The Boat Race.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2154, 29 November 1875, Page 2

The Boat Race.

Now give way!

Great was the excitement on the boat race day, Starting' both together, both have hadfair play, With confidence and courage both the race begun. And freely we acknowledge that the best men won.

Though not intended originally for the boat race of Saturday between the Bank of New Zealand and Parawai crews!, the above words may bo deemed applicable by some, and those who are of a contrary opinion are welcome to remain so. The rase, first of all fixed for Wednesday last, to be rowed from Tararu to the Shortland lamp-pos,t, had to be postponed from day to day on account of the weather, until on Saturday it 'was agreed to row it from the Shortland lamp-post to the Shag tree in the Kauaeranga, a short distance below the booms ; even this could not be done, as the Bank crew were swamped in their endeavor to get to the lamp-post, and after being taken on. board Captain Best's (the starter's) boat it was decided to row the race, from the wharf upwards. This of course robbed the race of a great deal of its interest, as ttie Parawai crew had a far heavier boat, and were under the double disadvantage of rowing not pply, against the stream but Against the" tide also, and accordingly every additional inch of beam told heavily against them. The result of the race, and the rowing of I the race itself, however, showed that the B.N.Z. crew had been greatly underrated when such odds as 2 and 3 to 1 were i offered against them, and in rowing the same boats over the same course we believe that the result.would always be. the same. The Transit steamer accompanied the race 1 as far as it was prudent,, in fact as far as it was a race} and having 'a Representative oh board as well as one at Parawai we are enabled to give a pretty correct account^of the race itself. On the start being effected the Parawai crew caught the water first, and rowing from four to five strokes a minute, faster, than their opponents commenced./.to -draw ahead until they were their boat's length clear, both crews being taken rather wide at the first bend. -Below the slaughter yard however they came back' a little bit, and thfe B.N.Z. well steered gained fully a length at the crossing and got .level with them growing a slightly faster before, or about 33 to the minute, Hargraves began to gain and quickly drawing away was two and a-half lengths to the good ere reaching the turn for Para;wap -gardens ;; rounding* #ie turn the Bank coxswain/by sj'beautiful; piece of steering, gained greatly oii the Parawai crew, who at this point were rowing wofully short, and the stroke settling down to 32 to the minute j drew further away every foot of the distance, passing the winning post first by ten or a dozen clear lengths, and without being extended for the latter part of the journey. As regards the two crews it is hardly possible to come to a correct , estimate of their respective merits, so dissimilar were the conditions under > which they sowed. Few we- think kuow, even now, what

the losers were giving away in point of boats, while if the race had been rowed outside hard Jjjpk would have been jult.tite Mother Way,"had the water been roujs£ Looking at therritatem on the winnerß^ere the more " ragged " crew, the feather being very uneven and the length of the stroke widely different. They had however considerably more beginning and V lift" on, and all worked hard and conscientiously throughout the race, as far as we could see, one and all doing honest work, and this carried them successfully through. It is, however, sheer nonsense to pretend tosa^wJiether^heyhad^ muscle, stay or endurance" than the losers, for the conditions under which the race was rowed were,, we repeat, so entirely 'dissimilar as■■*- to preclude anyone whatever from arriving at a correct judgment in the matter. * '