A CHAMPION SCULLER

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 2 March 1935, Page 13

A CHAMPION SCULLER

BEST ROWER SINCE BEACH BOBBY PEARCE AND HIS STYLE BY “PHYSICAL CULTURIST.”

When I wrote about William Beach recently I little dreamed he was so near the end. He was a typical Australian, rugged and strong. There is no doubt that every champion sculler since Beach handed the world championship to Peter Kemp, has had Bill Beach in his mind’s eye as the ideal sculler, and it is difficult to say how much influence Beach has had upon their sculling. Every once in a while there arises a superman, who is blessed by height, av eight and reach. Such appears to be the present champion, Bobby Pearce, who has beaten both amateurs and professionals alike with the greatest of ease. It was reported that he won liis last professional race by a quarter of a mile and finished fresh. He must either be the best the world has ever seen, or otherwise his opponent must have been a duffer, which his races disprove. i t . When I say the best the world has seen, at any rate he is the best since Beach’s day, and I 'have not forgotten men like Stanbury, Arnst, Felton, who have Avon championships. These men Avere blessed right at the start AA’ith good physiques. Indeed, each had to take off surplus to gefi down to rowing weight, while men like the New Zealander, William AVebb, would have to build up and put it on, which is by far the most difficult thing to do. In both instances, it is only necessary to keep up strength. HoAvever, Bobby Pearde appears to be a- worthy champion. He has everything in his favour. In the first place he has an ideal physique for roAving, being tall and strong and consequently has a good reach. In the second place, he was, metaphorically speaking, born AA’ith a scull in his hand, his father and grandfather being good scullers before him. He had the opportunity of learning the art from infancy. To roAving men it caused no surprise he Avon his first championship and generally he Avas tipped to Avin at the Olympic Games. There is a great difference in the styles adopted by the big and small men. Pearce sculls in the typical Australian style as advocated by Chris Nielsen getting a solid! grip of the water and driving hard through with the legs, combined Avith a body swung Avhich is not carried very far past the vertical position. This style is the only one for a heavy man, a lighter sculler being able to carry the body SAving a little further hack without unduly burying the forAvard end of his skiff. A sculler, in order to get the best pace out of his boat must strive for a minimum of rocking fore and aft. Every action must foIIoAV on smoothly and quickly. For instance, never mind lioav quickly the catch is made. Such is useless if it follows the slightest pause at the termination of the body SAA’ing aft. Pearce undoubtedly has a style Avhich suits hnn As to whether ho is a superman or not, he appears at the moment to be in a class by himself.