TO-DAY'S GREAT RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18457, 21 July 1923, Page 2 (Supplement)

TO-DAY'S GREAT RACE.

■:•■.-:: V : ;---.-■ -■-..." njlr- - i ' '■'- '■■ i,* l !'..',! :;•'>'■':. : 'ii!-;ii f 'i':'lxs ■::-■■ -,::.-:,,. .'j-;;:; •;■...; v',: .'/;.'-.-■. -'i •'.'.''.';-;::, t:.:;:'^j:.-J;w : .;:'f WORLD'S SODLLMG OOTE. HADFIELD VERSUS PADDON. WILL NEW ZEALAND WIN * FORMER RACES AND CHAMPIONS. (bt O. a. ITOTOAXL.) In recent year» world" wide attention has been directed to "the realms of liport with: the result that International j;! contests,^whether: staged on playtag field or river/arouse an intense interest which would have amazed—and. maybe shocked —our grand : parents' in their more placid day* ; Another notable trial : {; of ..•'.strength'' is set down for decision :; this afternoon with the Sculling championship •:,of;; the world at stake, the contsstants: being James Paddon of Australia and I>arcy Hadfield of New Zealand, i The scene of the great 'race will be the Richmond River o and its result • will have,, a peculiar interest to Auckland by reason of the fact that Hadfield is an Aucklander by adoption, whose career has been a clean and brilliant one.;'■■•>• He , takes hia victories modestly and ■ his defeats; (which have been few) v in the spirit of a ;true • sportsman. ■-'.;', Hadfield has thus gained our affection : and regard. If he wins to-day w«» will • rejoica that the world's title has come back to this country where. world's Giles, since our recent football debacles, ; have been nu few. If he loses we will ;', know he met a better man unless some mishap mars his j chances—and mishaps as all know have always to be reckoned with in sculling races. . ■'•' •*''.„ i

While Auckland can claim Hadfield as a local rower it is to Wanganui that he owes much of hla success. ■He " made good "with the good -people of the picturesque rivor town arid • they • hay a helped him all fchey could. It is- indeecl,, in no small measure duo to their efforts that he has been able to cross the Tasman Sea and meet th« redoubtable Paddon once again. If, tharef he wins to-day, it' will' be ; a i "particular triumph fo&Wanganui, too. ' v ' Who will be tee Winner? . It is idle to predict the result, of the; race even at the eleventh hour. Paddon surprised many keen judges when he decisively; defeated Hadfisld on the Wanganui River last' year. Some sauL the local man was "stale " on the day of the contest others hold /that-Paddon.was the better . man anyhow. We must % accept the latter view,; without;,: question ,: ; :iv, would be foolish,: futile, And unfairito do otherwise. Since that memorable meet-. ing, however, Hadfield has improved, it is said, to a remarkable V; degree. Has Paddon progressed or f gone -back!. Has ; Hadfield improvement bean ic.en*. to ensure his victory oven if his tall; opponent is as good or better than he was ; at their last merry meeting? ,\ Having answered thesi* questions correctly the selection of the winner should not be ; difficult. \ I will however, leav® the choice;; to- the gentle reader. Looking Backward. .Looking; bank along the years ;: I have seen races for the great 3 honour, 6n«, cannot but- be struck with the -'act *;jVs the foremost sculling mm of the j-'isl .<:.» present -have i been v credit ;,:': to'•:,'•..■ *h*'. countries it was their priveleg;e to represent.; There have been v no,|K" Battling I Sikis " among them to figure :in sensational, but hardly creditable epihoaes. For"the most part;they'.have; been* quiet, and unassuming men, trained 'to the hour and keen on the job. r The most picturesque of the 'lot to my mind has been Dick Ariist.';First as eyefisty then as rower, Dick ; proved ; himself a : sinning light and lately report has it ' that 58 a shot' in Australia" he has, few peers! ; i: ■nl remember Dick training at kelsonin the day of his success. His magnificent physique was so irtriking that; the casual passer-by, not ' knowing: who .'he was, would stop to look at hlii/ Hia driving force in 'his " shell '*:>»»!