SCULLING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19508, 3 January 1929, Page 13

SCULLING.

NEW ZEALANDER FAILS.

NOT AT HOME IN KOIGH W ATEIt. | ! ,i»som oi s uw coßr.ssposrKN* i SYDNEY. December '27. The prepuce of the an>incur sculling champion of New Zealand added intor..••it to the New South Wales Rowing Association's annual regatta held on the historic course on tho Parrainatta river Inst Saturday, but those who hod heard such encouraging reports of the prowess of A. K. Jackson were doomed to disappointment. He did not row in tli© least like » champion, and >cmo expert'* have been led to say that it Jackson is the host sculler New Zealand can produce tho sport of rowing must be .it a verv low ebb in the Dominion. Such a sweeping statement is not .justified, for it is clear that the conditions for last Saturday's race were all against the visitor. Certainly he is capable ol much better things. Of course, in H. K. Pearce. holder of the New South Wales title and Australian and Olympic champion, lie had a formidable opfxuient. There is no sculler in the Commonwealth, and probably no amateur in the world, capable of extending him, and it was hoped that Jackson would make him doTiis best. Pearce had announced thai Saturday's race would be his last as _i ,n amateur. No sculler, he said, could live on the fame achieved as an amateur, and lie complained that since he returned from the Olympic Games nobody had come forward with an offer to provide him with a position ; therefore ho had no alternative but to desert the amateurs and become a professional. For that reason his many supporters were anxious to see what ho would do against a really first-class man such ns they had been" led to believe Jackson was. Pearce won the race with comparative ease .land Jackson was fourth in a field of fnje. Pearce gave a wonderful display, going through the rough water splendidly, steering an excellent course, and, although not pressed, registering good time in the prevailing conditions. Jackson, as already indicated, was very disappointing. The water was rough and choppy, as there was a stiff breeee Mowing, and Jackson proved beyond doubt that he was not at home in such circumstances. If the conditions were against him that was not his onlv misfortune for on Friday, the day before the race, he broke a scull. This necessitated nim using a new pair, which was not wholly suitable. It was apparent when half the distance had been traversed that his arms were tiring. This was particularly noticeable when he reached the calm water not far from the finishing post. There he mad« a | strong effort to make up lost ground. Although his boat moved better temporarily he could not maintain the effort long enough to enable him to overhaul the leaders. Pearce was rowing at his ease, and won by twenty lengths.