WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 19 April 1922, Page 5

WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP.

VICTORY FOR PADDON.

(BY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WANGANUI, April 18. Hie race for the world's sculling ciiampionship was held on the upper course of the Wanganui river to-day i the resu.t being that the challenger' • James Paddon, of Australia, defeated Darcy Jladfield, the holder, of New . /.oalana, by nine lengths, a result which ! came as a surprise to the majority of I the large crowd that lined the banks .or cue course. j The fixture proved extremely popular and drew a large number of visitI «rB l°^\ °utside Wanganui. The wea- | ther held up wonderfully well and was | fine, with little wind. Eight up to | the starting time of the race there was (heavy traffic to the course, roads launches and steamers all contributing , a big quota to the gathering. The ma , jority of the spectators concentrated | near the finishing point, from whence I the last mile of the race could be viewi ed, but others followed .it right from lii aT* ing P°iut- The visitors in- , eluded the Prime Minister (Mr Massey), thei Minister of Public Works Messrs Statham, Glenn and Veiteh I M.P. % and .Sir Joseph Ward Paddon and Hadfield were afloat up to time. The latter won the toss and chose the inside position under the left bank,- but it gave no real advantage as there was an absence of wind and conditions were ideal at the start Both went off together at a very fast clip, Hadfield striking 36 and Paddon \: « f ustralian soon got the lead. At the half-mile both were striking 30. Paddon had a three lengths' lead at the mile post, and was striking 26 to his opponent's 28, and over the next mile Paddon maintained his lead, although on a couple of occasions Hadfield slightly closed up the gap. Paddon had a four lengths lead when the two mile flag went by, and was rowing 24 to Hadfield's 26. It was a procession from the very start of the race, and became more so as the distance grew, and the crowd on the following steamers began to speculate on how many lengths the challenger would -win by. Entering the last long reach for home Paddon had too much of a lead to overhaul, although Hadfield stuck to his hopeless task gamely Paddon was still, drawing away when the gun went to announce a win by nine lengths for Paddon, and the fact that the rowing crown had passed from New Zealand. The first mile was covered in smin 40sec, two miles in llmin 31see, and the full distance in 19min losee Immediately on finishing Paddon appeared distressed, but although Hadfield must have also felt the strain, he gave no striking signs of it. The flotilla clustered round the two scullers an&> cheers were given for each. j There was a scene of great enthusi- ' asm in the town when the scullers ap- : peared on a hotel balcony. Sir Joseph ' Ward congratulated Paddon, and paid a tribute to Hadfield's fine record. He spoke of the bond of kinship and sentiment between Australia and New Zea- i land, which would be cemented by : these contests. ■ j Paddon had a great reception on i coming forward to speak. He said he' was the proudest man in the world and ; he returned his best thanks to the people of Wanganui for the way they* had treated him. , Hadfield also had a splendid recep- f tion He congratulated Paddon, and said he was beaten fairly'and squarely | He had no excuses to make, although he did not think he rowed up to form ' Ihe Prime Minister also spoke, conSt'siS! 0" •■"'* paying aw-