YOUTHS’ ROWING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 35, 11 February 1939, Page 7

YOUTHS’ ROWING

Sir, —Wanganui is particularly fortunate in having two youth's crews of outstanding promise to carry on the good name of its rowing, but what is puzzling many of us old time athletes is what those in authority at the Wanganui Club are thinking about to allow the crew from that shed to burn itself out in the way it is doing at the present time. Remember these boys are well under 21 years of age, some of them I understand only 17, and enthusiasts can say what they like but it is sheer folly to work youth to the extent that these boys are being worked this season. At the New Plymouth regatta this crew rowed in three races of a mile each, two miles each when the rowing up to the starting point is counted, two of them without leaving their boat, a total of six miles. At Wanganui, after rowing up from the sheds in town, quite two miles, they raced in two races, a total by the time they returned to the sheds again, of six miles. This was followed by two races at Waitara where they were narrowly beaten in their second race. One would have imagined that with these lessons the powers that be would have seen that, they could not be expected to beat the Union youths on such a handicap, but no, they repeated the folly at the Wellington regatta last Saturday and once again let them slog through two races. Losing a race does not matter a great deal, but tearing the hearts out of these boys does, and matters a very great deal. When applications for the Air Force were called at least two rowing boys were stood down on account of hearts. Is it any wonder when this sort of thing is persisted in. I presume entries for regattas have to be forwarded through associations and it seems to me that if club officials haven’t sufficient nouse to restrain crews from such folly the association should refuse permission.

This criticism will probably be most unpopular in some quarters, but it’s time someone spoke up.—l am., etc., "OLD BLADE.”