Rowing

In their first innings, the Old Peterites scored 197 for 6 dec. E. M. A. Ranson (86) played a fine innings and received good support from J. A. Shouksmith (37) and J. Eatough (33). On a perfect batting pitch, E. J. M. Walmsley (4 for 58) bowled extremely well.

In reply, the School scored 199 for 6 dec. Sound innings were played by P. A. Scott (38), E. J. M. Walmsley (34) and S. P. Coverdale (33), but it was a typical hard-hitting 58 from G. Schmidt, which brought about an early declaration.

The Old Peterites, in their second innings, again batted well and were able to declare at 198 for 6. E. D. W. Fulbrook (71) and G. Watson (38) were the leading run scorers, and for the School, J. C. P. N. Lightowler took 3 for 25.

The School were set 197 runs to win in 125 minutes, and in an exciting finish the target was reached off the second ball of the last over. A superb innings of 88 not out by P. A. Scott was the main reason for the success, but S. P. Coverdale (47) and R. N. Kerruish (37) also hit some fine shots.

SUMMER TERM, 1972

"Thur were no wrecks, nobody drownded—'fact nuffin to laff at at all." Albert Ramsbottom's visit to Blackpool is fair comment on a regatta season without much evident excitement or achievement. No wild Saturday night returns swigging from freshly won pewter tankards, no pouring the pirate sherry into mammoth trophies. And that, for those who tried so hard, is "nuffin to laff at." In previous seasons our 1st IV might have scored; forced by the new ruling into senior competition, they always rowed creditably but never won a final. John Slater as captain set a fine example; to him goes the cup for maximum contribution to the Club as well as for best personal improvement as an oar. It was a great source of strength to have David Atkinson back as vice captain after a term's absence with injury. Edwin Fry was awarded 1st VIII colours.

Again we were unsuccessful as an VIII. The crew lost to a powerfullooking York University (whom they had beaten in the Yorkshire Head) in York Spring regatta, to Bradford G.S. who summarily dismissed us in May at St. Peter's, and to Durham School and St. Leonard's at Tyne regatta. On the latter occasion, the 1st IV became the stern of the boat with the old stern four moving up to the sharp end. Sherris coxed. The original crew also competed as two junior A fours unsuccessfully in York

Summer regatta. Alec Stow, who started rowing only this year, deserves credit. It was with this crew that we introduced sculling as an integral part of training; what was lost this term as a result of insufficient tech, nique to make proper use of the new boats will be to their profit next season. This squad will yield a very fast four when they get the coaching which, as guinea pigs this term, they had the bad luck to miss out on.

Martin Tree got valuable sculling experience at Durham and Leeds regattas. The final of Senior House rowing was won by Manor in a good race with School House.

A group of novice oarsmen from the lower sixth got through two rounds into the final of Novices at York Summer. They rowed again at Bradford. It was encouraging to see how this group, with comparatively little coaching, organised their own outings under a rota system to do so well. All credit to Kirby, their captain. Another group for mention is the canoeists, some of whom under Challis filled in the blank spaces in the Commemoration programme with a demonstration of slalom techniques. A half dozen of these canoes are regularly cursed by us at the boathouse, but have an important part to play in the acquisition of watermanship. The group was in training through the winter in lunch hours and Challis has competed in open slaloms.

A Colts VIII did battle with Lancaster R.G.S. at St. Peter's in May and lost narrowly. The "A" four of this crew (after unsuccessfully competing at Durham Wear regatta ten days previously) beat Lancaster, Bradford G.S. and Archbishop Holgate's G.S. to win the Colts Fours. The same crew went to Tyne as colts and lost to a combined Slatyford/ Tyne R.C. four by a very narrow margin; the latter came third at Pangbourne a week later in the National Schools regatta. In York Summer

they lost in the semi-final of Junior "B" Fours to winners Nottingham

B.C. by only 4 ft. At Leeds they rowed badly, but retrieved their old form at Bradford, adding Durham School colts to their list of vanquished schools and winning the event. The "B" four rowed well but without distinction at St. Peter's and Bradford. Colts colours were awarded to ,„_Tomlinson, Berry, Eddell and Perks. Spencer coxed. Pm 1972 will be remembered as the season when we trained and entered under 15 and under 14-year-old crews (Junior, and Junior/Junior Colts respectively). There were 16 members in the former, 21 in the latter.

Both groups produced two fours for competition at St. Peter's and at

Bradford; in the latter, we had finalists in both events. The Junior Colts also competed at Tyne, and Mcllroy sculled at St. Peter's, beating his

Bradford G.S. rival, and at Leeds where he lost by 2 ft. to the semifinalist of Novices. Already these boys have acquired through sculling and canoeing a degree of watermanship which must make them formid- k able opposition in the future. At Commemoration two trial eights from both these squads raced over the now customary upstream course from

Lendal Bridge. A return was also made this year to Junior House Fours; there were five entries and Queen's stroked by Holden took the cup.

In over 400 hours work Mr. Owen, our boatman, has completed the five sculling boats. The craftsmanship is admirable. Only a few weeks back we bought secondhand a German-built lightweight shell four, which gives us an out and out racing machine to take with us to compete. It is unlikely that anyone who isn't a fair sculler will make top crews in future. We are moving back to fours in senior rowing, having regard to standards—not that we shall cease to compete as an VIII. We have on order a restricted four for late in the year—we hope to keep it so although the money earmarked for it has already been diverted to the shell four mentioned. To this end we advertised at Commemoration for a "supporters' club" of parents and old boys, who might like to play an active part in raising money. We shall be following this up in the autumn; already it has met with enthusiasm.

1st Four E. C. S. Fry D. P. Atkinson J. A. Croft J. R. Slater (str.) A. B. L. Sherris (cox) 1st VIII (rowed also as fours) T. M. Bloom S. N. Clark P. A. E. Challis M. P. Tree S. K. Grant A. C. B. Stow A. R. Hornby M. S. Ray (str.) REGATTA CREWS Novice Four J. C. Clayton I. Gray S. G. D. Kirby C. N. Hazel (str.)

Colts VIII (rowed also as fours)

P. N. Withers

C. R. Beaulah

J. P. H. Harrison

M. S. Bruce

S. J. Tomlinson

M. W. Berry

D. J. R. Eddell

A. G. B. Perks (str.)

P. S. Spencer (cox) stern four winners at St. Peter's and Bradford.