THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 February 1908, Page 6

THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

: The result of yesterday's great contest at Wanganui is liiglily pleasing to New Zealanders, not alone for its confirmation of Webb in his position as tie holder of the sculling championship of the world, but for ,the absence from the event of any of those jarring circumstances that so often spoil a victory. The race was a fair and equal test of the. ability of the contestants, and leaves no shadow of doubt concerning the skill and endurance of the New Zealander; He is heartily to be congratulated upon his sterling performance, and the challenger is to'be complimented upon the plucky showing lie made against youth- and supo-

rior skill. There are few fields ■in which New Zealand athletes incontestably excel, and the successful defence of New Zealand pre-eminence in sculling is the more welcome. The champion of- yesterday has already been challenged to maintain his title, and his challenger is a (New Zealander. This is the first occasion upon which holder and challenger have been natives of the Dominion, and, should u match Between Webb and Arnst eventuate, the public will have the satisfaction of knowing that, whatever the result, the honour will still be held by a New Zealander. One of the distresses of the more thoughtful admirers of Anglo-Saxon sport is the frequency with which victory and its fame prove more disastrous to the victor than d'efeat. In the case of Webb, there is good reason to believe that he, will not permit his victory to spoil him; and the best that we can ,wish him is that lie may take as his exemplar Cincinnatus, who did not ,consider great victories excuses for abandoning the quiet cultivation of his farm.