SCULLING CHAMPIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 107, 29 January 1908, Page 8

SCULLING CHAMPIONS.

TRAINING NOTES. A SWEEPSTAKE EVENT , (Br..TEr,EaKArir—srECiAi. ■ coRBEsrOKnENT.) ; • • V/an!ganui,?Januaryv27. iAVobb's 1 . work last. weok'J.was -marked;'by a slight easing off, and -was: t-ho third -day m seven when he-only took onfi row. i Another ;• man, -than"-, the 'champiqn would, boconsidered, almost ,' ( too -fit, for - he: is in .rare buckle,-.though- thej-.racc. is:- four ecks off- jet'; .but, as has been . remarked; 1 -ho is- easy to- train- and' there r :is.-,no, : fearof lns ; goingstale. Ho will go- into; the county tor a couple of days 1 ;- spell during this - wcjck, but .will continue Ins 'land (exorcises-.. ■ W'ebbls work, last Saturday morningi'coiisisted of-va walk to the Heads and back;'the,eight'miles being covered,at an easy,gait;"'-.lie-was out on the. river m.tho afternpon,'. when some "of the minor faults already noticeable-were ,obsenable. On Sunday ; agam v lio : Jinade .only one :appcaiancc, this- tihio -m< the ■■ morning;and /came down the*- river:: ' Good wateri favoured him, and. he, sho\j'edrt.wo .flashes of rare brilliancy......

A HALF-MILE BIiRST J When opposite -the Union'shed'he stopped for a Jew moments tp converso with-some of his old clubnmtos; Meanwhile; ; his-pace-I maker continued-on, and tl)c champion,' Bet ting out after him, dug his blades- in at 1 a rate which took his skiftr, over:a- couple /of hundred- yards as fast as a > swalIow :; on the wing. Going up river again he indulgcdj-in. u half-milu. burst which fairly-made a hack of his cpmpanioil. "His/boat^travelled.'like .the l Union 'Company's Maori, ; ■.■and:;;the, l .-flutter showed 1 what-he can do' when,he gets'goiiigi On--Monday morning Webb again came (town river, and went, a couple of .miles overKtho Putiki' rcnch. This - part, of .the task i was i taken faster than .usual, the champion, striking from 26-to 28, rowing hard, clean strokes; showing. a: powerful leg. drive and good • bladework. IHe evidently,isliows.-his- true 'form■ .whom-shaking- her up,-.-and appears - to s more advantage than when scullinga leisurely, 22; TRESIDDER IN GREAT HEART When; I'residder went out on Saturday inoriiing hi! 'found-a strong nor'-wester blowing ,against a flowing .: tide,;! which raised , a considerable- jobble.- . .He,: displayed good watermanship, and striking .a-good;, steady, easy stroke; had no diflicult.v ui- negotiating tho'whito! caps, and.vdrove the craft across the-watery furrows at a'solid pace.'"On Sunday and Monday. •ho had ■ better. water; and put 'in; the same steady-work; but at a somewhat faster rate than hitherto. He .is; still showing; weakness in bladeavprk, especially at.the fiiu:Sh,i when he; lias an>ugly habit of squaring li:is' elbows out,: which detracts -from ail .otherwise easy-lookiiigistylelvV'AtUhe same time- he has' come on wonderfully well, and if all goeii right frill proveF- : anything but a soft' snap on February■/ 26i; ■ The;' Australian , has' practically given ;up;thci"idea' , of- trying' I to' knock 'off extra : avoirdiipois,;; and unless |a-.; healthy ' appetite,;'"whi6li- ; thfa. Dominion's. imorc''bracing.cHmate .has;;gi.veii;him,. results in niorc fle'sli,- he wiir ; row ,125t. :121b. . He' is, looking verj ' well, and is .in-'gTcat.' heart;'," I hover .saw him in better form,":, says-Trainer ,Bain,' under whose ; supervision ; .the muscles of, ; the .Australian'; .champion's'-- ' massive .''shoulders''aud^limbs';arp'beginning to'-talie. a fine shape. • ''

i ; GOING UP RIVER; : . ; Both , the men and their traiherS'and-pace-makers will shift their .quarters up river in about.'two weeks' time,,: and will spond the final fortnight of preparation on the 'three-' mile course thoy will battle.over:next month." Webb and party will probably' go under cah-ras-on the willow-lined',bank, >l)iit the Austriljan has f not; whether to take to the' simple" liro' .or'. not: ?-The 1 . chances are that; he'; and '[his ;'cotnpanioiis ; ''will!%ake, the hotel at' Upokoijgai'o" their, headquarters, and as 'it is only half a mile from tho finishing line he will be put to no inconvenience in making "himself acquainted with; the coiirso. ■ Eight ' steamers;' have' been;'chartered • total™ the crowd up river, and as .tliey will start, running about, 9 o'clock in the morning tho outing-will be an all .day one. For.most of the spectators the. wants'of : :the inner'man will be attended to by_ local tradesmen, who aro making arrangements to supply "lunch to those who can't bo bothered or who are unable to tako ■ with them the sandwich which fills and the ginger pop which fizzes. Your correspondent now learns that four' steamers will • follow the race,'- in addition, to the'referee's-. boat—five in"; .'for;. these, may bo obtained now .on -application 'to Messrs. Hatricki and Co. or to .Mr. W.' R; Tuck, Wanganui; and .as a. big demand "is gxpofited, . those who warit;.to' see : the struggle trom start to . finish..".to.Yadvantage - should apply early. . ' ;l ; 'I'- :

VISITING PROFESSIONALS; ■ Nothing further- has been heard of- tho proposal' put forward ; some..ti(ne,.ago to vpromoto. a ; , sweepstake for ;visitin^' professionals in conjunction, with 1 .the '.world's champion-ship-race, or a day or two afterwards.- The chief, question is"Where is , the money, ftp come from P"'and no' one here'seoms inclined to:take up the.task of raising tKe 'needful.' I hear, however, that there is -'a good' chance of such an event figuring on-the-programme of the Napier Carnival m'j'March. nest, and though nothing definite;, can-.,.be , said,, the rolling,of the.ball has bceiv..started. Should it'continue' revolving at a sufficient rafo' to reach its 'objective,'' a -good,''if- n'ot 'a "par-, ■ticularly largo, field will'offer.'- : Webb,' Tresiddcr, and Ford would- be'-sure-to'enter, ana ■Arnst may perhaps be relied\ oil to, make a fourth. George Towns and Fogwoll aro said to be coming ovor to See the chiimpibiiship, and might be iiicjuced to compete,-while'there is talk of at least one New Zealand amateur entering the professional' ranks "soon. ■■ Of course, this is more or. less -in the air at present, but it has been more thaii once discussed by thoso in the know here.; Speaking of Napier,: a possible starter in the amateur chanipionship'to lie' rowed there in March is M'Donald,, kf -"the. Wanganiii Club, who has been out on -several occasions with Trcsidder and Ford.;'.■-.He- is.a very promising colt, and manages to keep well abreast of the two professionals, who „haye given him several useful hints. .

Wanganul, Jinuary-2S. •There is little, to report in connection with the sculling to-day. AYebb has';'gone_ a fow miles up the river on a short/; camping-out oxpedition, and will not . return- to town till Thursday, when ho will again'-:rosume work oil tho water. Trossider was "out for his usual spins to-day. i ■