AMATEUR CHAMPION SCULLING RACE AT SYDNEY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3862, 3 December 1883, Page 4

AMATEUR CHAMPION SCULLING RACE AT SYDNEY.

[liV AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.] AYe all knoAV tho story of the Irishman Avho gazed unmoved at the Falls of Niagara ; neither tho majesty of tho surroundings nor the bulk of tho waters disturbed his equanimity in the least, Avhich rather nettled his companion, Avho had undertaken to show him tho marvellous, but Pat's explanation of Avhy he saw nothing in that wonder of tho Avorld Avas original, the tremendous fall of water was nothing to his mind, because ho saw nothing to stop it. For a somcAvhat similar reason one need not wonder that boating is the amusement of Sydney, before Avhich all others pale into subsidiary places. Victoria, in the late spring and early autumn, goes mad over horse-racing, and the rest of tho year, to recover its peace of mind and forget its losses, plays cricket or football, as if existence hung on one or other of those sports according to the time of year. Not so in Sydney —horse-racing has never achieved the first place—half those who attend the Sydney races are either gamblers, betting men, or strangers. Cricket is confined to classes, Avhile the votaries of football aro neither numerous nor enthusiastic. Tho harbor and river tho inhabitants have always, hence aquatics is tho sport of Sydney—to handle a pair of sculls, or give your friend five seconds' start, or beat him iv manipulating a sail is your ambition, and to succeed at either requires much time, close attention, and entails much and many hardships, so much so, that I, Avith Avhom the bloom of youth has gone, am tempted to ask, is the game worth the candle ? Be this as it may, a botit race always draws in Sydney. On Saturday last the final race for the King Champagne Cup was rowed, the competitors being Fittes (Victoria), Sharland (Tasmania), Gaden and Brett (New South AVales). For this cup to be Avon finally the Avinner had twice to get homo first, not necessarily successively. The first contest was an astonishing surprise, Fittes, the Victorian, getting home first, not only to the surprise of his oavii personal friends, but perhaps tho most astonished individual Avas the Avinner himself. Subsequently tho race Avas won by Middletou and bliarhmd, both of Avhich contests, like the first, avji-c astonishing iv their results, and if there avus no such thing as a law of libel, Avith the onus on the defendant, I Avould say more; but, as tho alternative of failing to comply with a judge's order is good without flic usual comforts, I will say no more. On Thursday last the nine competitors were divided into two beats, avou by Sharland, Avith Fittes second, Brett and Gaden getting the places in the other heat, so that on Saturday tho four had to compete. At the start the betting avhs G te 4 on Fittes, 5 to 2 against Brett, 4 to 1 against Sharland, and 10 "to 1 against Gaden. This avus slightly peculiar to ono Avho was not an fait in aquatics, .Sharland haviug beaten Fittes for first place in the preliminary heat, but then tho Victorian avus rowing in rough Avater, to which he Avas unaccustomed. Anything prettier than Sydney harbor or the PaiTumatta river is hard to realise, but you are not left te realise it, for from the day you set foot in Sydney it is being continually dinned into your ears by the natives, avlio arc of course very numerous. According to them Heaven was made first, so that the finished work might be Sydney harbour. You take your position in the steamers Avhich arc going to follow the race, for which you aro mulcted in seven shillings and sixpence, for going half tho distance of the usual one shilling trip, but only certain steamers arc alloAved to follow. Steaming up tho harbor and river at ten knots per hour, one cannot but observe the beauties and regret that man has so mutilated Avhat is a magnificent scene, but Avhich man has done his best to spoil by erecting on its banks hideous structures out of all uniformity and connected design, as if each had tried his best to avoid anything of a general plan. As you steam off to the starting point you behold the island homo on Avhich Trickett Avas born and Svorkcd later on as a cpiarrynuin, you see Avhere Laycock lives trying to mend a broken leg, and you behold Avhere the muscles of Beach were developed. The Lunatic Asylum, the "Powder Magazine, the abode of tho Marist Brothers, and the Industrial Schools (dl occupy prominent and picturesque localities, while the training sliip station is all that ono could Avisb for bringing Drakes, Cooks, and modern sailors into what sporting men call "the pink of condition." To paint the beauty of tho scenery as you go up the river is absurd, no pen could do it justice, and no eye could realise it unless by looking on it. But little time Avas Avasted at the start, tho four men going away together, and four such amateurs the Avorld could not beat, but of the race there is littlo to toll. Brett from the " jump " Avent away at a great speed, rowing thirty strokes per minute, and he Avas followed by Sharland, to the delight of the fielders, Fittes being last. A quarter of a mile had not been got over till Gaden found tho speed too groat, and he began to fall astern, then Sharland began coming hack to tho light weight Victorian. But littlo more ground had been covered till Fittes Avas second, and putting in a few vigorous strokes. Brett's lavo lengths' lead began te lessen to nothing, and though steering different courses there Avas but littlo to choose between Brett and Fittes. Of course tho sympathies and Avishes of flic crowd Avcre with Brett, as his Avinning meant more races before the final possession of the cup Avas assured. Tho first mile, covered in something like seven minutes and a half, showed tho severity of the pace, and both Sharland and Gaden Avere already out of the race bar accidents ami tho chance that the leaders Avere "bursting" each other. Up to now the scene had been animated in the extreme, as the professional scullers, E. Trickett, Rush, Beach, McDonald, and It. Edwards had so far accompanied them for a practice, having started ahead of them, but now they began to tail off and stick closely to tlio roar men. Tho race was now virtually over as regards first place, tho Victorian going away as he liked, and putting a great gap between himself and Brett, Sharland rowing vigorously to keep with tho N.S.AV. man. From this out Fittes did as he liked, eventually Avinning by six lengths, finishing A'cry fresh, while Brett Avas throe lengths ahead of Sharland, though thoroughly pumped out. Sharland Avould with instruction be a magnificent sculler, but he seems to stop too suddenly when he finishes his stroke. Tho time for tho 3 miles 300 yards I made 25 minutes 25 seconds, a magnificent performance against wind and tide, and there can be no question about it the champion amateur Avould make the best of the professionals go his best pace to beat him, Avhilo Gaden, the last man, is much too good for any other amateur in the colonies It is remarkable that Brett has been second on three occasions, Avhile Fittes only rowed twice, on both occasions being successful.