SCULLING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6871, 15 July 1909, Page 4

SCULLING

WHAT IS THE RECORD TIME ? Writing of the Arnat-Wobb boat race, tho “Sydney Morning Herald” sft y g: _A groat deal of . importance seems to bo given to the time tho race occupied. Both Arnst and Webb agreed that the course was no faster than it was in December, yet the time then was 19min olsec for the winner; and in tho recent contest it was 18min 14 2-flseo. This is claimed to be a world’s record for tho distance of three miles and a Evidently the rowing authorities in New Zealand ore not too well posted in time records. Ernest Barry rowed a milo further on the Thames in only 2mm 58sec more time, when ho beat George Towns last year; and got to Barnes Bridge (3J miles) in 17mm 56seo. Still, this, however, is not the record. Elias Laycock, when ho beat the late R. W. Boyd at Stockton-on-Tees by a hundred yards, covered tho distance of nearly four miles in 17min 28see. This is, so far as is known, the world’s record for a single sculler. So mvoh depends upon the course that t.ine is not a sure indication of pace. One of tho greatest and hardest races rowed on tho Parramatta was that between Hanlan and Beach in 1884. The tide was favourable, and so. were the conditions generally; yet it took Hanlan Grain 9soc to get over the first mile—with a slight lead. Tom Sullivan’s record for the same mils is smin 19sec, Nielsen’s smin 29seo, Searle'e Smin 35seo. Another terrific struggle was that between Beach and Gandaur on the Thames in 1886; yet the time occupied by the race, under favourable conditions, was 22min 29sec, or sixtyseven seconds slower than Barry’s time last year. The mil© record on the

Thames stands to the credit of Noil Matterson, when in 1886 he rowed the American, G. IV. Leo. It was drain 40sec; bub as Matterson collapsed bev fore going half down the course, the full time was very slow—24min 255e0,! Since a new bridge was built some 1 , years ago at Putney. the course has been altered by having n bit put on at the end in lieu of the distance cut' oft the beginning; but the old marks on the course hove been still used. Stanbury, when he beat Harding in' 1896, reached the mile-post in 4min! 28sec, find covered the full course in 21min Slsec, winning by a minute, save one second. Two years previously G. Bubear had beaten W. Barry easily in 4miu 43sec for the mile, and 21min 44sec for the full course. It has been left for Barry’s younger brother to establish a better record, which is more than a half-minute better than the previous one. and works out at the rate of a trifle less than five minutes per mile.