ARNST VICTORIOUS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 8

ARNST VICTORIOUS

THE WANGANI7I HANDICAPS. "WEBB FINISHES LAST. DESCRIPTION OF THE RACE. ■FIGLUi TO TUB "TUtM." WAiNGANTJI, January 3. The Wanganui rowing carnival was faought to a conclusion yesterday. Although the events themselves were in. tarcsting and some fins exhibitions of oaramaneMp were given, the promoters—the looal Licensed Victuallers* Assooiation, comprising some fifteen members—wiH bo faced with a substantial deficit. Yestorday'a programme consisted of two events, the first, a consolation for all non-heat winnors in the big handicap, and the second the final of the latter contest. About 300 persons patronised the three steamers which went up the river, and about 500 journeyed to the scene by road. The event which, attracted least attention proved the most interesting item from a specator's point of view. Seven contestants took part in the Consolation Stakes, which were got off first. It was a splendidly contested struggle, five of the oarsmen possessing a winning chanoe almost right up to the finish. The final for the first-class handicap was unfortunately robbed of its chief interest by "Webb " cracking up" just when everyone was expecting a splendid struggle over tha last half-mile. The weather was again all that could bo desired for suoh an outing, and it is rather to be wondered at that there were not more spectators. Results: — FAREWELL HANDICAP. Krsfc prize, .£l2; second, £S; third, .£5. Two miles. Syd. Kemp (N.S.W.), ssec 1 *\Dick" Green (N.S.W.), Bseo ... 2 E. Larsen (N.S.W.), 9seo 3 Bob Green fN.S.W.), 2sec. 4; "Jack" Mitchell (N.S.W.), 2seo, 5; A. D. Felton (N.S.W.). scr, 6; Te Rewhiti (N.Z.), 15sec, 7. When, after brief one, two and threosecondu intervals the six men got under way in Dursuit of the limit man, To Rewhiti, they presented a pretty spectacle. All but "Dick" Green set a course which would cut off the corner. A quarter of a mile from the start To Rewhiti's handicap enabled him to continue to show the way. but it could easily be seen that it was not sufficient to bring him and the New South "Welshmen together. Komp had already made up some three lengths, then followed closely in his wake " Dick " Green. Hitchcll, Larsen. Felton and Bob Green in that order. "With a fairly brisk breeze Mowing dead up stream and the water a bit choppy weak spots wore quickly discovered in both Felton and Te Rewhiti, who commenced to drop astern. Kemp, who was out in the centre oj the stream, forced ahead, and passing the milo post held a three-lengths advantage of "Dick" Green, who was hugging the town sido bank, with the other live stretched across the river. "Dick" Greej, was tho first to go out after Kemp, and ia smooth water close inshore ho put in some solid work over the next half mile, j.t the end of which Kemp had also irawn over on to the courae down which 'Diak" Green was travelling. AU eyes were riveted on this pair, although Larjan was by no means out of it, holding '. lis end well up in mid-stream, with Vfitohell and Bob Green in close attend i inco. Over the last quarter of a mile ! Eemß.aad "Dick" Green—tha letter get. j

