The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-06
ROWFORHONO
National Regatta Will Be
Held at Saratoga.
Course a Fine One For Oars
men and Spectators.
Handsome Prize for the international
Four Dared Race.

The twenty fourth annual regatta Of the
National Association OF Oarsmen will be
held at Saratoga lake on Aug. ~ and 13.
A feature this year will be the ball given
by the citizens in Convention hall 20 the
officials and oarsmen on the night OF Aug.
13 The list of events includes intermedi-
ate single scull shells, senior scull shells,
intermediate double scull Shells senior
double soull shells senior pair Dared shells,
intermediate four Dared shells, intermedi-
ate eight cared shells and senior eight
cared sheRs The distance Is u miles,
with one turn, except for the international
senior four and intermediate and senior
eight races, which are the same distance
straightaway
The regatta committee is composed OF
Robert III. Pelton, New York, chairman;
George w. Statzell, Philadlephia; James
II. Doyle, Boston; william L. Jupp, De-
troit, and Fred Fortmeyer, Newark. The
National association proposes TO make Sar-
atoga lake permanent course at Its an
nual meeting. 1t Is accessible to oarsmen
In all parts Of the United States and Cam
ada.
In order to promote the interest in anna
teur rowing prominent citizen Of Sara
toga has offered cup for an international
four cared senior race, q mile and half
straightaway. The cup is of a pretty de-
sign and Is much admired On one side
there is picture Of the finish line at Sara
toga lake, with four four Dared crews In a
close finish, while on the reverse there Is
tho inscription, Saratoga Cup, Interna-
tional Senior Four Dared Shell Race" II
is about "a inches high and mounted on
an ebony pedestal about inches In height.
In order to have the regatta national in
character IL is customary to bold them az
different points throughout the country,
and most successful ones have been held In
1879 at Saratoga Springs, in 1880 ut Phil
adelphia, in 1881 at Washington, In 1889
at Detroit In 1883 at Newark, in 1854 at
Watkins, In 1886 ut Boston, In 1886 at AL
bany, in 1851 at jamestown, In 1888 as
Sunbury, Pa, In 1889 at Washington and
In 1902 at Saratoga lake. In 1898 the re-
gatta was held at Detroit, and was known
as the Columbian regatta.
Some Of the most exciting races ever wit
messed in this country, by some of the fast
est crews, have been rowed in this associa-
tion. Few will forget the great race on
Saratoga lake in 1892 between the senior
eights of the rival New York and Manhat-
tan Athletic club crews, or the magnifi-
cent finish of the New York Athletic four
In their winning at Detroit of the interna-
tional race for that class, or Of the famous
Atalanta eight, whose unbeaten record for
an entire year put them at the head in the
rowing annals of America.
The main support which the National
association receives in its entries of oars
men Is furnished by the several minor or
ganizations throughout the country, and
1t is the winners in these associations
whose regattas are given at various times
during the season who meet In a grand
struggle for supremacy In the national.
The best known perhaps are the Harlem
Regatta association, the Middle States Re-
gatta association, the Passaic River Anna
teur Rowing association OF Newark, the
Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia, the New
England Amateur Rowing association, the
Mississippi Valley Amateur Rowing asso-
citation and the Northwestern Amateur
Rowing association. The races of these
associations are contested under the rules
of the National association, and from the
officers of these associations the executive
board of the national is generally formed.
The contests In these associations are as
keen In rivalry as those Of the national,
and 1t Is oftentines said that they equal
the parent organization. There is but one
series of championship races, however, and
that is given by the association A winner
at the national regatta has always been 40
knowledged as the champion of the season,
and his prizes are so inscribed.
The Saratoga lake course is one of the
best In the country. The lake itself is
about nine miles long and three miles
across its widest part The course is stu
atcd ut the extreme northern end, and is
well sheltered from the wind, the shore
being high and wooded along its entire
length. There Is nothing 70 interfere with
the view, and every race can be seen from
start TO finish. The course as laid out Is
three quarters of mile long. Buoys with
flags upon them mark the start and finish,
and at distances of an eighth Of mile
apart mark out six lanes for the boats, so
there may be no interference by one crew
with another. These lanes are 100 feet
wide at the starting line and are 100 feet
wide at tho other end, where turn must
be made. All of the races will be mile
and half with a turn, excepting those
for eight cared crews, which will be
mile and half straightaway, on account
of the difficulty OF turning an eight cared
boat The turning races let every one have
a chance to sec both the start and the finish
from the same place and obviate the use Of
steamboats,, which are usually source Of
annoyance aud danger New York Com.
mercial Advertiser.