter; St. George’s, H. Tong, I. Duncan, G. Fogerty, S. Hislop. West End has not yet picked a crew, but is likely to compete. Shore, having won every other inter-club event this season, is desperately anxious to pull oft the Smith Shield race. In this aim the club is considerably assisted by the rules governing the race. It is laid down that no oarsman, once having been in a winning crew, can compete again. Auckland, Waitemata and St. George’s are thus somewhat hampered but Shore, having striven unsuccessfully for many seasons to win the race, can put in the best men in the shed.