SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 2 August 1923, Page 10

SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

HOW PADDON WON. LKD FROM THE START. •lames Paddon is htill .sculling champion of the world despite Dan-y Hadlield's plucky attempt to win back the t 'lie. In describing the race on the Richmond River on Saturday week the special correspondent of the "Sydney Morning Hi-raid" writes:—"The contestants [.addled in businesslike fashion to their places. Their blades cut the water in < short, crisp strokes for a minute or two, . each seeking for the opportune moment i i<> strike in earnest, just as two expert i nwordsmen might feint and parry while watching for an. opening to serve a ■ deadly blade. ; "It was pretty play, and almost before j dub realised it they were off to a beauti- , fill start-, each striking the water simul- ( tHiieouelr. Hadfield, being on the out- ; Bide, had the disadvantage oi slightly , more broken water. The shout 'They're ■ off* was taken up by the crowds lining , the banks, and the motley assemblage of ( curs, lorries, and sulkies, and horsemen , started off in two streams along the , north and soutli banks, following the I nice. Both men commenced rather , fiercely, their shells leaping forward up stream, and as their prows met the dis- ( turbed water raised by the south-westerly a spray flew over their pointed nosea. '. Kiplit "from the first stroke Paddon's .■-Idff pushed ahead. It was only a few feet. l>ut il quickly grew. A voice shouted, "Jake it steady, Jim," but there was no ni'cd for such advice, us each man, realising that it was to be a long and stern race, settled down very quickly to a lung steady sweep. Paddon started off iit about 28 strokes to the minute, and Hudfield's was much the same. At the end of the first minute Paddon had increased his lead to half a length, and 100 yard* further on. as each man drew towards the north side, Paddon showed !i full boat's length between him and the ' Xew Zealander. At the end of the third minute this lead was increased to a length and a-half, showing the steady | increase iv power of Paddon's long strokes. IX PADDOXS WAKE. Traversing the north bank Hadfield, who had by now settled down to a long stroke, and was using his back to full | advantage, followed almost in Paddon's , wake, but he hardly lost ground. A few hundred yards further on the scullers ( reached the region of sandbanke, at which point the New Zealunder, rowing < '.26 to the minute, had dropped back j three length?. The stretch of somewhat smoother water to the moored steamers, j about a mile and a half from the start, saw a splendid effort on the part of Hndfield to hang on to his powerful opjionent, and stop any further loss of ■ distance. For a moment it looked as if he might even make up some of his leeway. He was now rowing a proat race. ■ long steady sweeps, with every ounce of power in them, and for a little while lie gallantly held his place. Passing the moored boat both men started to move over towards the southern shore to negotiate the second bend, and • notwithstanding that Hadfield •fought doggedly every inch of water, Paddon drew steadilyforward. At the mile and a half Paddon was still rowing his steady 26 to the minute, and although temptation must have been great i to increase his timing, HadSeld maintained his regular stroking, which, however, failed to have the driving force needed to draw up. It was soon seen, ■before Teacllrng'thy tend; -that-Faddon was fait increasing his lead, and when near the reeds on the southern shore lie had increased the lead to six or seven lengths. They had then covered two < tniles in 12 minutes 17.seconds, the pace i throughout being very consistent. ! HADFIELD'S STERN GHASE. j The race past the southern bend re- ( volved itself into a stern chase by Had- i field, and at this juncture, having now the inside course and the benefit of t smooth water under the south bank, he worked like a Trojan- to make up the difficiency. He was, however, reckoning , without Paddon, for every spurt he made was countered by his redoubtable ' opponent. Both scullers were seen at . their best, rowing stroke for stroke at about 26 to the minute, but when they 1 rleared the point and turned their bow's ] toward Woodburn on the final stretch, J Paddon was fully six lengths from tie Xew Zealander. Eye-witnesses then ' realised that only an accident could pre- ' vent Paddon from again winning the ' laurels. It was now only a quarter of ' ii mile from the finieliing point, the tiauks opposite which were black with ' rheering crowds. With remarkable ' pluck Hadfield, never despairing, made ' acroM the water in Paddon's wake, full l of fight to the last, while ou either side * the crowd roared ite encouragement. £ Paddon .was stroking perfectly, with - those tremendously long back-driven • sweeps which have won all his matches ' for Uhii, and he still seemed ready to c respond to any fresh .demand made upon f him. True, he had not to do so, but a lie did have to battle sternly to the end, ;, for Hadfield was putting up the gamest i> of losing fights. Then the gun sounded c a* Paddon passed the post a full six c lengths ahead. a The cheering broke out anew, for the a crowd had now grown to over 8000. and a their own Riclunond River idol had r Jtgain "proved! his prowess with the r ftculls. For several minutes there waa 1 pandemonium, cheers, shouts, sirens from b •teamera, and tooting from motor horns, c -Paddon a dark head dropped forward on a to his heaving chest, but a moment later \ he .Uirew it back, and a long arm waved t to the cheering crowd,. For a moment a or tno both scullers rested on their I oars and then they paddled up to one , enother for the formal handshake , which in their case -was quite epontaneous. The time was officially riven lfltr. t » s , eaid to be the fastest time over eouree. They rowed on a flood tide <mt for the first two miles they faced a strong head, or side, wind.