The Boat Club

SWIMMING

A flaming June and swimming was off to a very good start. For ( some, even cricket stood aside and made way for the popularity of the Baths, and much fun was had by all and sundry.

A determined drive was made in this year's ideal conditions to reduce to an absolute minimum the number of non-swimmers. Considerable progress was made, and the number of remaining nonswimmers was reduced to the lowest on record, but the position can never be wholly satisfactory until it is known that everyone can swim.

A number of potential life-savers started on various courses, but it was disappointing that less than half persisted and eventually took the tests. All the entrants passed, and D. Anderson, J. G. Clark and

A. McCallum are especially to be congratulated on their hard work and the achievement of Instructors' Certificates. In addition, the following awards were gained :-

Bar to the Award of Merit: S. S. Hobson. Award of Merit: J. G. Clark. Bronze Cross: P. A. Fenton, S. K. D. Hill, R. S. R. Hyde, P. R. Jenner, P. H. Moat. Bar to Bronze Medallion: S. K. D. Hill, R. S. R. Hyde. Bronze Medallions: M. G. H. Adcock, J. G. Ainley, J. R. Anfield, M. S. Blacker, J. C. Brisby, S. P. Burton, R. L. Bywater, D. P. Coles, M. W. Foster, R. Gray, F. J. A. Hewitt, C. D. Ibberson, I. T. Parkin, R. P. V. Puttock, D. H. Rhodes, G. P. Robinson, J. G. Saunders, J. G. Wright.

It is to be hoped that many more will take Awards of Merit and Bronze Crosses next year and that five or six will take the Diploma— the highest award of the Royal Life Saving Society.

The Swimming Sports at the end of term took on the usual pattern, and with the establishment of three new School records it can be justifiably claimed that the standard has been maintained. It is interesting to note that both R. A. Hodgson's and C. D. Ibberson's times in their respective intermediate events were better than the corresponding open events.

Grove, the holders of the cup, were eventually outpointed by School House. School House, who only gained one first and two thirds in the open events, owe their success entirely to their intermediate and junior groups, who between them gained nine firsts, five seconds and one third, which augurs well for their future.

DETAILED RESULTS OF SWIMMING SPORTS Sunday, 28th July

1. Under 16+ Free-style-50 yds. 1st R. A. Hodgson, 2nd I. Parkin, 3rd

W. Mitchell. Time : 29.2 secs. (School record). 2. Open Back-stroke-50 yds. 1st W. Gibson, 2nd D. C. Parry, 3rd

R. S. R. Hyde. Time : 35.7 secs. 3. Under 15 Plunge. 1st G. P. Robinson, 2nd I. Kirkus, 3rd J. C. Brisby.

Distance : 38 ft. 7+ ins.

4. Under 15 Back-stroke-25 yds. 1st J. C. Brisby, 2nd D. H. Fletcher, 3rd A. Hardman. Time : 17.5 secs. 5. Open Breast-stroke--100 yds. 1st J. S. Ibberson, 2nd A. McCallum, 3rd L. T. Beaumont. Time: 1 min. 29.8 secs. 6. Under 16/ Dive. 1st C. D. Ibberson, 2nd C. W. A. Groundwater, 3rd A. May. 7. Under 15 Free-style--50 yds. 1st G. P. Robinson, 2nd J. L. Pilditch, 3rd A. J. De Mulder. Time : 32.7 secs. 8. Under 161 Breast-stroke-100 yds. 1st C. D. Ibberson, 2nd I. Parkin, 3rd F. C. Beaumont. Time : 1 min. 23.8 secs. 9. Open Free-style-100 yds. 1st P. L. Bellwood, 2nd W. Gibson, 3rd W. N. Richards. Time : 68.4 secs.