■;ama»infl and his lasting power tremendous./' > ! Arasti did much to bring New Zealand into th» limelight by r<»son of his ; rowing victories, - Hadfield ia still; young and may: eld ;' : likewise. Win or lose, however,; he ; will have >. to J' be reckoned 1 with as; " first: class power.*'; in the sculling world for many years to come. v,. Careers of Contestants. ; ' . The ; careers of . the contestants are worth recalling. Hadfield .is 54 years of age; Paddon is two,? years ; his senior. Hadfield 4was born in :■■ Nelson; t : Paddon claims the Richmond River as his homeland. Both have one thing in common— a ; love oi: sculling, fostered from •' their youth up./ ;.;.-;.;■_ ' ' ;'■ ;;/. -";-;;..;>: v ; • Paddon, who stands : 6ft. 4in.';in;;;, his stockings,, rowed his first race of note some twelve years ago when he won the single sculls amateur championship of .the North Coast. He , also .won the Clarence River Amateur Championship and the all-; comers handicap. Later he«became a professional, ; ; first winning the ; Australian title which hs' still ;h/nds. This honour he gained by defeating Feiton on the Parramatta v River in February, 1913. Arnst, from whom ; Hadfield took the world's title on the .Wanganui 'River at; the beginning of last year, then challenged Paddon ; for the Australian Championship but lost by half a dozen lengths. Paddon also met Feiton, Pearce> and \ other ; fine rowers. In 1914 ? Paddon made a bid for; the. world's title and was only just beaten 'by Barry on., the Thames River, England, in record time for /the; course. / Subsequently/be/ vanquished Tasmaniah McDovitt,. who had deigns j on the Australian title and then -. at last | he took the coveted world's ; title away from .HadSeld..' .. " jy - . ■ • A long list of succcssee stands to Darcy | Hadfield s ; credit *tiding }- : , the; New ' Zealand ] Amatotir ': Championship,* won in j 1913, and held [in ', : the < following year. J Later ho went: overseas with the New Zealand:; Army^ and ; won many notabla races 'including the Kin gswood Cup at the Royal Henley Peace" Regatta, ana one ' army ; championship :•at ■ i the Pershing Stadium Games. In;.: 1920, he represented New •■• Zealand at 1. the ) Olympiad, held ;• in \ Brussels. Lsiat year he :challenged?Arnst; for.; the world's ; title, won it, and a few; months later had to strike his colours to the present holder, Paddon. No "Unpleasant Incidents. ..- - In the careen-, ;; of • $hese two young champion/) not .a' single '• unpleasant: incident ha' 3 marred their racing. Take for instance ,'ihe sporting ending to their-last great struggle, on the Wanganui River, That ■'evening- a large ', arid enthusiastic crowd assembled ut their hotel. ; Sir Joseph Ward ■ congratulated ; Paddon . and ; > pa.id a 'tribute to EadfielcPs ' fine 1 record. He spoke of the bond of friendship arid sentiment between ;!■ Australia and T New Zealand which would be cemented by these ; contests, Paddon who had a great j reception said he was the proudest man ; in the world and he thanked the people j of; Wanganui I for their , splendid treatment during his stay. ' ; The loser, as is with these ' two came up smiling. He congratulated j Pad-, don and said Ihe 1 was;; beaten ; r fairly ;.;; andsquarely. ; He had no ;'excuses to ;„ wake, •although he did not think he rowed up to> form. And 'so anothte.' famous sculling match.

