Crew for Canada

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 929, 24 March 1930, Page 9

Crew for Canada

ROWING SELECTORS DECIDE Otago Champion Province Following _ dis Otago romped away with inter-provincial eights at the Whan on Saturday. Mr. A. D. Bayfield, one of the New Zea land Rowing Association selectors, announced the Dominion crew for the 1930 Empire Games at a complimentary smoke concert given for the visitors after the race. Of the 12 men picked. 10 will sail for Canada from Auckland by the Aorangi on July 1. The 12 men picked are a* follow:—F. Brough. L. Fountain. G. B. Johnson (Otago L \. Olsson (Picton . G. St. Clair, P*. Sandos Hamilton). A. Ross (Auckland), F. H. Thompson. C. F. J. Gibbev (Canterbury), C. Saunders, J McDonald W \ Wellington).

It was understood even after the eights had been ro\\ed that the four j selectors, who had been close observers of the racing from a special launch, would not announce the Dominion crew until their return to Wellington, so it came as something of a surprise when their decision was made public on Saturday evening. The selectors. Messrs. A. D. Bayfield. A. M. Hale. 11. Ayres and E. Innes, seemed thoroughly satisfied with the standard of rowing, Mr A. M. Hale, indeed, holding it as in ! advance of that of 1928 when the interprovincial eights were first rowed. Speaking to a Sun man after the day’s racing, Mr. Hale was most optimistic. After the big race of the day, the selectors had picked two crews to row a possibles v. probables to aid them in their selection. OTAGO RETAINS CUP

h nd. as the selectors w ill report •■> • lie New Zealand Association at Well ington. Saunders’s crew won by a foot after a great race, with fighting finish. BETTER THAN 1928 Questioned after the Possibles \ Probables race, Mr. A. M. Hale, one N the standard of rowing was higher tiian when the last AH Black crew had been picked in 1928. lie had follows i both races on a special launch. Otago * win in the inter-provincial race lie attributed to steadiness and swing in the boat. Of the Possibles v. Probables race Mr. llale expresesd the opinion that the standard was surpris ingly high, especially as many of the men had come from different clubs. "As a matter of fact I think some • the men rowed better in the Possiblev. Probables race than in the inic: provincial.” Mr. Hale added. Th-

Otago found little difficulty in retaining the Hallyburton Johnstone Cup. heading the other three provinces tip the river by about four lengths There was a great tussle for second place, Marlborough narrowly defeating the more experienced Auckland mer • in a fighting finish. Water conditions were ideal over the three-mile course and the rowing was of a very high standard. The weather was ideal and there was ' a large attendance. In addition to the big race of the * day there was a possibles v probables ' race rowed between crews picked after the interprovincial contest. A light maiden race for a trophy donated by Mr. John Clark, patron of the Auckland Rowing Association, was won by ; 1 Waitemata. Officials for the day were:—Judges: I Messrs." John Clark, Walter Mason and j ■ G. H. Heston: umpire, Mr. C. C. Cairns: j starter, Mr. R. Pooley; Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone, donor of the interpro- j vincial trophy; Mr. V. Dunne, chair- : man of the Auckland Rowing Association Executive: Captain H. H. Ser- ; ; geant, and many others followed the , races by launch. Following were the crews and posi- j tions for the interprovincial race:— j : 1. Marlborough.—C. Saunders (str).j J. Adams. B. Wilson, J. MacDonald, M. | MacDonald, V. Glennie, O. Gibbons, A. Gridley (bow), R. Gosling (cox), A. M. | Hale (coach). 2. Otago. —F. Brough (str), J. D. • 1 Solomon, F. W. Eggers, G. B. Johnson, 1 L. Fountain, J. C. Mitchell. F. J. Wilson, L. H. Pritchard (bow), C. Crammond (cox and coach). 3. Auckland.—G. W. St.Clair (str>. B. Sandos, W. Bayly, E. A. Waters. J. W. St. Clair, W. Brockett, X. Pope, C. , D. Molesworth (bow), P. Stewart j (cox), H. Buchanan (coach). 4. Wellington.—G. Cooke (str), F. Mullins, F. Bell. P. Field. J. Beasley, C. j Gimblett, W. Kennedy. H. Luke (bow), l T. Ivearns (cox), A. White (coach). Number one position was the City : bank. From the start Otago went resolutely ahead, striking a good 44, and drew away from the field. Auckland and Wellington went away together and, after 100yds were three-quarters of a length behind Otagd with Marlborough two lengths back again. At the quartermile Otago was a full half-length ahead of Wellington, with Auckland half a length back again. Marlborough was two and a-half lengths back, but was commencing to swing along nicely. Auckland moved up a little on Otago, who had taken the inside position from Marlborough. The crews were strung out, Auckland half a length behind Otago; Wellington half a length behind Auckland, and Marlborough two lengths further back. At the mile Otago had settled down to a steady 36 and was drawing away from the field at every stroke. Auckland, rowing 36, was two lengths back. Marlborough had picked up on Wellington, and the two crews were level, a length behind Auckland. Otago increased the lead to three lengths, Marlborough had passed Wellington and was closing on Auckland when the local men gained a length or so by cutting a buoy. Halfway up the course, Otago, swinging along steadily at 32, was four lengths ahead of Auckland, with Marlborough again challenging. At the two-mile Otago was away out in front and Marlborough's bow was creeping along past the Auckland cox. Wellington was well back. The Marlborough crew quickened to 36, and half a mile from home caught Auckland, and there was a great tussle for second. Otago crossed the line four lengths to the good. Marlborough won second place by half a length. Wellington was several lengths back. Otago . . 1 Marlborough 2 Auckland 3 | Won by four lengths; half a length i between second and third. Time. 21m. ; 1 This is the third season for which j the cup has been raced. Canterbury i j won at Wellington in 1928; Otago won at Lyttelton last season. MAIDEN FOURS I The light-weight maiden race for a j trophy presented by the nssociation I patron drew only three crews, as j follow: 3 Waitemata: E. A. Horning (str), . R. Smith, M. Pierce. J. K. Hunn | (bow); T. Pepper (cox). 2 St. George’s: C. T. Kelleway (str>, I E. Auger, J. Biss, G. Biss (bow); J. ’ ! Coote (cox). j 1 West End: F. Conway (str). M. Con way, J. Clark. D. Stotter; T. Shoej bridge (cox). Waitemata 1 i St. George s 2 ! Won by one and a-half lengths. ! St. George’s was first away, followed ; by Waitemata and West End together. Waitemata plugged away at St. j George’s and went ahead at the threej quarter mile to win by one and a-half I lengths. West End was well up third. POSSIBLES V. PROBABLES The crews picked by the selectors to 1 race over a one and a-half mile course j with a view to guiding the commit- i tee in the choice of a New Zealand . crew were as follow; Possibles: Brough (Otago), Sandos* : G. St. Clair (Auckland). G. M. Mac - - Donald'(Marlborough), X. Pope (Auck- . land), Ross (Auckland), Cook (WellI ington). Waters (Auckland). Probables. —Saunders (Marlborough >. I Brooker (Auckland), B. Wilson (Maryborough), B. Johnson (Otago), Fountain, Mitchell (Otago), Dean (Auckland), Adams (Marlborough), i j The crews were closely followed by i the selectors, but the New Zealand \ crew will not be announced in Auck-

