THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. [FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 49, 10 May 1884, Page 3

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. [FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.]

The University Boat Race is fixed for April sth, and already Londoners are beginning to take a deep interest in the doings ot the rival crews. The Can tabs arrived at Putney last week and have been training hard on the actual course. The Oxford men are at present higher up the ri\ r 6i* at Marlow, but come down to Putney to commence work on the tide way to-morrow. Until both crews are to be seen at Putney it is almost impossible to say which is the better; the present betting is 2 to 1 on Oxford. The names and weights of the crews are as follow :—: —

From the above weights it will bo seen that the Cambridge- crew is about two pounds heavier than Oxford, who are, so tho critics say, doing a very risky thing in selecting such a light man as Curry for stroke. On Monday last the Cambridge men made their first journey over the full course, which they covered in the fair time of 21min. 20sec. On pulling up they were very distressed, but this can hardly be wondered at, as the water was very ohoppy 1 * and they rowed their hardest all the way The sporting papers have not got much to say m favour of the Light Blues ; this is what one of them remarks about Monday's performance :— " Taking all things into consideration the

display was not a taking one. One great fault, and it would be well to alter it in time, is that they do not go up to their work in anything like a proper fashion ; but, on the other hand, slide short, and put the whole of the arm and chest power into a short, snatchy stroke. The result is less speed at a greater outlay of strength, and this will undoubtedly tell upon them in the race." The Oxonians, too, fail to entirely please the critics, their chief faults being that they splash considerably, and make the boat roll to an almost dangerous extent ; on the whole, however, the Dark Blues seem the better crew of the two, and their performance on the day of the race will probably jubtify the confidence placed in them by their backers."

11. G. Gridlcy, Third 1 rinity (bow) . . 2. 11. Eyro, Corpus 3. F. Strakcr, Jesus L S. Swarm, Trinity Hall 5. P. K. Churchill, Third Trinity It. X W. Haig, Third Trinity 7. C. W. Moore, Christ's F. J. Pitman, Third Trinity (stroke) . . C. E. Biscoe, J esus (cox) 01. lU. 10 o 11 U 12 1 ia «} 13 3 11 7 11 12 II 10} 8 7

Camuridue.

A, G. Short, Christchnrch (bow) 2, L. Stock, Evetor 3. C. R. Carter, Corpus Christi . . 1. R W. Taylor, Lincoln .. o. D. IT. McLean, New li. A. R. Paterson, Trinity . . 7. W. C. Blaudy, Exeter .. \V. D. B. Curry, Kxeter (stroke) F. J, Humpreys, Brasenose (cox) St. lb. Jl li 11 0 12 8 13 21 12 13 13 1 10 11 10 1 8 1

OXI-'OUD.