WEBB'S VICTORY. THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1908, Page 2

WEBB'S VICTORY. THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

YESTERDAY'S RACE. A GREAT PERFORMANCE. [By Tfleobaph.] (From Our Special Reporter.) WANGANUI, This Day. A thousand and a thousand moretimes the mighty race was re-rowed on A course that was not water, and men told and retold one another how they had known tho resulfc all along. Wanganui was, at Webb's victory, hilarious. Cheers filled the old town last night, for worshippers of Wobb were very pleased. By half-past two yesterday after, noon's streets were mostly- deserted. It was liko a dismal Sunday afternoon. In one passage of a much-frequented .place a large Maori was laying wagers on Webb, and around the corner, al most opposite tho general post office, a bookmaker whispered his eagerness to take money against Tref" 'der. Only old men and a few forlorn juniors were left in town. It was a sacred duty to be somewhere along the river bank, and so population, Home and foreign, was conscientious. THE START. The start was something to remem« bcr. At four o'clock Webb came swinging towards the umpires' boat, he looked fit and cool, and philosophically accepted the cheer that greeted him. His opponent turned up five minutes later — strong in limb. He was not the cheery, breezy Trcsidder famed in stories. His features wore set in his characteristic grim determination. - "Come on, Dick, get it over," exclaimed Webb, but the Australian was not in a hurry. Webb rested quietly on the sculls. His more restive adversary pulled himself together by three or four smart sprints before he was content to settle to his place^ — the outside, as the coin decried. After a couple of false starts the men went away flying sensationally. It was an out-and-out duel. Each seemed to think that he could kill tho other at the outset. The sculls thrashed tvateiat a windmill gait. Tresidder put in about thirty-seven to the minute, and webb thirty-five. However, they were. soon satisfied that the fight would nob be ended this way, and eased off. This bout left Webb slightly in the lead — about three feet, at the half-mile, and he was never overtaken. INCREASING THE LEAD. It was a good race- for a mile and a quarter, say most critics, and then it was mostly safe for the New Zealander. Still the Australian is a man who believes there is no such word as die. He had something in reserve: He asked his strong limbs to do their best when the two mile flag was in sight ; and his shell bounded on — it flew over tho green water. But the wary leader was not caught asleep. He too had strong limbs, and he told them -to serve him. They did. Tresidder moved fast; Webb went faster, and the champion increased the gap in making the turn into the mile straight for home. The race was then practically over, yet the people on following steamers did not yet seem at ease about the issue. They still feared £he man with the iron jaws. They had wholesome respect for him, and appeared to be ■expecting and dreading some fresh trick out of the box. But it was missing. Even When Tresidder looked obviously fatigued the spectators were in suspense. He appeared to bo labouring for breath, and" the bite was going out of his arms when two miles and a half had been travelled, but his courage did not falter, and people dreaded a turn of fortune. THE TWO-MILE POST. But towards the three-mile flag even a Nelson with a telescope over a blind eye could see that only a miracle could give a- victory to the visitor. He was three lengths in the rear, anu though Webb had surrendered the inside water the concession was unlikely to greatly improve the Australian's prospects. When the Wanganui man's followers saw this state of affairs they became demonstrative, and Webb was loudly quoted as a winner. Estimates about the gap between the boats at the finish ranged from two and a half lengths to live. From the bank by the post the interval looked four, but wag given as two and a half from the umpire's steamer. ' The timo — 20min 23sec — was considered good for rather dead water. The men had still air as well as a calm river. THE FINISH. From the bank by the finishing post it Avas hard to realise that the world's supremacy in sculling was being decided. Two dots on the river appeared to be merest trifles, vainly flapping the big river. When they came near it wns plain that the. strong brown arms were feeling the strain. Webb still looked cool, but was really very warm. "I am tired," he said when picked tip by the police boat. Some $ay that Tresidder had more in him at the end than Webb, but this statement is strongJy questioned. To The Post's representative Webb certainly seemed to be in better order than his stalwart challenger. A POMPARISON IN STYLES. To some eyes Webb's style of rowing %iight have given a belief that he was greatly fatigued. He is a most deceptive sculler. He rows with a long, low, quiet swing. He hammers his blades through the water from the catch. He appears to be taking things very quietly, but iii reality he ia toiling vigorously. _ Tressider feels the water before he- puts on his power. Webb is seen at his best in match races, for lie is able by reason of his searching pre- ' parations, steadiness and ultra-activity to concedo stupendous odds. Liko H. E. Searlo, Webb gets himself well forward, and with straight and firm arms throws with lightning quickness the whole weight of his strokes upon his shoulders and back. Great intuitive powers and an impenetrable temperament are other causes of his success. Both mm exhibited great length of limb in their strokes, but the champion got hia boat oft" the sculls much quicker than did the challenger, who made more of the finish, which appeared to be not so effective. Tressider did not sit up to his work ac well of Webb, but stooped badly, accounting for a vast difference in their styles. When interviewed after the race Webb declared he felt very well, but admitted that h<>. Ijad been hard pushed. Questioned about Arnst's deposit, he said he was not prepared to discuss the future till he had recovered from the present. "I did my best," confessed Trosiddor, and ho added that Webb was a better man than ho had previously believed. The general opinion was that the better man won.