Monday, 29th July

10. Open Free-style-25 yds. 1st D. C. Parry, 2nd W. N Richards, 3rd (equal) R. Baxter and D. Storey. Time : 13.6 secs. 11. Under 16i Free-style-25 yds. 1st R. A. Hodgson, 2nd I. Parkin, 3rd J. C. G. Wheeler. Time : 13.4 secs. 12. Under 15 Breast-stroke-50 yds. 1st C. J. Copley, 2nd (equal) F. J. A. Hewitt and S. H. Reiss. Time : 43.6 secs. 13. Open Free-style-50 yds. 1st P. L. Bellwood, 2nd W. Gibson, 3rd W. N. Richards. Time : 30.0 secs. 14. Open Breast-stroke-50 yds. 1st L. T. Beaumont, 2nd A. McCallum, 3rd R. M. Wheeler. Time : 38.2 secs. 15. Under 161 Plunge. 1st P. R. Webster, 2nd S. K. D. Hill, 3rd D. L. Slade. Distance : 52 ft. 16. Under 16/ Breast-stroke-50 yds. 1st C. D. Ibberson, 2nd F. C. Beaumont, 3rd L. H. K. MacKay. Time : 36.0 secs. (School record). 17. Open Dive. 1st J. S. Ibberson, 2nd D. C. Parry, 3rd J. A. Bygate. 1

18. Under 16 Obstacle Race-50 yds. 1st J. J. Rhodes, 2nd R. L. Evans, 3rd W. Mitchell. Time : 48.3 secs. 19. Open Obstacle Race-50 yds. 1st P. L. Bellwood, 2nd D. N. Brockle• bank, 3rd D. Anderson. Time : 42.8 secs. 20. Under 15 Obstacle Race-25 yds. 1st C. J. Copley, 2nd A. M. Headlam, 3rd S. P. Burton. Time : 21.4 secs. 21. Open Plunge. 1st P. A. Crane, 2nd J. M. Lennox, 3rd K. Wilson Distance : 49 ft. 7 ins. 22. Under 15 Free-style-25 yds. 1st G. P. Robinson, 2nd S. H. Reiss, 3rd R. G. Bruce. Time : 13.9 secs. 23. Under 161 Back-stroke-50 yards. 1st R. A. Hodgson, 2nd S. K. D. Hill, 3rd C. W. Gough. Time : 38.3 secs. 24. Under 15 Dive. 1st R. P. V. Puttock, 2nd J. Burdon, 3rd P. G. Humpherson. 25. Under 16/ Relay (4 x 25 yds.). 1st Manor, 2nd School House, 3rd Grove. Time : 61.8 secs. 26. Under 15 Relay (4 x 25 yds.). 1st Grove, 2nd School House, 3rd Manor. Time : 63.1 secs. (School record). 27. Open Relay (4 x 25 yds.). 1st Grove, 2nd Rise, 3rd Manor. Time: 57.0 secs.

Award of points 1st- 5 pts. 2nd-3 pts. 3rd-1 pt.

Relays ... ..• 1st-10 pts. 2nd-6 pts. 3rd-2 pts, School House ... 73/ points

Grove • • • Manor 68 points 56 points

Rise 45 points

Queen's Temple ... ... 16 points 111 points

Mrs. Dronfield kindly presented the Kazerooni Cup to R. Baxter, the Captain of School House swimming team. 72

THE BOAT CLUB

Every club must expect to have fluctuating fortunes. After a bumper year like 1956 the teller of boating fortunes might well have predicted a slump. But no such thing occurred and the shelf in Big Hall still has four regatta cups to weigh it down. Of these, three were won by the 3rd IV, repeating the success of last year's 3rd IV. The fourth cup is the Bradford Trophy for Schools' Fours won at York Regatta by the 1st IV.

Looking back at the term's rowing there are several events of which to take note. First and foremost the arrival of a new rowing master in Mr. Mair, whose obvious enthusiasm made itself felt from the start and played no small part in the success of the 3rd IV. We are very glad to have Mr. Mair in the Boat Club.

