The Telegraph Journal, Saint John, N.B., Saturday, August 20, 1977

Rowing Starts This Morning

Canadian Henley and national gold medallists of the Kennebecasis Rowing Club near Saint John will set out to defend their Renforth Trophy in the heavy fours' competition today at the Renforth Regatta.

"I’m confident the boys will be strong again this year," heavy fours’ coach Keith Ratcliffe related in an interview.

"It’s hard to say if they’ll win again, but they’ll be tough and a lot of people are expecting them to do well," he added.

Rowing gets under way at 9 a.m. on the Kennebecasis River near the Renforth wharf.

Clubs competing against the defending champs are the Fredericton Rowing Club, North Star Rowing Club of Dartmouth, N.S., Mic Mac Club of Dartmouth, Ontario Rowing Association and the Quebec Rowing Federation.

Mark and David Allen, Wayne McConnell and former club member Andy Messer of St. Catharines, Ont. Will compete in the heavy fours’ competition without cox. The same team captured a gold medal at the national championships at the Olympic Basin in Montreal earlier this month.

The Allen brothers captured other gold medals in the pairs competition at the Henley and national championships.

Messer, a member of the Ridley College Rowing Club in St. Catharines was a member of the Canadian Youth Crew that placed fourth in the World Championships last year in Austria.

Out of province clubs vying for a good performance at the regatta are the Ontario Rowing Association, the Quebec Rowing Federation, the Mic Mac Rowing Club and the North Star Rowing Club, both of Dartmouth, N.S. and the Fredericton Rowing Club.

Other events throughout the day will be swimming competitions with registration set for 10:30 a.m. at the wharf, a chicken barbecue at 12 noon, track and field competitions at 1 p.m., sailing races at 2 p.m., canoe tilting events at 4:30 p.m., and a beer garden at 7 p.m.

Various booths will be set up with live steer draw sometime today. A dance has been slated for 9 p.m. at the Renforth Community Club.

Ratcliffe trains the heavy fours’ team on the Kennebecasis River every week night and Saturdays and Sundays at 8:30 a.m. The club itself also has a very extensive winter training program.

Women’s rowing events will feature the Kennebecasis’s fours without cox. The team of Mary Ellen Guidry, Sally Hutchinson, Margo Inches and Patti Kriever won their event at the Buffalo Invitational.