OPENING CEREMONY.

Gisborne Times, 1 October 1909, Page 5

OPENING CEREMONY.

OPENING CKi ijQMONY. \ Symptoms of the opening of the boatlng season showed themselves -\in Gisborno soon after noon yesterday, though the regatta which was to mark the event was not timed to start till half-past two. In the morning, however, tho s.s. Tuatea and the Squall, which lay in the harbor, sported a very creditable display of bunting, and by i o’clock knots of people were loitering at tho Post Office end the liaiti bridge, and casting anticipatory glances at tho narrow stream that at that time was flanked by broad, greasy stretches of mud. The river is not very attractive when the tide is out. Time and tide wait for no man, and for that matter neither do they hurry. The result was that it was nearly 35 minutes after the scheduled time before the ceremonial procession started. Still, one never expects strict jmnctuality at regattas, and the good humored holiday crowd tnat lined the bank and bridge seemed quite content to wait in patience. All Gisborne and his wife—his neighbor’s wife, his best girl, or his pal perhaps—seemed to be there, and the town side of the river was crowded lrom bridge to bridge- Ths bridge indeed was packed with spectators, who had stormed the rails and parapets, oblivious of the muddy water that Hewed. invitingly below. The rotunda, too, held a good number of spectators, who fringed the water’s edge or lined the top of the embankment behind, while the road was half blocked for some distance by standing motors and buggies, whose owners had stopped to see the procession. The bandstand formed a splendid coign of vantage, and was filled with ladies, while in it also stood Hi s Worship the Mayor, waiting to make the opening declaration. A “sandwich” man —an unusual form of advertisement for Gisborne—paraded the green, and a troop of small boys paddled in the mud at the water’s edge. It had gone three o’clock some minutes ago. Up the river a band was playing, but the procession had not started. Then those on the rotunda heard the sound of applause. There was clapping along the bank, one section of the people taking it up as others ceased, and then round the bend into the Turanganui river glided a single oarsman. A big, fair giant, in fragile outrigger, he sculled slowly, and seemingly with scarce an effort of his broad shoulders and bulging arms. And as he passed he nodded and smiled to those who were applauding the champion sculler of the world. Dick Arnst wa s indeed a worthy leader for the procession that opened Gisborne’s boating season, and as he passed between the supports of the Haiti bridge tho people cheered him. Behind came Messrs Nelson Bros.’ launch “Hilda,” on which was the City Band, anil a flotilla of smaller motor boats solibed and spat their way in the wake. Then came the club rowing boats, the blue and white of Poverty Bay, and the black and gold of the Gisborne Club being to the front. Fours, double sculls, and single sculls, they rowed leisurely towards the harbor* mouth, followed by numerous private boats.

Before they reached the breakwater the procession turned, and the boats clustered by the bank at the rotunda, where the Mayor formally declared the season open, and delivered a speech on the progress of rowing in the district. In the meantime, Dick Arast, who had guided himself as close to the hank as the mud would permit, had become the centre of attraction for a score of small boys, who, with as much bare leg exposed as tightly rolled breeches would permit, waded round the champion’s skiff. Silent and admiring they stood round, and there was a. subdued murmur when one tiny hero-worshipper caught hold of the end —the back end — of the skiff. There was quite a sensation when Arnst, who had discarded his boots, handed out an oar to he carried ashore, and proud indeed was the youngster who secured the honor of carrying it. The other oar followed, and then the champion stepped into the shallow water, and lifting his boat in two brawny arms, strode to the bank amid his youthful admirers, like another Gulliver in Lilliput. Having placed the skiff in safety, he _ waded aboard the judge’s launch, while the fickle attention of the boys was diverted to a diminutive companion who had slipped or been pushed in the water, and was making tearful protests amid unsympathetic laughter. The Mayor finished speaking, and then the brand new boats of the Gisborne Club were piloted past one of the launches wherein sat Mrs. A. F. Kennedy, whose duty it was to christen the craft. “Taruheru” and “Waimata” were the names of the fours; “Waiomolco and “Pouawa” those of the doubles; and “Te Aral,” “Wiapaoa,” and “Waiapu” those of the single sculls; and a thirsty crowd watched bottle necks being knocked off in a businesslike minner, and the contents of the bottles trickling down the bows into the sluggish, river. The ceremony was done with, the stream was cleared for the races, and the season began in earnest.