■;;,;,,;: Ex-Ohamplon as Hiefereo. .' At? is only fitting It has been arranged that a retired champion of . the world, William" Beach, shall act a? umpire in today's great race. It is interesting to road that Beach's wife is one of those recorded as having benefited,as a result iof the Hickson mission. ' She hadjbeen a cripple for nine years. H ; He wheeled her to '■ the Town Hall Un Sydney when ; Mr. vHi ckson v was there and as' a result she is now able to walk with the' aid of herbusband's arm and baa thrown away her crutches. j

The stake provided for , to-day's tMJilil totals £1000, each side putting up £&& ?,, & The first deposit was £1100 from holder ,i;',,| and challenger alike and then followed' 1 '-'"'• || two more deposits'of £2KK) each. ■'''There '■'". I are no fixed rules governing the imandsil J side >of these - contests. ' The' winner \ m. it y, < >' I variably : takes most (of the stake : but' thV If loser's expenses are visually provided for*" ■ '"■ r | The'x ; is also,;revenue derived from th»J : 'MSi| moving picture rights. The position from "jj the challenger's '.point of view -is thus'-' ? much more satisfactory than in the case "of some boxing matches. In the Dempsey. , I Gibbons meeting for instance the challen. ', ■ i w; * f ger who. . gave . the burly Dempsjy ■' •' ,1 what is' described as the fight 0 ' 1 his life, would have got little • or '■ nothing even if hq had won. The, / :-' '',•' world's title holder had to be paid a ' huge sum before he entered the ring and > it was thus inevitable that the less '* '"<■ famous Gibbons should have been left out in the cold. Fortunately for sculling -ijj ;I | has not reached this stage yet and it-"'■'/'' is to be hoped it never will. ~"; !" '■> Previous Winners of Title. Both Australia and New Zealand havtf figured prominently in world's &culltng, f " championships sine® ■ 1876, in which year •" > Edward Trickett of New South Wales' won the, 1 title for his country. The lii»* ; - of holders is of particular interest to us to-day and is as follows: ; , l 1876—8. Trickett (Australia). 7 » Sadler on the Thames. Time. 24m ii- .' ; ; >i;:i ! 1880— Hanlan tCi.nada) defeated E ""Trio. >• ' kett on the Thames. Time. 26m 12a ' 1881— Hanlan dcf.<*ted E. C. Laycock m. '' '' the Thames.., Time. 25m 47.9. °* ' 1882— Haitian defeated E. W. Boyd cm ' ? ; ; ; • the Tyne. Time, 21m 25b. /•" 1882— Hanlan defeated E. Trickett on th« • Thames. Time. 28m. u ' ■ '.-■&■ ' \ 1884 M. Hanlan defeated E. C. Laycock m i ■■■■■.. the Nepean (N.B.WJ. "■ 1884— W. . Beach (Australia) defeated H. ' ' Hanlan on the Parramatta. '■•.-•*" .' .. I 1885— . Beaoh defeated T. Clifford on "■'; : ™ov ' 'Parramatta. ■ Time. \ 23m. '""" j 1835— W. Beach defeated E. Hanlan on the I Parramatta. Time,-22m 51s. •••,.., 1886— W. . Beach defeated J. Gaudaut ',' - (Canada) on th* '•','. ames. Time, 22m 29*. -'"■• " 1886— W. . Beach defied' W. Boss; on th* '\ ' Thames. Time, 28m 6s. 1887 — Beach defeated E. Hanlan on th» Nepean; Time, 19m 55§s. " '•■".? 