Rowing

Wednesday, 11th Oct. Durham School ... Wednesday, 18th Oct. Drax G.S. 1st XV ... Saturday, 21st Oct. Bradford G.S. Saturday, 28th Oct. Giggleswick School ... Saturday, 11th Nov. Leeds G.S. Wednesday, 22nd Nov. Rishworth School 1st XV Saturday, 25th Nov. Ampleforth College ... Wednesday, 29th Nov. Worksop College Away Away Home Away Away Home Home Away

Under 16 Colts XV

Saturday, 14th Oct. Durham School Home

Saturday, 28th Oct. Giggleswick School ...

Away Saturday, 4th Nov. Ampleforth College ... Away Saturday, I 1 th Nov. Army Apprentices' School, Harrogate Home Saturday, 18th Nov. Harrogate R.F.C. Colts ... Home Wednesday, 29th Nov. Worksop College ... Home

Under 144- Colts XV

Saturday, 7th Oct. Pocklington School ... Wednesday, 18th Oct. Drax G.S. Saturday, 4th Nov. Fyling Hall ... Wednesday, 22nd Nov. Rishworth School ... Wednesday, 29th Nov. Worksop College ..

Wednesday, Saturday, Saturday, Wednesday, 15th Nov. 2nd Dec. 2nd Dec. 6th Dec. Senior House Matches

1st Round Semi-final Semi-final Final Away Away Home Home Home

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, 25th Oct. 1st Nov. 1st Nov. 8th Nov.

Junior House Matches

1st Round Semi-final Semi-final Final

OLD PETERITE XV v. THE SCHOOL Saturday, 9th December, 2-30 p.m.

Old Peterites no doubt will remember that last year's match was cancelled owing to snow.

Colin Shepherd has kindly agreed to organise and captain the side again this season, so would all Old Boys desiring to play please contact him at Dringhouses Manor York.

The season of 1950 will not be remembered as one of the best seasons for the Boat Club, inasmuch as the two cups held from the previous year were neither of them retained. However, the members of the School Fours can legitimately regard the year with satisfaction, 72

for on two occasions a crew was within two feet or so of winning a cup, the 1st IV just failing to gain the White Rose Cup at York Regatta, and 'A' crew almost winning the Ladies Plate Challenge Cup at Tyne Regatta.

The School Regatta was a great success and congratulations are due to Thompson's crew and Danton's crew for their wins in the two divisions.

One of the noteworthy events of the term was the arrival of the two new clinker fours, ordered fourteen months previously from Tims of Oxford. These new boats—the first new ones for ten years—will ensure much greater opportunities for practice, and will allow a sl:ght increase in the membership of the Boat Club. It is not general)/ realised that constant attention must be paid to boats in continual use, and wear and tear is considerable. Repairs are necessary almost every day and the older a boat gets the more repairs are needed. There is always a devoted band of boaters ready to give up free time to boat maintenance and they deserve the gratitude of the whole Boat Club.

The second noteworthy event was the lengthening of the boathouse landing stage by sinking more piles and laying two more steps, thus increasing the length of the staging by ten yards. This will enable two boats (or three at a pinch) to load and unload simultaneously and again increase the efficiency of the Boat Club.

The third event leading to the greater efficiency of the Boat Club was the addition of Mr. J. F. Lavender to the coaching staff. Mr. Lavender has proved himself a worthy coach and also, praise be, a useful man with hammer and nails, or rather with screwdriver and varnish brush, and his assistance over repairs and maintenance has been much appreciated.

Our relations with local clubs have continued to be on the usual high standard of friendliness. Unfortunately we find it difficult to arrange a fixture with St. John's College owing to our House Races and their yearly exams, but next year we must try to hold a fixture.

1st IV CHARACTERS Stroke : D. J. WILSON (Captain). Much of his ugly style has been eradicated and he has led his crew with commendable courage. 3 : R. A. CALVERT. His long legs have always been a problem, but he has developed a strong if not beautiful style and pulled his weight well. 2 : R. J. GIBSON. A very steady oarsman. His beginnings have always been a strong point and he possessed real style. Bow : D. L. Hourigan. Also a stylish oar with plenty of length for a

Bow man.

ST PETER'S SCHOOL v. DURHAM SCHOOL

Mackintoshes, gum-boots, heavy clouds and a muddy towpath hardly showed to advantage the picturesque surroundings on the River Wear at Durham. The School and Durham School shared the river with Durham University, who were holding their invitation races, and as a result the course was quite clear of pleasure boats.