CREW ANNOUNCED VISITORS AT SMOKE CONCERT There was hardly a sound .11 lh Waitemata Boating dub lell on Sattn day evening as Mr. Bayfield announced the 12 men selected to train for Can ada. Whether by intention or not, h increased the suspense by three tim< starting to read out the 12 names and then stopping with the remark that there was something else he wanted say first. There was a most satisfactory attendance at the smoke conceit, which was presided over by Mr. Yt Mason, president of the Auckland How ing Association. Before announcing the selection. Mr. Bayfield paid a tribute to the represen tatives of other sports on the New Zealand Empire Games Committer, who had unhesitatingly given Canada's subsidy to rowing, making only U> reservation that the selectors must bcertain that the crew they picked would worthily uphold the Dominion • sporting prestige. The Canadian-, realising the distance that some of thEmpire’s representatives would have ;• travel to the games in Toronto, had made grants of £I.OOO to each of their sister Dominions. That left only aboic £SOO or £6OO to be raised to send the crew away. “We must raise the money and take this opportunity,” Mr. Ba> - field added. ‘‘lf we do not travel this time, how can we hope to get away to the next Olympic Games at Los Angeles in two years’ time.” After announcing the crew. Mr. Ba • - field said there were ten men to lea\ o Auckland by the Aorangi on July 1. Twelve men had been picked, but that was in case of emergency. All the men picked would go into training camp on the second or third week hi June at a place to be decided upon. The donor, Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone, presented the magnificent cup to F Brough, stroke of the Otago crev. and congratulated the Southerners on their well-merited victory. In reply, Mr. Wilson, manager of th Otago crew, expressed the utmos pleasure at its victory. ‘‘l told the bo? a tonight after the race that they could have anything they liked —or at leas’ potatoes."’ he said. Mr Wilson said he had been fortunate in his post as manager. The Otago men were a team of athletes, keen to win. and had not. given him the slightest trouble on the journey up. Mr. V. Dunne, chairman of the Auckland Association executive, proposing the toast of the winning crew, gave it as his opinion that Otago’s victory wa - another proof of the value of training. “We have had our local lesson in th* Shore crews so consistently defeating the City crews, and this is another warning,” he said Mr. A. M. Hale, secretary of the Marlborough Rowing Association, of the Marlborough crew, and a New Zealand selector, made an appeal to the young men to take an interest in the sport of rowing. Tiih older men, in whose capable hands the administration now was, would be gradually dropping out, and the c must be enthusiastic young men i«* take their places. Particularly in Auckland was there the necessity for enthusiasm. It was the biggest centre in New Zealand and should be th* strongest in rowing, though there wei•*-■ certain obstacles to be overcome. •Confessing that he had been sceptical concerning the course which Auckland, had so suddenly discovered right at its doors, Mr. Hale gave his opinion that it was most satisfactory. “Any oarsman that complained of it would be hard to please,” he said. The standard of rowing had been high. Mr. Hale declared. and there was little doubt that the crew for Canada would do as well as the All Blacks of 1925. who were so successful in Australia. Mr. Hale gave his assurance that Marlborough, would be represented a i the next eights. TWO MORE TROPHIES Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone asked M . Mason to announce that he was presenting two more trophies—one to th** Auckland Association and the other to : the New Zealand Association. Mi. ’ Johnstone suggested that the trophies i be for the Dominion champion four i and the Provincial champion four. Th- ! trophies were fine samples of silve: - ware that Mr. Hallyburton Johnstone ‘ bad purchased while travelling in Europe. A. Ross, the only Auckland City oarsman selected among the 12 men for Canada, is vice-captain of the Auckland Rowing Club. G. TV. Clair and B. Sandos, the Hamilton representatives, were stroke and three in the champion four of 1929.