THE RACE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 131, 26 February 1908, Page 8

THE RACE.

A MUTUAL CONSENT START. • it was, a mutual consent start, but Wobb broke away onco, and Tresidder v twico, before tbey both' got off nicely together. .It,was, a. •- splendid--.'sight to see the two oarsmen ' stretch ;out,' to. their : work , without fuss, flurry, or spurt. Both went in for the long swinging'stroke,-Tresiddcr getting in '32 strokes to tho minute to Webb's 30, a rate that seemed almost, leisurely to the usual dash displayed'at the beginning of a rowing race. Viewing the v race from :behind, it could . not b'ejudged -with the, greatest accuracy how the.men were faring, but the liveliness of tho -paco could be judged by the fact that,': tho 14-kn'ot-Waione, with flames leaping out of her fqnnel, . had her work' cut out to' catch up to the scalers. ' WEBB CAINING A LEAD. ,V ' . • It was • evident,, however, that Webb was • gaining a lead, and at the : half-mile.post it could bo seen that he was a good half-length to tho good. The excitement on-board becamo intense as it was seen, that the cham- . pion j 'had " establisheda V lead, '■ for it . was the first' mile that Webb's.supporters feared.T'noy had no need to y do, so, for by the time the mile,-flag was gained—it was marked, by a handkerchief: tied to a willow—Webb had increased his'lead to a length, and was rowing with big, clean, beautiful strokes that sent his shell skimming along like a hydro- ' plane, while not far behind plugged Tresiddcr, rowing": 26 strokes to the minute, and, ; for all anyone knew, with plenty in reserve. It was still early in the raco.

AM ANXIOUS MOMENT. , The first mile was completed in 6mln. Ises. ' ■ ..." , '.. 'Below th'o mile flag .-Webb', going strong in tho lead, appeared ■to be/ forming too close acquaintanoo with the riverside willows, and" though ho was out of earshot some excited passengers shouted out,'"Keep outl . keep out.l" and moved their arms t-o direct tho champion. /Trcsidder"'seemed to bq ; taking his direction from the man. ahead, and he steered inshore slightly, and from behind it looked as if Webb, in regaining his position, might collido with Tresidder; but both men knew what they wore about. Webb steered close to a willow-fringed point,' and hi|;' backers held their breath as they saw him near tho land. Ho cleared it with .plenty to ; spare, and then everyone saw through his tactics. , The point W a bight of glwsy.

smooth'water, across which he dashed with a spurt that raised a cheor from the following steamers. • •/' THE TWO.MILE FLAC. The spurt lengthened his lead, - and the 'two mile flag saw the champion into a clear two-longths' 16ad, with the sports saying that the raco was all over.

The second mile was covered In :6min. Sseo. --. - - At the last stage? of . tho race, Webb was puttiqg; 26 and Tresidder 25 to the minute. After, the. two miles were covered there was a gradual*! bend, and then a .splendid straight home. ' WobS 1 now gained with every stroke, while' .Tresidder betrayed -traces of unevenness,: and, his. boat rolledslightly now apd again.. Tho'.tido-might have had something to do with-this,'for it was noticed that while the champion- continued to lengthen the distance..between the two boats he pulled\ put into mid-stream, aild when two arid a half miles had been covered he was' about four lengths dead ahead'of- ; the Wallsend man.