THE BOAT RACE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9182, 5 April 1910, Page 5

THE BOAT RACE.

ARNST BEATS WHELCH.

(Per Press association.)

AKAROA, April 4. Tho sculling race for the championship of the world, between Dick Arnst, the present holder, and Geo. Whelch, the chailengcr, to'ok place on Akaroa Harbour this afternoon, after being postponed from Saturday "last, on account of a rough sea. The weather was fine, but there was a nasty jobble 011 the sea, which gave Whelch much trouble. There was some delay at the start, but the men finally got away together by mutual consent. Whelch set out with a stroke of 42 to the minute, Arnst responding with 32. Whelch drew ahead for a short' distance, but Arnst soon passed him, and kept the lead easily from then to the finish, winning finally by three lengths. Arnst, kept up a slow, powerful stroke, which kept his boat moving through the water at a. good speed. Whelch could not get going on account of the jobble, but he put in some good spurts, and finished quite fresh. No official time was taken, but according to a reliable time-keeper the distance was covered in 21min 50 3-5 sees. This was by no means fast time, but the competitors had to contend with a jobble, a strong ebb-tide, and a head wind part of the way. Arnst's weight and strength enabled him to overcome with greater ease those peculiar difficulties, and the result of_ the race was only another demonstration of the fact that in sculling the good big man must beat the good little man every time. AFTER THE RACE. Interviewed at the conclusion of tho •ace, Mr A. E. Craddock, the umpire, laid there was nothing in the race from tart to finish but Arnst. He won as he iked. His style seemed to be ever so nuch more suitable for the work than hat of Whelch, whose strokes were too hort. "It was a. hard race to row," said k.rnst, "and tho water was not at all ;ood. I rowed very hard to get round tho last corner, and had to put in all I knew. Whelch came up at the finish, and I had to row right up to tho line, as I did not want him to get any closer. Ho went pretty fast off the mark, and for a time left- me, but I caught up again. George Whelch put up a really good race,but he had bad luck with the state of the water. Wc made a, very good start, and our blades struck the water pretty well together. I got a bit anxious at tho start on account of the water, but soon settled down." Arnst added that he was delighted with the excellence of the Norton sculls he had used in the race, and expressed his thanks to the Akaroa people for the kindness and hospitality extended to him while ho was in the town. ARNST'S FUTURE MOVEMENTS. Arnst said he would be leaving for Australia on Thursday to compete in a handicap event on the Parramatta river, and from Australia would go direct to South Africa to prepare for the coining contest with Barry on the Zambesi. He would have to be in South Africa for at least ten weeks before the race in order to become acclimatised, but did not think the climate would trouble him at all. Tho race, which takes place on August 18th, is for a purse of £1000, put up by South African sportsmen—£7so for the winner and £250 for the loser. Arnst receives £300 for expenses. If Arnst wins or loses on that occasion Barry has announced that ho will give him another racc 011 the Thames. THE DEFEATED MAN. George Whelch, the defeated challenger, said he could not get along at all, but lie did not feel tired at tho finish. Tho jobble tossed him about considerably, and he could not get going. Ho was disappointed, feeling that he had not extended himself, but he did not wish to say Dick Arnst was not the better man. It was hard for anyone to say what Dick Arnst really could do. Even supposing there had been another milo to go Arnst might still have won by three lengths. "I w ; as just going properly when I got into better water near tho finish," continued Whelch,. "and I could have kept on for mile or so without becoming tired. During the earlier part of the race I sometimes got in a dozen or twenty good strokes, and then the jobble would affect me. Quite a big wave came along, and I was getting w-atcr all over my back. I reckon Dick is tho better man, and wo don't know what he can do. I had a chance to try him, and was very glad to get it. The tide was against us, and the time was very slow, for I have frequently covered the course easily in 20$ minutes." Whelch added he had no sculling plans for the future, and would take a rest for a time.