Rowing

Details of our successes in the various events we have entered for this term are recorded fully below, but we feel that some general explanation about the crews will show more clearly what our successes have really been. At the beginning of the term we had two colours who were not eligible to row in what the rowing world calls ' maiden ' events, because of their success in winning a cup at Stockton-on Tees Regatta last year. After careful consideration we decided that from the point of view of style in rowing it would be helpful and desirable once again to coach a crew able to row in the light ship. After our successes with the first and second crews in beating Nottingham High School, at Nottingham, we immediately put the first crew into " Sally " and this crew trained for the White Rose Challenge Cup at York Regatta. We feel that although the crew was not successful in winning a race the experience of rowing in a light ship and the attainment of the style and standard of rowing is beneficial to the crew and well worth the experience. This first crew also rowed at Durham Regatta and after winning one race lost by a narrow margin to a crew from Leeds University—a crew which had improved very considerably since the time when they were beaten in a friendly race at York prior to the Regatta. The successes of our second and third crews in winning cups at the Tyne Regatta and Stockton-on-Tees Regatta in the maiden events has been due almost entirely to the keen and hard working spirit shown by those crews and they are to be congratulated most heartily on the successes which bring two Challenge Cups to the School in one year. In a review of our rowing activities for the term we must not forget to make mention of the fourth, fifth and sixth crews who have, shall we say, ploughed the waters with no hope of reward. They must remember that with any luck their time will come another year.

1st FOUR CHARACTERS.

C. M. Robson (bow). A very hard-working and dashing oar. At present rather lacking in balance and length, but with more experience in a fine boat and more weight should be useful. 2. E. W. Whitney. A very neat oar with a natural swing.

He lacks weight but uses what he has to the best advantage. 3. R. Bower. Has improved steadily and is beginning to make good use of his length. Has backed up Stroke well.

G. E. Shepherd (stroke). With his added experience he has proved an admirable stroke. He is very hardworking himself and has given length and life to the crew. G. D. Jefferson (cox). A reliable and efficient cox, and well worth his weight.

2nd FOUR CHARACTERS.

J. T. Brockbank (bow). As an oarsman he has improved very considerably on last year, and may be described as a very neat bow, doing a useful amount of work.

Generally likes to lie down and have a complete rest after a bit of work. 2. M. I. H. Sproulle. It may be said that ' two' helped to keep the spirits of the crew going as he frequently had some (in) appropriate remark to show that he still had some breath left. However, in spite of being late on stroke he helped the boat along very usefully. 3 J. T. Harding. The readiness with which ' three ' was always eager to do more work must be recorded as a feature of the crew. Two courses in one afternoon was just 'nothing.' A mainstay to the crew in both weight and strength. H. L. Taylor (stroke). A very successful stroke. He has length, and excerises considerable judgement in giving a spurt at the right moment. J. M. Inglis (cox). Has continued his course as a cox who can be relied on to steer well and to give encouragement to the crew.

3rd FOUR CHARACTERS.

J. H. T. Hunter (bow). Developed into quite a stylish bow oar. His finish improved in practice and he got a good length. 2. J. B. Shillitoe. A little erratic with his slide, and his body style should improve. Worked hard and made use of his length. 3. R. W. Wright. Another hard worker though rather awkward at times with his finish. Backed Stroke up very well. R. L. Stead (stroke). With no experience as stroke he was tried at the beginning of term, and learnt to stroke the crew with great determination. Improved in every way during practice. M. W. Sproulle (cox). Gained much more confidence with experience during the term, and at Stockton Regatta he coxed with much skill and judgment.

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HEAD OF THE RIVER OUSE CHAMPIONSHIP, MAY 21st.

The 1st IV were in the " Fine " Boats division, and the 2nd and 3rd IV's in the " Clinker " division. Owing to a misunderstanding, the championship was held a week earlier than had been intimated, thus seriously interfering with practice. The 1st IV got away to a good start and rowed strongly, but lacked sufficient weight to pass any of the crews ahead, although they drew away from the clinker division. They finished in 9 minutes 24 2/5 seconds, which was good time under the circumstances, to become fourth.

The 2nd IV also started strongly and succeeded in passing one crew, and drew up to another, to finish in 9 minutes 48 seconds in third place in this division.

The 3rd IV put up an excellent show, finishing in only 1 2/5 seconds behind the 2nd IV. They passed the same crew as that passed by the 2nd IV and were 1/5 second behind St. John's 1st. finally being placed fifth.

NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL, MAY 25th.,

The two 1st IV's visited Nottingham in their annual match against the High School and both were successful.