1888— W. Beach retired. P. Kemp (An* '■ I "' ..' tralia) defeated T. Clifford en the Parrat " • matta. Time. 28m 47b. < j & 1838— Kemp defeated E. Hanlan on tha '. '', Parramatta. Time, 21m 265. ■ . «"» 1888—P. Kemp defeated E. Hanlan on th« • : " :; Parramatta. Time. Sim 255. . . •'-•; 1888— E. Searle (Australia) defeated 'R '•' " j Kemp on the Parramatta. Time, 22m "' Ma. ■',:.;; ,'.\ 1889— H. E. Searle defeated W. O'Connor on -""i the Thames. Time, 22m 425. SearS , ' died oh return from England. 1891— J. Stanhury (Australia) defeated J. Mo» j Lean on the Parramatta. : Time. 22ai ' ' ,15is. t-rtM 1892— J. Stanbury, defeated T. Sullivan- on ; : (he Parramatta.. Time, 17m 265. . 1898 J. Stanbury defeated C. R. Harding oH - the Thames. Time, 21m Bis. 1896 — Gaudaur defeated J. Stanhury otS ' the Thames. Time. 28m is. 1901— G. Towns (Australia) defeated -J. G»a< ' v'-' daur in.Canada. ; Time, 20m ■ 80s. '-. 1904— Towns defeated K. Tressider on the ' . Parramatta. Tim*. 21m 49a. ; -i .;'. 1905— J. Stanbury defeated Q. Towns en th* '.- Parramatta, Time/ 19m 60s. ."' 1905 —G. Towns defeated «i. Stanbury on the,i■„.''-••'•' Parramatta. : Time. 19m>'■ 65t», t 1907— G. Town* defet.ted E. Durnaii on . the Nenean. Tim*. 22m $!7a. ■ ' ,'. 1907— W. Webb -03. defeated 0-. Torra» on '■■'■■ the Parramatta. Tim«.. ,20m *8s *-•,, 1908— W. Webb defeatedJl. Tressider on the vt-JKrt. ■-• Wanganul River (K.Z.). Time. SOm 23a, -. - <>V ' ; ! 1908— R. Arnet (N.Z.) defeated .W., Webb on l the Wanganui. Time, 19m 52a. 1909— R. Arnet ; « defeated ;W. Webb en ■ Out '-•'■• { -Waneanui. ■ Tifme, 18m 14Ja. . -''M^ 1910— Arnst defeated G. Welch on Ak*» - •'" T roa Harbour (N.Z.). Time. 90m 50K )\i> JiaiO-T-R. Arnst defeated.' B. Barry ;on th« r * 1 Zambesi (Rhodesia).. Time, 20m 14Js. 1911— R. Arnst defeated Pearce on ths'lMll {■■■ Parramatta..- Time, 19m 48a. . > 1912— E. Barry (England) defeated R. Awirt'M|^ i ; on the Thames. . '■Tjmoj 28m Bs. •< 1813— E. Barry defeated B. ; Human on the J- • j V Thamee, Time. 22m 81a.; ,i 1918— E. Barry, defeated H. Pearoe en *ho ': *? ( Thames. .Time';,24ip. os. , . 1914— Barry defeated 3. Paddon en the ; -- , I ■•.■'■ Thames. ; Time. Sim 28a.; . . .^^^f^i 1919— Felton (Australia) defeatad E. Barry \ i en the Thames. Thn/V J!s.m 40s, ; 1820— Barry (England) defeated A. Pel. ' T ton on the Parramettifc. Time 24m S2a. i ;- S92l— Arr-Bt (N.v,.) defeated P. Hannaa- ■ ' (N.Z.) on the Wairau.. Time, 22m 83s. " •; 1922— Hadfield (N.Z.) s defeated S." Arnst , m ' (N.Z.) on the Wanganui. Time, 19ra 48 K ■■:'.': 2-l!«. ' . ...;»r.v: 1922— J. Paddon (Australia) defeated Ti, > -j| (Hadfield (N.Z.) on the WanffanuL Time, ;■;;•s£ , j"•• ;'■ i9ai IBs. . '■;;■;•■: ! (. In conclusion it need only be said.thai) :. 'oism fiven suitable conditions and bar acei- .' ents we may anticipate a .great race on y the Richmond River to : day. Let, us ,i J hope that the best man wins ; should he •_ .£ss& prove to be Darcy Hadfield it will be a ;v. very popular factory over here. " - '"