Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-25
CANOE REGATTA A
PICTURESQUE SUCCESS
Thousands View the Races OF
the Washington Clubs
Annual Affair.

amid ideal atmospheric conditions the
annual regatta of the Washington Canoe
club was held yesterday afternoon OH the
Potomac river In front of the clubhouse.
which is All easy two minutes walk
west of the -Aqueduct bridge, along the
towpath of tie canal. Several thousand
peosons watched the races from canoes
and motor boats scattered along the
course. and barges and floats anchored
near the District bank, and hundreds
more got a bird s-eye view from the
bridge.
The river in the vicinity or the canoe
club was fairly alive with pretty girls
and young men in sailors jumpers or
rowing suits. The clubhouse itself pre-
scented a beautiful appearance, with float.
balconies and windows crowded with en-
thusiaStic paddlers and their friends.
From all of the boat clubs and private
canoe houses along the lower river and
from away up at High and Sycamore
islands and the numerous camps along
both banks of the river above Little
Falls they came. 1t Is safe to say that
mighty few Washinstonians who ever
Use the paddle were not somewhere
around.
The first event began shortly after $3.50
PM. and the last was over about half
an hour before dark.
Interesting All the Way.
The iveliest interest was manifested In
all of the events. especially. in the race
for war canoes, the club fours, the relay
race and the fitting contest. With the
single exception of the fitting contest. all
of the events were run off with a snap
that did great credit to the mana cement
of Vice Commodore Edward B. Finch of
the canoe club. who was chairman of
the regatta committee, and his associates
who had various parts of the affair i'll
charge. Owing to the lateness of the
hour and the breaking of one of the
lanceS. the tilt was not completed. and
the prize in this event will be contested
for at a later date.
Interest was pretty evenly divided be-
tween the war canoe, relay and club
tour races. Ii one of these aroused
more excitement than the others it was
probably the war canoe race. and the
reason was that it was the most
spectacular of the three. There are
only two war canoes on the Potomac,
and they are owned by the AnaloStan
Boat Club and the Washington Canoe
Club. Each Is manned by some twenty
paddlers. and is steered with long war
paddle. welded by a man perched upon
the stern.
The huskiest paddlers in both clubs
were picked out for this event, and from
the moment Starter Brook Amiss' pistol
cracked they made the water fly so fast
that the big boats fairly leaped over the
course. The Analostan boys made the
best getaway, and retained the lead
from start to finish. but they had to
paddle till they were ready to drop with
fatigue to. keep the Washington boys
from closing up the little distance be-
tween them. AS it was, the Analostan
boat crossed the finish line about a
canoe length ahead of the other, and
thereby won the handsome prize banner
offered by the Washington Canoe Club
for the victor.
Most Important.
II the war canoe race was the most
spectacular. and therefore of more in
terest to the spectators in general. the
relay and club tours were regarded as
more important by the veteran canoeists,
who go in for good sport Both of these
events were captured by the Washington
Canoe Club.
The relay race was the most closely
contested of any of the afternoons
events, the winners crossing the line a
bare half canoe length ahead of the
Virginia Canoe Club crew, which won
second place. This race was run on a
triangular course, and the legs were
about half the distance across the river
in length. There were two heats. In
the first the Virginia Canoe Club. from
the upper river. defeated the Potomac
Boat Club, and in the second heat the
Washington crew beat out the ALL
The Washington Canoe Club had a
much harder time beating its adversary
than did the Virginia club in the pre-
limlnary heats. aud it had to go right
IN to the finals without a rest. This
led many to believe that the Washing
ton boys, who have the reputation for
doing big things in this event, were
about to meet their Waterloo. 1t wasn't
decided until almost the last stroke was
taken. The three legs were padded in
opposite directions by three separate
crews representing each club and each
crew did its very best. So close was
the finish that the Virginia canoe
struck the Washington canoe amidships
behind the buoy at the finish.
Club Fours.
Winning in the club tours was much
easier for the Washington Canoe Club
crew. which consisted of L. A. Schmitt.
DR.. Willis Pomeroy. L. r. Eberbach and
w. A. Rogers. 1t got the lead mo-
nIent after the start and increased it
steadily down the course, crossing the
line with d big stretch of daylight be-
tween II and the nearest follower. The
High Island four. composed of Messrs
Cleveland Skinker. Ray Garrett. Cough
had very close contest with the Ana
lostan crew, which was made up of
Messrs rutherford, Edmunds, Green
and Daniels.
= M HiiAeu uouU!eS, or taHdeInS, as
aney are called in canoe parlance, fur
niShed quite diversion. This event
was won by Miss j. II. Marston and Mr..
Schmitt with a good. big margin to
spare Miss Marston. who padded In
the bow. Vas especially compIimepted
by her friends after the race for the
strong finish she made. She showed no
more fatigue III taking the stroke that
Threw the canoe over the line than did
her male partner in the stern.
W int Tod t,,ta
the neNer-forgotten "tail-end" race in
which the paddlers each sit on the
stern seat of their canoe and face at,
padding In that direction with the
rest of the canoe sticking out In n
comtcal fashion behind. The least false
stroke or the paddle will send the bow
swinging to one side or other with such
force that the racer in Il moment finds
himself pudding directly away from
the finish line.
Close Call for Perkins.
This event was won by C. c. Perkins,
who showed exceptional skill in keep
Ing headed i'll the right direction. just
few yards from the finish he allnos
lost control OF his boat, however, and
j.. i. Eberbach. who was padding stead
1ly along behind came within Il few feet
OF overtaking him and capturing the
prize. George Barnes made a close
miro but the rest OF the field got
fopelesSiy turned around not far from
the starting point.
As much OF the fitting match as was
run on was exciting in the extreme. Only
good swimmers were allowed to enter this
event. IN which each contestant tries 10
hurl his opponent overheard at the point
IL yxtyyI ~,