The 3rd IV—rowing in strake boats over four furlongs—had only been out as a crew twice, and, although they rowed rhythmically and "well-together", they would have to have been exceptional to beat a crew which had been together for some four months. They lost at the start; and gradually Durham drew away to win by four lengths.

The second crew rowed in fine boats over four furlongs. They gained at the start, and were still rowing at "40" half way along the course, when Durham were striking about "34". It was rather a pity that cox was deceived by the pronounced bay in the straight part of the course, for on realising his mistake he swerved out towards midstream and upset the balance and confidence of the boat. From then the style became a little scrappy and flurried, and Durham gradually drew ahead to win by three lengths.

The 1st IV had to do about three miles of paddling before their race owing to a breakage in their borrowed boat and a return to the boathouse for another, and much finer boat, and at the start the cream of their energy had disappeared. For about the first three strokes both boats were level, but from that point Durham gradually drew away. The rate of striking in both boats was about the same—about 38 to begin with, and 32 for the greater part of the course, with a "take-in" at about 36. The School lost the toss, and had the "Easy Arch" side of the river. The Durham crew had been practising together for four or five months, whereas the School crew had been together barely three weeks. The School rowed very well; they kept the balance quite steady; they worked as a crew, and they controlled their slides well. The much greater average weight of the Durham crew, combined with the fact that they were supposed to be the best crew Durham had produced since the war, meant that, although the School rowed most satisfactorily, Durham won by six lengths. Their time was 6 mins. 41 secs.

ST. PETER'S SCHOOL v. NOTTINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL

Nottingham High School are used to much heavier clinkers than those in which they rowed at York this year—the new fours.

The 1st IV took the lead at the start, but Nottingham held them very closely until Love Lane. From there the School boat gradually drew away to win by seven lengths.

The 2nd IV, after one of the best starts of the season, soon took the lead. They won by eight lengths. 74

LEEDS REGATTA, 10th June.

The three School IVs which took part were not at their best on this occasion, and though they had some good racing did not achieve any solid success.

ST. PETER'S v. LEEDS UNIVERSITY, 14th June.

These races, regarded by Leeds University as training races for York Regatta, were won by the School.

Our 1st IV rowed Leeds 3rd IV, our 2nd their 4th and our 3rd their 5th, and we left no doubt that we had been off colour on the previous Saturday at Leeds Regatta, for the three races were won by useful margins. One result was to whet the 1st IV's appetite for their races in the White Rose Event at York Regatta, in which Leeds University 2nd IV was one of the entries.

YORK REGATTA, 17th June.

To most school boaters, this Regatta was full of interest and excitment. The weather, being overcast, brought fewer people from their homes than last year, but strong and enthusiastic Peterite support was very much in evidence.

The first IV rowing, of course, in their fine boat, Sally, had two very hard races in the Junior-Senior Fours Division (White Rose). In their first race, against York City, the School took a canvas lead, but this was painfully wrenched from them by the time the crews had reached Love Lane. The School were rowing on the railway side, and, in spite of a slack current there, they pulled ahead at Scarborough Bridge. At the beginning of the "take-in", the School were only a canvas ahead, but very gradually they drew away to win by threequarters of a length. In the final against Leeds University, what applied to the School crew in the first race, applied to the University in the second. The School were "up" at the start, but outside York City Boathouse the School, again rowing on the railway side, began to be overhauled, perhaps on the acount of a slight misjudgement on the part of the cox who steered a little too wide. The School's "take-in" started at Marygate. Soon both boats were rowing level, with every stroke one boat would go ahead of the other. If the school could take a stroke immediately before the gun fired, they would win. Leeds seemed to be tiring. The bows were still overtaking each other at every stroke. The gun fired. It so happened that the last stroke of the race came from the Leeds boat and the School lost by three feet !

The 2nd IV acquitted themselves very honourably in the Junior Fours Event. In their first race against University College, Durham, spectators thought their cox was seeing four or fives banks instead of two, for he was swerving violently, and his crew were consequently being beaten. The poor cox, however, laid quite a legitimate claim in

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faulty rudder mechanism. At Scarborough Bridge the School crew were losing by a length, and then by a supreme effort, preferring brute force to style, they gradually crawled up to the other crew and beat them by half a length. In the final they were beaten in a very hard race by Northwich, by a distance of half a length.

