PEARCE DEFEATED.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1193, 31 July 1911, Page 8

PEARCE DEFEATED.

SCULLINQ CHAMPIONSHIP. ARNST WINS IN RECORD TIME A GRUELLING RACE. \ r By Teleffraph—Press Association—Copyricht J (Rec. July 30, 5.5 p.m.) j Sydney, July 30. The race for the sculling championship of tho world between K. Arnst, tho holder, and H. I'earce was rowed on the Parramatta River course on Saturday, under perfect weather conditions. There was a bright sun, smooth water, and a steady westerly wind right behind the j scullers. The ticlo was also in their , favour. The attendance was easily a re- I cord, a crowd of probably 100,000 witness- j ing tho race. The river was black with ] small craft. , After ono of the most gruelling races i on record, Arnst won easily by four i lengths in 19min. 46sec., which is record 1 time for the world's championship. Arnst won the toss, and chose the inside course. The men got away well together, the i champion rowing thirty-four strokes to tho minute and Pearce thirty-seven. Pearce Leading. There was 110 advantage on either side for the first 200 yards, when Arnst, pulling close to Pearce, was forced to stop and lose a stroke. This gave tho challenger the advantage of a length, which ho held passing TJhrs Point. At tlio mile tho defender's mighty strokes began to tell, and he started gradually to overhaul his-opponent, tie managed the corner badly, however, and got into Pearcc's water, coming within an ace of colliding. Arnst had in consequcnce to stop rowing for a couple of strokes to allow Pearce to draw ahead. Pearco kept on, thus showing his sportsmanship, as, had he stopped, Arnst must have collided and lost on a foul. The Champion Settles Down. After negotiating the point, the champion bent his great back and settled down to a steady pull of about 28 strokes to the mimite. He overhauled his opponent at the mile and a half. Pearce was rowing a slightly quicker stroke, but not with the same power. Oucb in front, Arnst headed for home, and rowed like a machine, gaining steadily until at Cabarita Point ho led by six lengths. Pearce was undaunted, and pulled magnificently. He tried to gain by repeated spurts, but the New Zealandor was too powerful, and kept driving on in a \ heart-breaking fashion. A Lead of Ten Lengths. On rounding tho point at Putney, a few ; hundred yards from home, Arnst was ■ leading by a good ten lengths, and drop- . ped to twenty-two strokes a minute. Pcarce at this stage looked round and ' wavered, and then put in a last tremendous though futile effort. > A Terrible Strain. J Without' doubt Arnst had never been : more fully extended than when he passed the post a winner by four lengths. He 1 immediately stopped rowing and dipped ; his hands one after the other into the water. The race had been a fearful . strain, too much for the champion's con--1 dition, causing him to vomit. I'earce in the last struggle felt the agonising torture of defeat, and when the pistol was.fired he placed.his hands before his face and sobbed. e Tho time for the total distance (3 miles * 167 yards) was 19 minutes 40 seconds, and B for tho first mile smin. 39sec. Arnst's , weight was 13st. 31b., and Pearce's 12st. - 101b. : 0 1 "Nobody in Sight to Beat Arnst," p Pearco admits that Arnst was too good ■j for him. He will not challenge him again. !i Arnst declares that it was the hardest • laco of his life. ■ ■ g Mr. Beach says there is nobody in [1 sight to beat Arnst. :1 '1 THE TAKINGS, t (Rec. July 31, 0.5 a.m.)

Sydney, July 30. Tho takings at the boat race amounted to .£6OO. .

CHAMPION AND CHALLENGER,. THE TWO MEN'S CABEERS. Arnst was born at Tai Tapu, near Christchurch, in 1883, and brought up on a farm there. Coming from the cycling track a champion, ho placed himself under ex-champion sculler George Towns, and quickly progressed from heavy to best and best boats. After somo preliminary work ho sileiiced Harry Pearce, the champion of Australia, and subsequently tackled William Webb, of Wanganui. and wrested the world's title from him. Webb, who v;as not himself, was unsatisfied, anil challenged the champion, but again met with defeat, this time after a fine raco in Tecord time. Game little George Whelch, of Akaroa, was his next victim. After acquitting himself well in the ''Parramatta Hundred" last year, Arnst sailed for South Africa to meet Ernest Barry, the English champion in a raco on the Zambesi for the world's championship. Tho race was rowed on August 18 last, and Arnst won easily by seven lengths.

Writing of Pearce's chances recently, the Sydney "Referee" said"Pearce no doubt is a much improved man. But has ho improved sufficiently to bring the title back to Australia? Undoubtedly his unbroken succession of victories over Bob Thoroujfhgood, Frank Hagney, Jack Mitchell, George Day, ex-champion William Webb, and Syd. Kemp entitle him to get tho backing. With Ernest Barry included, Harry Pearce, of Middle Harbour, stands next to Champion Arnst as a professional sculler. Will he, after July. 29, rank in front .of him? He has done a tremendous amount of work, and faces his task with confidence, the confidence born of victory, and there is no doubt that ho is tough, and will be conditioned to fight a hard, gruelling Tace. Will he have the paco the full distance? Pearce had been a fast iniler, but even in his last lace with Arnst the present champion led him at that point and beat him easily at the finish," The present race was for .£ooo a side.