SCULLING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9874, 23 July 1923, Page 6

SCULLING.

WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP.

PADDON WINS COMFORTABLY.

SYDNEY,. July 21. Thera is every indication of fine weather for the sculling championship on the Richmond River.

Both men are fit and well, though Paddon has been lucky to shake off an attack of influenza which troubled him early in the week.

THE RACE DESCRIBED. SYDNEY July 22. An unprecedentedly large crowd lined the banks of the Richmond River, near the finishing post, to wit-

ness the sculling championship. Nondescript conveyances came from all directions, some as far as Queensland, j and presented a motley spectacle for the Northern rivers. The weather toas fine, with a strong south-west breez© blowing and the tide was at the flood,

Paddon weighed 14.2 and Hadfield 12.7. Both moved off from an excellent start. Hadfield rchved at thirty-three to the minute and Paddon at thirtyfive. The-- latter immediately went to the front and led by half a length

after going: fifty yards. The cluunpion was rowing freely, .but the- New Zealander was disturbed by the choppy ! water. When? three-quarters- of a mile •had been traversed Hadfield* endeavjoured to overtake Paddon* but the 'flatter drew in fnont of the visitor and • gave him his wash. The challenger i several times floundered badly in the rough water and, on one occasion,., lost half a length when the rough water!

reached him. Passing the mile Paddon rowed afc forty and Hadfield at -fortywith three lengths separating-, them. The latter, at* half-way, polledtowards the centre ©s■ the course to avoid- Paddon’s wash, hut the championoalso pulled over. It was* noticed that Hadfield missed with his- tight several- times, andthence? to the finish he relied mainly on Mp* left. At two awl a quarter miles Baddoss had increased his lead ! to ten. lengths, but th© New Zealander smooth water, threatened to creep up; on: the champion. Rounding

the beach of time river the v.Sitor again encounfotedi rough, open vie ter, and his boat i rocked like a matfehbox in mid-ocean;. The champion did! Hot experience tfo* same difficulty*; as he knew the * vagaries of the riirer and allowed hiss< boat to ride thofr water. Hadfield plitekily made a final effort to overhaul his opponent nearing the finish, ama-'ireduced the lead to six lengths. On; entering the straight the ' crowd cheered’ when it saw than: Paddon was leading. The champion clapped on the* pace and won by 12 lengths in iDfni’n: 19sec. Both men were wildly cheered by '

the spectators. Paddon said that it was a harder ' race than thatron the Wanganui. Hadfield was at a* disadvantage owing-to the rough water, but he rowed’ a game race. Hadfield admitted that Paddon was the better many By bad luck he got into rough water. If asked to practice on it he would have refused. The published 1 reports vary greatly regarding Padcfon’s win, the distances ranging from six - to twelve lengths.

GOODSEKD v. SHARPE. Major Goodsell'beat Sharpe by half a length for £IOO aside. The pair kept together for the greater part of the journey, and a quarter of a mile from the finish Goodsell had a length to spare, but the New Zealander, in a fine spurt, gradually reduced' the margin by half.