ting the former’s wash all the time—with. Larsen, Bob Green, and Mitchell in midstream, fought out a strenuous finish Kemp succeeded in stalling off • the threatened danger, and won a splendidly contested race by a little more than a length, from ’‘Dick” Green, who was only half a length in advance of Larsen. The latter defeated Green for third money by inches, with Slitcholl half a length further back. After a big gap came Felton, To Rewhiti last. Time, 13min 22seo. The, first mile was done in Cmin 15seo. FIEST-CLASS HANDICAP. First prize, £100; second, ,£SO; third, £35. Two miles. h. Arnst (N.Z.), scratch 1 T. S. Hagney (Australia), lOseo ... 2 IV. Webb (ls T .Z.), 3sec 3 Arnst and Hagney were first afloat. The draw for places resulted in Webb ■and Hagney exchanging the positions they had at the post in their preliminary beats, Hagney having the town side, and Webb the opposite bank, wbilo Arnst was in between them. Each contestant was stationary at the start, the stern of their boats being held from moored dinghies. Little or no time, was wasted once the three men. had been thus taken charge of, and some watchholders missed catching Hagney when be moved off. The limit man clapped on every ounce to secure the most advantage possible. Hagney began with very little short of 40 strokes to the minute, and he must have been a good six lengths on the journey when Webb started. The Wanganui man began steadily by comparison with Hagney, striking 82; while Arnst's first half stroke proved resnltlees owing to the starter’s assistant not letting go simultaneously with tho signal for the scratch man to get under way. The champion, with his big sweeps, went off at 30 with abont a two length disadvantage from Webb. Hagney set a course which took him across into Webb’s water on the left bank. When well into the long straight the gap between Hagney and Webb commenced to look less formidable to the latter’s supporters, while Arnst was about a length and a half away from Webb. Approaching the mile post Hagney held a three lengths advantage from Webb, with Arnst a length further away. Half tho distance was completed in 6min BJsec by Hagney. who was then two lengths out from Webb, with Arnst hanging to tho latter without apparently any great effort. Interest commenced to grow very keen by reason of Webb’s seemingly excellent prospects of rrticbing Hagney earlier than was generally anticipated. The cxohampion appeared somewhat anxious when bo discovered Hagifcy dead ahead of him in bis water. Webb spurted strongly, indicuting he was full of light. The bow of bis boat was only separahod from the stem of Hagney’a by a few feet when to the surprise of everyone he suddenly stopped rowing, and Arnst shot past him in pursuit of Hagney. Tho champion quickly cut Hagney down. Tho latter offered little or ,no resistance when ho found Arnst on even terms with him. Arnst continued to row bard, and with only a quarter of a mile to go the scratch man looked to have the race in safe keeping. He plugged along steadily to tho finish, but over the latst hundred yards Hagney sprinted strongly, and caused not a little stir by materially reducing the gap which Arnst had opened np. The champion showed no concern about Hagney’s fin© effort, and was content with just a length’s advantage when the judge’s decision was jjiven. Webb completed the course in leisurely fashion and crossed the line some fifteen lengths astern of tho other two. WEBB’S FAILURE.

Webb's action in giving up just .when h» appeared to have Hagney's' measure was considered by many to be due to a : foul which Hcgney was responsible for Such, however, proved to be" contrary to fact, according to a, view, expressed hv

the umpire, Mr C. A. Barton. Webb, on being interviewed, stated that ho felt all right, and was going well, when he looked round and saw Hagney just in . front of him, about three-quarters of a • mile from home, and ho (Webb) said to himself, "I'm off." He h'ad only just quick- ■ oned up his stroke, .and put in a few good ones when he suddenly seemed to collapse all over, and had no alternative but to stop rowing. He could only attribute his break-down to' the extreme exertion he had put forth in his ■heat on Thursday. Webb remarked on i the clean, and sportsmanlike race rowed by Arnst, but on being- asked whether i he had met with any interference at the hands of Hagney he declined, to give any . expression of opinion. Arnst had little to say about the race, except that he had a hard solid row throughout, and never felt very anxious about , the result. Although Arnst tipped the beam at 133 t 91b on Thursday, yesterday when i he got out of his boat, after rowing down . to town, he only went 13st. Rowing up to the course and back from town, and including the race itself, Arnst must have covered twenty miles yesterday. The faot of the final heat being the slowest of all the five races rowed, occupying 13min ■ 33sec, while the Farewell yesterday was done in 13miu 22sec, ie accounted for by a fairly strong flowing tide, being against th-j men over the last mile. As giving some idea of how current affects such : records, it may be mentioned that when Arnst and Webb last met for the world's championship over three miles and a quarter, the first two miles only took about eleven minutes, there being then a slight freshet in the river. ARNST-PEAUCE MATCH. „ A « oa } >le was yesterday received from Mr Andrew, Sydney, by ex-cvclist George butherland, who is now associated with the world's champion, intimating that backing for Pearce to the extent of was offering in Sydney for his proposed match againot Arnst in West Australia and asking for information to be cabled to faydney as to the nature of the Westralian offer.