THE RACING. The racing was most interesting several extremely close finishes taking place. Chief interest centred in the exhibition by R. Arnst, the champion sculler of the world, and the cutter race between crews from H.M.S. Prometheus and the Sheepfanners’ Frozen Meat Co. The champion started at the rotunda, and sculled slowly and gracefully to the end of the wharf, where he turned. On the upward journey he put on the pace, and got a surprising amount of speed out of his boat. In front of the applauding crowd in the vicinty of the rotunda, Arnst then gave a few exhibitions of starting off the mark. At the conclusion of his exhibition he wa ? loudly cheered. The following are the details of the racing: Inter-club Fours. —Gisborne: H. P. Hamilton, 0. Hansen, E. Grenfell, S. T. Richards; Poverty Bay: W. MeGuffie, B. Lowe, C. Winter, J. W r . Nicolas; Uawa: J. Noeyoe, E. Newey, J. Thompson, H. Kirikiri. All the crews got well away, but when half the course had been covered the two former were leading; from the Uawa crew. A rattling finish resulted, but the judges were unable to separate the Gisborne and Poverty Bay crews, and declared the race a dead beat. In the row-off. Poverty Bay won rather easily. Inter-club Double Sculls. —Gisborne: J. Knowles and R. Warren; Uawa: F. Williams and J. Lockwood. This was an excellent race to the bridge, where Williams missed a stroke and lost a lot of ground Gisborne won by a clear length. Veterans’ Fours (Gisborne). —(a): F. Teat, G. Holmes, H. Faram, A. Zaehariah; (b): R. D. B- Robinson. A. R. Gatland, C. Buscke. W. Green. Robinson’s crew lost ground at the start, through No. 3 failing to take up the stroke. Teat’s crew forged ahead, but Robinson’s men rowing gamely, rapidly overhauled them, and only suffered defeat by a narrow margin.

■ . •■. r \ Married . . Single (Poverty Bay).— Married: •. Stuart, A/ McConnell, J„ Webb. A. Kirk; Single: A. Pritchards W. Hall, J. Bragge, T. McConnell. The married men asserted their superiority from the start, and won rather easily by a length and a-half.

‘Oaks” v. C. S. and Co.—R. Y. Gully, D. Cowan, J. M. Curtis, A. Donald (Oaks); G. H. Puflett, H- M. Puflett, C. .Somervell, I. G. Grinlinton (C. S. and Co.). This was one of the best races of the day. “Oaks” led for a time, but “C. S. and Co.” came fast at the finish, and won by a few feet. Motor Launch Rjce (handicap).—The course was from the bridge round the black buoy twice, finishing at the rotunda. Fourteen launches started, and the winner turned up in Mr Bannister’s boat, “Merry Widow,” Mr. W. B. Miller’s launch being second. Civil Service v. Gisborne Swimming Club.—L. F. Williams, B. Lowe, J. W. Nicolas, D. Cowan (Civil Service); P. C. Bayly. Clias. Morse, J. McLean, L. Bright (Gisborne Swimming Club). Another good race. The crews raced abreast nearly all the way, but the Civil Service boat just got ahead at the post and won by a foot. Naval Cutter Race. —Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Co. v. H.M.S. Prometheus. For this race the crews were started at the end of the breakwater to row to the rotunda. They rowed well together at the start, but the naval men, rowing with a fine even swing, gradually forged ahead. Thev crossed in. front of their opponents when reaching the wharf, and rowing strongly, won bv three lengths. It was a popular win, the crowd heartily cheering the bluejackets. Messrs A. F. Kennedy and E. P. Joyce officiated as judges, and Mr. W. Hackett as starter. Excellent work was done by Messrs W. B. Miller, L. Sheriff, and C. Adair in keeping the course clear and attending to details. In the rather arduous task they were ably assisted by the committee ; comprising members of both the Gisborne and Poverty Bay Clubs.