The Evening Times Globe, Saint John, N.B., July 23, 1973

SHARING a grip on the James Renforth Memorial Trophy awarded annually to the winner of the 2,000 metres straight four rowing competition of the Renforth Regatta are members of the Quebec Federation of Rowing crew. Left to right are bow, Louis Prevost; stroke, Georges DeBuc; third oar, Pierre Voisard and second oar, Louis Bourassa. The Renforth Regatta was held Saturday.

Visiting Quebec oarsmen accomplished a lot in one day at the Renforth Regatta-they won just about everything in sight including the Sir James Renforth Memorial cup.

The two Federation of Quebec Rowing crews who entered the invitational rowing competition, a straight four crew and a coxed four, won four of the five rowing events and every one they entered.

The big event-the 2,000 metres straight four race for the Sir James Renforth Memorial Trophy-went to the oarsmen from la belle province as well.

"We came to win and we won," said president of the Quebec federation Hans George Schmodke who follows his crews around when they participate in competitions. He said however that everyone must be realistic.

"Our ten boys here all went to an intensive training camp in France for a short time and then afterwards participated in two regattas in Zurich, Switzerland and Vichy, France. They have had much more practice than those other teams. Our federation has been going for an extremely long time as compared to the young Kennebecasis Club."

Louis Prevost, bowman for the trophy winning straight four crew, was impressed by the ability of the local Kennebacasis Rowing and Canoe Club entries, also a straight four and a coxed four crew. The third club in the competitions was the Micmac Club from Dartmouth, N.S. "They are good," he said of the local straight four crew. (they finished second to the Quebecers in the 2,000 metres) "They are a very good crew. They gave us good competition."

"This is our first time competing this year," the bowman said, although unlike either the local entries or those of the Micmac club, it wasn't their first ever competition.

The Quebecers have competed as novices for several years and in an international regatta in Switzerland placed sixth in the final. In order to be classed as juniors, either as a team or as a single oarsman, a rower must be part of a winning crew or a single-man winner in an accredited national competition.

The crew for Quebec's straight four were: bowman Prevost; second oar, Louis Bourassa; third oar, Art Belanger and stroke Georges DeBuc. All are from the Montreal area.

Saint John's ability to pick up fast on the fine points of top-calibre rowing were mentioned Schmodke.

"For a crew that has not been exposed to rowing at all before a year ago . . . it is remarkable."

Tim Frink, coach for the local club said that his crews were able to get good starts off the mark.

"One thing that we're good at-that’s starts," Frink said. "Training on the river (Kennebecasis) like this is difficult. Lately we've been getting lousy weather. For the last couple of nights the wind has choppy."

"When that happens," Frink explained, "we putter around in here in the coves (near the Renforth wharf) and practise starts." Having a good start of the line was fine, but bad weather and poor training conditions that don't allow his oarsmen to train properly for the body of the race off-setted the benefits of the quick starts, he felt.

"The boys will do right at the Canada Summer Games," Frink said. "They've had better times than those of this competition. Rough water and other conditions made racing difficult today." Rowers from the Kennebecasis Club are representing N.B. in the Canada Games rowing com- petition at Burnaby, B.C., next month.

The times for Saturday's races were slowed by the choppy water and heavy fog.

Competition began in the morning slightly behind schedule. Race was a semifinal 2,000 metres coxed four competition between the visiting crews, Quebec and Micmac, to decide a finalist to compete against Kennebecasis. Quebec won the semifinal with a time of 8:12, Micmac being clocked at 8:37.

The battle for the trophy, Race 2, was the only other rowing race of the morning. All three clubs entered crews with Quebec winning again. The winners achieved 7:06, Kennebecasis second with 7:26. Micmac placed last.

The 2,000 metres coxed four final was the first race into the afternoon and Quebec won that also. The winning time for Race 3 was 8:20. The Kennebecasis entry was timed in 8:35.

The last two competitions were staged sprints over 500 metres. In Race 4, Quebec won in a time of 1:39. The Kennebecasis Club entry and Quebec were waging a close battle for first place when the Renforth entry incurred a setback. The seat of third oar Ray Beyea came off its track and the local team fell back. Kennebecasis lost the race by about two boatlengths and was timed in 1:44. Micmac was third.

Race 5, a sprint between the Kennebecasis coxed four and Micmac crew, resulted in the local clubs only win. Unofficial times for tee race had New Brunswick winning with 1:50 and Micmac coming across the line clocked at 1:56 for the 500 metres.

All races were conducted on the Kennebecasis River with the finish line being located just opposite the Renforth wharf.

All of the out-of-town competitors arrived Friday evening and were lodged in the Rothesay Collegiate School. The schedule for the Quebecers included Saturday's competition, a training jaunt on the Kennebecasis River on Sunday morning and then their return to Montreal later in the day.

The Micmac party left Saturday evening following the competition.