The School 1st IV had a poor start and were soon length down. They soon settled down, however, and the deficit was turned into a lead of a length. The. Nottingham boat then became ragged and at the finish the School had a lead of two and a half lengths.

From the start the 2nd IV went into the lead and halfway saw them ahead by a length and a half. The Nottingham crew then spurted and gained a length, but this put new life into the 2nd IV who rowed very strongly at the finish to win by three lengths.

LEEDS UNIVERSITY, JUNE. The 2nd IV rowed the University 3rd IV and the 3rd IV the University 4th IV, at home, in perfect weather.

In the first race, the School had a moderate start and the University gained a quarter of a length. The 2nd IV settled down well and the crews were very evenly matched as far as Scarborough Bridge, when there were only inches between them. They went ahead, however, and at Marygate the University boat suffered a mishap and the 2nd IV then went on to win easily by three lengths. 60

The 3rd IV had a somewhat easier race, leading right from the start. Half-way there was daylight between the boats and although Leeds rowed strongly the School went up to win by two lengths.

YORK REGATTA, JUNE 18th.

The School entered three crews this year, the 1st IV in the White Rose Cup for Junior-Senior Fours, the 2nd IV in the Regatta Cup for Junior Fours and the 3rd IV in the John E. Gibbs Challenge Cup for Maiden Fours.

The 1st IV had a bye into the semi-final, when they had to row Durham School 2nd IV. The School had a poor start and Durham went up by a length. Shepherd stroked very well, but, in spite of this, Durham added half a length to their lead, to win a race much closer than the margin would suggest.

The 2nd IV had a very exciting race to lose rather unluckily by some three feet. They were drawn to row a York City crew. Both crews had good starts and the School were just behind by the bend, where the School were prevented from taking the advantage by a motor-launch. Through Scarborough Bridge the School spurted, but rough water from another launch made them unsteady and York City drew ahead by half a length. Taylor took the crew in very well and at the finish, with the School going up, York City were just ahead by the margin mentioned above.

The 3rd IV were drawn to meet a Hull Kingston crew. The School led from the start, but by Scarborough Bridge the crews were nearly level. Then the 3rd IV went gradually ahead to win a good race by three quarters of a length.

In the next round, the 3rd IV met York City 4th IV. Both crews started well, but York City went up gradually to lead by a length at Scarborough Bridge. The 3rd IV rowed very strongly, but in vain, and York went on to win by a length and a half.

TYNE REGATTA, JULY 9th.

The 2nd IV were entered for the Ladies' Plate, an event for Maiden Fours. The 1st IV were unable to enter owing to examinations which occupied one member of the crew. Conditions were far from ideal, there being a cold wind blowing, but the rain was kind and kept away. 61

In the first round the School were drawn to row Tynemouth " A," reputedly a strong crew, who had to scratch through illness. The School rowed over the course and were fortunate to do so, as they were using strange boats.

In the second round the School rowed South Shields " B." The School had a poor start and lost a length, but determined rowing brought the 2nd IV up and a spirited take-in gave them a win by a quarter of a length. The 2nd's next victim was a King's College crew whom they beat by half a length. King's College snatched a slender lead at the start and retained it as far as the enclosure, only to be beaten in the final twenty yards by another energetic take-in. In the final they met Berwick, who had beaten a Tees crew fairly easily. Berwick lead practically the whole way, at one period by a length and a half, but this lead was diminished by some fine stroking by Taylor and they just caught Berwick on the post. In the excitement the stewards raised two flags, indicating a dead-heat. This caused some consternation in the 2nd IV, but the explanation was that the two flags had become entangled, and raising one also raised the other.

The 2nd IV thus won an event which was won in 1934 and 1936 by the School's IVs. A noticeable feature of the 2nd IV's races was the narrow margin by which they won— never more than half a length.

DURHAM REGATTA, JUNE 22nd.

The 1st IV were entered for the Lady Anne Lambton Plate in the first round of which they rowed King's College B.C. The School made a somewhat ragged start and King's College drew ahead, but the 1st IV came up to lead by a length some hundred and fifty yards from the finishing post, when the boat unfortunately fouled a marking buoy. This caused only a slight delay, and the School finally won by half a length. The School had the advantage of the bend in this race, but in the next, when they rowed Leeds University B.C., they were on the outside. Both crews got away to good starts, and were level for some time, but finally the advantage of the bend made itself felt, and Leeds went up to win by a length, in spite of a good piece of stroking by Shepherd.

TEES REGATTA, JULY 16th.

The 3rd IV were entered for the Mason Challenge Cup for maiden crews, and had a bye into the semi-final, when they rowed a Tees 13 ' crew. The weather was not 62