Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-08-13

In order to promote the interest IN
amateur rowing, a prominent citizen
of Saratoga has offered a cup for an in
ternatiOnal fOur-oared senior race one
mile and a half straightaway The
cup is of pretty design, and is much
admired. On one side there is a pic
ture of the finish line at Saratoga
lake, with fOur-Oared crews in close
finish, while on the reverse there is the
inscription, Saratoga cup internation-
al senior fouT-oared shell race 1t
is twenty-four inches high and mount
ed on an ebony pedestal six inches in
height
In order to have the regatta nation
al in character it is customary to hold
them at different points throughout
the country, and most successful ones
have been held in 1870 at Saratoga
Springs; in 1880 at Philadelphia: in
1881 at Washington, D. c.; in 1882 at
Detroit; in 1883 at Newark; in 1884 at
Watkins; in 1885 at Boston; in 1886
at Albany; in 1887 at Jamestown; in
1888 at Sunbury, Penn; in 1889 at
Chicago; in 1890 at Worcester; in 1891
at Washington and in 1892 at Sara
toga lake. In 1898 the regatta was
held at Detroit, and was known as the
Columbian regatta.
Some of the most exciting races
ever witnessed in this country by some
of the fastest crews have been rowed
in this association. Few will forget
the great race on Saratoga lake in
1892, between the senior Fights of the
rival New York and Manhattan Ath-
leuc club crews, or the magnificent
finish of the New York Athletic four.
in their winning at Detroit of the in
ternational race for that class; or of
the famous Atlanta eight whose un-
Eeaten record for an entire year put
them at the head in the rowing an
mails of America.
The main support which the Nation
al association receives in its entries of
oarsmen is furnished by the several
organizations throughout the country
and it is the winners in these associa
tons whose regattas are given at
various times during the season. who
meet in grand struggle for suprem-
acy in the National. The best-known.
perhaps, are the Harlem Regatta as
ISOLATION, the Middle States Regatta
association, the Passaic River Amateur
Rowing association of Newark. the
Schulkill Navy of Philadelphia. the
New England Amateur Rowing asso-
citation. the Mississippi Valley Anna
teur Rowing association. and the
Northwestern Amateur Rowing associ-
alton. The races of these associations
are contested under the rules of the
National association. and from the
officers of these associations the execu-
tive board of the national organiza-
ton is generally formed
The contests in these associations
are as keen in rivalry as those of the
national, and it is oftentimes said that
they equal the parent organization
There is but one series of champion
ship races, however, and that is given
by the association. 4 winner at the
national regatta has always been ac-
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 it
self is about nine miles long and three
miles across its widest part The
course is situated at the extreme north
ern end, and is we'll sheltered from the
wind. the shore being high and wood
ed along its entire length. There is
nothing to interfere with the view, and
every race can be seen from start to
finish The course as laid out is three