In the John E. Gibbs Challenge Cup, the third four were beaten by a much stronger and experienced crew by three lengths—it was this crew which finally won the cup. The School, however, rowed stylishly and looked impressive.

The fourth boat, entered for the same event, rowed well to beat Manchester University in the first round, but they were defeated in the second. In this race, the 4th IV showed, that although they are very light, they had a good sense of rhythm and control.

SCHOOL REGATTA, 8th July.

Once again the School held its own regatta in which all the crews in the Boat Club, after having practised together for some time, took part. The keenness and enthusiasm of the crews made all events real successes and promised well for next year. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was I crew's victories over all the other crews in the Junior Division. The winning crews of the two divisions were :-

SENIOR DIVISION.

B Crew : Weightman, Smith, A. N. C., Quirke, Thompson.

JUNIOR DIVISION.

I Crew : Jackson, Humble, Herring, Danton.

TYNE REGATTA, 15th July.

An overcast sky, drizzling rain and choppy water hardly seemed to harmonize with the leisurely and pleasant atmosphere of this Regatta.

The School VIII, which had been prevented from having a really sufficient number of practice outings, beat Tyne A.R.C. in the first heat. When the time came for the final, however, and the crews ventured out of the boathouse, their hands well pushed down into their pockets, the weather had very much worsened. The sky dark, the rain incessant. . . the wind easterly and the tide running out—and the School on the roungh north side. "What would the water be like above the bridge?" Our worst fears soon loomed up as realities. The School VIII, rowing on the north side of the buoys, seemed constantly menaced by the relentless waves crashing against the sides. And, now and again, the blanket of spray and the wall of waves which surrounded the boat would permit a fleeting glimpse of our opponents, Durham School, way over on the other side under the shelter of the south bank, peacefully progressing and gradually drawing away from us. They won by three lengths, but after the School eight had packed away all its soaking kit, they realised that they had had a most useful experience.

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"X" crew, which will in all probability be next year's 1st IV, set out to retain the Ladies Plate Challenge Cup. In the first round, they beat South Shields easily. In the final, while well in the lead, one member of the crew caught a bad crab and lost several lengths.

The crew made a marvellous effort to regain the lead. At the "take-in" the School crew was pushing its bows nearer and nearer to its opponent ! They seemed certain of victory, but the loudspeaker announced "The last race was won by Tyne A.R.C. by 2 feet".

EIGHTS RACE v. YORK CITY, 26th July.

Both crews did good starts, but York City put themselves in the lead by about a canvas. The School gave two "tens". They were level. For two whole furlongs the bows were vying with each other. For two whole furlongs the boats were level. At their boathouse, the York City eight raised their rate of striking. The School crew, on the railway side, were a canvas behind at Scarborough Bridge. At Marygate, York still had a lead of a couple of feet. Then the School started their "take-in". Where the energy came from will remain a mystery for ever, for those who felt like stopping at York City Boathouse and taking refreshment were suddenly endowed with amazing strength. The strokes of the "take-in"—which was at about "35"—were long and hard. Gradually the School crept up. Just before everybody seized on the idea of going on strike, the cox shouted Eas .. y Oars ! The School had won by two feet.

OLD PETERITES v. THE SCHOOL

A most successful Regatta between the Old Peterites and the School was held on the Saturday of Commemoration, 29th July. No less than five crews of Old Peterites either volunteered or were pressed into service, and even then there was material for at least a sixth crew, willing, if not anxious, to row. The veteran of the Regatta was Mr. E. A. Newhouse, who had coxed the School Crew in 1919, and whose son was rowing for one (or rather for two, as he came in as a substitute) of the School crews. The O.P. crews were slightly scratch as there had been no opportunity of practice, and the crews had to be made up as the Old Peterites arrived one by one, after trying to get lunch at the Station Hotel, which had proved a lengthy business. The School crews, too, were a little disorganised as both Goodburn and Robinson were unable to row.

The races themselves provided plenty of incident, and ample opportunity for chivalry on the part of the School 1st crew, who, when comfortably in the lead, stopped rowing when the O.P. crew suffered a slight mishap. Unluckily for the School crew it was they who had the slight mishap right at the end of the course, which enabled the O.P.s to win by a narrow margin. The 2nd crew of the O.P.s also managed to win, while in the race between the 3rd Crews it was the O.P.s who suffered from misfortune when they were in the lead, so 77