HANLAN IN AUCKLAND.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1740, 28 September 1887, Page 2

HANLAN IN AUCKLAND.

In conversation with a Herald representative shortly before the departure of the mail straiuer, concerning his approaching match and the relative merits with the givat oarsmen of the ilav, Hanlan remarked, '• Not one of tho American oarsman, Gaudaur included, lias any business with William Beach. I can myself beat them all, but I would not like to 6ay so about him. I might have won in our first contest if I had not been interfered with, but in the second match I was lairly beaten. As regards the match, I know that I will do my very best to win, and that Beach will leave no stone unturned for the same purpose ; and which will win I cannot say, but I hope to give him a big shaking for it. I know what sort of an Australian muscle he has, and he has the heart of a lion. I had heard notbiug until I came to Auckland about a projected match between E. Trickett and myself, but if my old friend wants to have a race, I do not see any objection to its being arranged. I can't tell yet who will be my trainer or where I shall put up during my preparation in Sydney. I had intended to bring a young man as trainer with me from America, but at the last moment be could not get away. As to how long I shall remain in Australia, that depends alto-

gether on circumstances. I shall have aso at some of them in some ot their big regattas, of which I hear there are several coming off. There is one thing I would like to contradict, and which I intend to do in Sydney when I get there, that is the statement 1 ' made in the Australian press that I have said I was badly treated by Beach while in Australia. I never said so nor thought it. When in Sydney they treated me well all the time. I wished to row Beach when he was in England, but he thought I came too late in the season, and he said ' No,' and I 6aid no more about it. The fact that I have come out to Australia again to row him proves that I was in earnest when I challenged him here but he said "no " then, aid that lie would only row in Australia, and I have come to do it." Hanlan remarks upon the great improvement that had taken place in rowing during the last five years, and said that the " great guns " among oarsmen were, as a class, far superior to what they used to be. Speaking of racing skiffs, he said that formerly a boat was built, and the rower had to accommodate himself to it, but now the boat is built to fit the oarsman the same as a pair of boots are.