WORLD OF SPORT

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17976, 22 March 1930, Page 8 (Supplement)

WORLD OF SPORT

ROWING.

NGARUAWAHIA REGATTA. NOTES AND COMMENTS. HAMILTON THE LEADING CLUB. (By “Outrigger.”) The recent Ngaruawahia regatta will long be remembered by members of the Hamilton Rowing Club, since upon the results of the regatta depended the retention of the honour of being the leading club in the Auckland province in respect of the number of wins for the season. The club had received quite a number of setbacks, at the Whau in Auckland especially, as in two races .crews were excluded through lateness, which was caused through no fault of their own. Mem-

bers trained assiduously, while the old hands in the shed displayed quite a keen interest, in their doings and encouraged them. On their Mettle. After their dead heat, and subsequent six-inch defeat in a re-row in the provincial championship, tho lights were on their mettle. They set the bankrolling for Hamilton when I they turnr.:l the tables on Waitemata by a lengli. Their performance was meritorious, as they had an inferior position to Waitemata and suffered most from the fouling which occurred in this race. The lightweight representatives were Hammond, McKenzie, Morpeth and Hare. Could Not Appear. In the double sculls the club pair, ( N.ojel Pope and W. Mitchell, did not face the starter, as Mitchell was indis-

posed. This was a blow to the club, as this pair are the Auckland provincial champions, and would ,at least have worried the opposition. 111-luck Again. In the junior fours only one club crew faced the starter, and by virtue of a win and three seconds in four starts were considered to have a great chance. However It was not to be, and Baker, Hull, Layne and Johnson were doomed not to complete the •course. This crew were in the lead and had drawn No. 3 position. Auckland had drawn No. 7 position, and must have carried an erratic-steering coxsw'ain, since this crew fouled Hamilton and put both out of the race. It was distinctly unfortunate for Hamilton, as this crew would have been prominent at the finishing post.

In tho Ascendancy, The handicap single sculls saw Hamilton stocks in the . ascendancy when I. W. St. Clair secured first position, whilst his clubmate, E. A. Waters, | paddled home next. They were the i only Hamilton starters, and the result j is a tribute to St. Clair’s watermanj ship and knowledge of the river. His I crossing of the Walpa was the best of ! the day. St. Clair has won this race nine times out of eleven starts. The Open Maidens. The open maidens saw the expected happen when that good Shore crew, consisting off A. Coles, S. Gardiner, D. Walsh and C. Oliver, maintained their record and struggled home by half a length from Hamilton's seoond string, whioh consisted of W. Curnow, W. Tombs, A. Sweeney and A. Somerville. This crew, which is also the youths’ crew, will be a solid combination for next season if they can keep together, as they are the goods. Hamilton No. 1 crew, consisting of C. Lewis, Gummcr, Hammond and Mcj Kenzie, drew' a bad marble and did well to row' into third position, as they are a very light crew'. Hammond and McKenzie are members of this year's lightweights. Senior Fours Win Easily. As expected the Hamilton champion j senior four duly won the Ngaruawahia , Challenge Shield and made no race of it, being seven lengths at least ahead of North Shore. It is hoped that this crew can remain together for another couple of seasons at least, as they are the mainstay of the club. Shore rowed a fine race to collect £5 for second place. Tauranga were sure for third money, but the crossing Into the Waipa proved too much for the coxswain, and Taqranga were lucky not to smash their boat on the piles at the point. Hamilton No. 2 crew were a vast disappointment, and tailed the Held. Better things were expected of them. The Junior Pair-oar. In the junior pair-oar the club’s two entiles of J. Partridge and R. Hill and Baker and W. Jonson w'ere outclassed by West End and Tauranga. West End have a proved good pair in o.' Felton and W. Bloxham. However, markable performance on the part of

this pair to recover and be only defeated by .a length. As they had won the Auckland championship at their previous start it is obvious that they wmuld have won this race, as they were in the lead at the mouth of the Walpa. Most Exoltlng Finish. The youths’ fours resulted in the epic of the day and another triumph for Hamilton. This w'as the most exciting finish of the day. The" Hamilton youths, w r ho had already rowed second in the heavy maidens, entered the Waipa with a half-length lead. This w r as reduced to 3 feet at the winning post, and Shore met with their first reverse of the season. This race [ there is no doubt that Tauranga’s genial pair, in G. Denniston and S. lbbetson, w T ere robbed of this race through a collision with a Maori war canoe. The oar w r as knocked right out

of Ibbotson’s hands-, and It was a rewas followed by an excited crow'd of enthusiasts along the Walpa banks. As the Hamilton youths bad conslst- ! ently rowed second to Shore in all i their previous starts tho win was not 1 out of turn. The crew consisted of W. Curnow', W. Tombs, A. Sweeney and A. Somerville. This victory carries with It the Waikato Challenge Shield and a gold medal for each member of the crew', as well as a donation of £3 to the Rowing Club. The crew' w'ere loud In their praises of the work of the coxswain, V. (“Bluey”) Cross, who secured his most important win to date. The club owes much to both coxswains (A. Molesworth and V. Gross), w'ho have been on deck during the season. A Strenuous Tussro. The day ended on a disappointment In the maiden pair-oars, since Lews and Gummer, who won at Hamilton, had to be content with second place to West End, who triumphed by half a length. Both crews w’ere absolutely exhausted at the finish. The Leading Club. So the day ended with Hamilton the leading club in the Auckland provlnoe for the 1930 season, with 15 wins and 19 seconds in provincial racing. With four wins and three seconds Hamilton I crews did favourably on Saturday. While the results achieved this season are not quite as good as in previous seasons the town has every reason to be proud of the successes of the Hamilton Rowing Club. The latest honour is the selection of the W'hole Hamilton eight as the provincial crew to represent Auckland. All interest now centres on this crew’, and the shed Is a hive of industry of an evening. and members are there till dusk. Club officials are-kept busy with matters of detail, and thus Messrs V. St. George, H. Buchanan, H. Layne and W. Kane- are kept goip.g in top gear. Close of Season. The season will be wound up by set of trial fours on March 29, for trophies donated by Mrs Douglas Hay. In addition single scull events will be held. Then the club will hibernate, and the executive hopes to enjoy a well-earned rest.