The second event was the arrival of the two fine eights made by Messrs. Tims, of Oxford. These boats came a little later than we had hoped, and so we were not able to take full advantage of them for practice. However, the policy adopted was to use them mainly for training next year's boaters, and in this respect they have already shown their great value. Next year we shall be able to take full advantage of them and the Boat Club must feel very grateful to the Governors of the School and to the Head Master for allowing us to possess two first class racing eights.

On the first occasion the eights were placed in the water, the Boat Club was honoured by the presence of the Head Master and Mrs. Dronfield. Mrs. Dronfield launched the boats and named them "Ann" and "Elizabeth", thus continuing the tradition of naming fine boats after Head Masters' daughters.

The third notable event was the appearance in Big Hall of the architect's plans for an enlarged boathouse which will give increased accommodation for boats and also better changing facilities with running water and drainage. The present changing room and workshop, which have been so useful but so unsightly, will be demolished. And so, by Christmas, a fine, improved boathouse should stand between fields and river.

Returning to the individual crews, the 1st IV has had a season in which its races have been as hard to win as ever. A first success against the R.A.F., Cranwell, rowed at Newark, was a great leg-up for them, but at Leeds Regatta, Durham University, stroked by a former St. Peter's Boat Club Captain, R. A. Jackson, were too good for them. At York they won the Schools' Cup comfortably, but at Durham they met the formidable Durham A.R.C. crew which has been winning all major open events in the North this year. However, the 1st IV had a convincing win against Durham School and this raised their spirits once more—not that they showed signs of depression over failures, but nothing helps a crew along so much as a win.

The 2nd IV suffered a set-back after one week of the term when D. A. Wilson went to hospital to have his appendix removed. Wilson stroked the winning House crew last term and it seemed that he would be stroking a promising crew. His place was taken by Wheeler, whose one fault—not of his own making—was a lack of racing experience. The experience he has had this year will count in his favour for next year, but all the rest of the 2nd IV are leaving.

For the first three weeks of the term the 3rd, 4th and 5th crews were treated as equal crews and then a rearrangement took place which produced a fine 3rd IV which won the Maiden Fours at Leeds, the Junior Fours at York and the Junior Fours at Durham in fine boats. This was a worthy effort and Hancock is to be heartily congratulated on his forceful stroking of the boat. Unfortunately he and Procter at 2 are both leaving.

When the eights arrived the crews immediately behind the School crews were reorganised by segregating as far as possible boaters who were staying at least one more year from those leaving. This was essentiai, for figures showed that of the thirty most senior oars only six or eight would be staying on at School, and so talent had to be sought lower down the Boat Club. This has had some success as a first measure, and J. N. T. Howat, 0.P., on coming down from Cambridge, has given two eights some valuable individual attention. One thing stands out : there is plenty of opportunity in the Boat Club for next year.

The School Regatta this year was slightly curtailed and was confined to the twelve lowest crews, six forming an Intermediate Division and six a Junior Division. There were some good races and an especially interesting feature was the excellent timing in both finalists of the Junior Division : for boys in the second term of rowing this was a very encouraging sign.

Last year our gratitude was expressed to Mr. Portlock and Mr. Whitmore for their great kindness in using their cars and their time in taking crews to regattas. Once again they have come forward with the same enthusiasm, which has made our trips so much more pleasant, and we offer them our sincere thanks.

Another debt of gratitude we owe is to York City Rowing Club, and especially to their Captain, Reg. Jackson. He has on two occasions and in the best possible spirit mended two of our boats, one of which was stove in by the bow of another. This was a major repair and it was completed with the skill of a professional.

It is optimistic to expect every member of a Boat Club to exercise the greatest care all the time, and so an occasional accident is almost inevitable. Two points do, however, stand out; one that oars will last longer if they are treated with more care. Oars have been dropped and bruised, and this sometimes causes breakage at the damaged point. It must be remembered that at every stroke an oar bends and returns to its original shape. In the course of, say, three 74