To-clay’s Great Sculling Event

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7865, 29 July 1911, Page 15

To-clay’s Great Sculling Event

Pearce Meets Arnst for World’s Championship

T' HK groat match for the sculling championship of the world between Ifirk Armt and Harry Pearco will take place ou the Parramatta river this afternoon. and immense interest will be taken in the result. Both men have been so prominently before the public that it is hardlv necessary to say much about them. The Champion. Diehard Arnst, who is about twentyeight years of age. was born at Tai Tapu, Canterbury, where lies father is a fanner. His lirst appearance be tore the public was as a cyclist. In 1901, when he was eighteen years old, lie carried oil two first prizes and one second on the cvcle track. In that year ho also competed in tho road race from Timaru to Christchurch and finished fourth. The next year, in that event, ho occuxned third place. He then wont to Australia and took part in tho \\ arniainbool-Mel-bourne road race. He put up tho second best time in this competition, which was won. by his brother Jack in record time. After participating in other cycling events in Australia the; future rowing champion returned to New Zealand, and in 19'he won the New Zealand Wheel KactC This success was followed by a number ct fine performances, mostly ot distances under two miles, in h° gamed further honour in Australia by winning tho Sydney Thousand He then, behind motor pacing, showed las ability as a “flier"- bj r breaking all records from a standing start. When he entered on his career as an oarsman his record or cycling prizes was 61 firsts, 72 seconds, and upwards of 50 thirds. Arast’s first victory as a sculler was in the Bush handicap on the Parramatta river, when he had a start of 31scc. Though he at first exhibited a good deal of awkwardness as an oarsman on one occasion ho fell out of his boat ho rapidly imjmovcd, and ere long was placed by tho handicappers on the scratch mark, . On August Ist, 1903, he mot his opponent of Saturday ou the Parramatta in; a match for <£loo and gained a vie-1 tory, Pearce being three lengths behind at tho finish. The time of the race was 20min 50scc. After this victory Arnst challenged, his fellow-countryman, W. Webb, for the championship of the world, and mec him on the ‘Wanganui river on December 15th, 190 S. 'Webb, who was not in good form, was defeated by about eight lengths in 19min 25sec. A second race was arranged between./tho two, and on June 22ud, 1909, Arnst again ou the ‘Wanganui course vindicated his title to tho championship by finishing about throe lengths in front of Webb, having done the three and a quarter miles in the record time of ISmiii 1-1 3-ssoc. Challenged by the Englishman, F,rncst Barry, Arnst went to South Africa, and on the river Zambesi, on August 18th last year, successfully defended his title ■

of champion against that sculler. The Challenger. Harry Pearce made his first appearance us a sculler in a jace for youths under eighteen, in 1897, and showed his ability by winning tlie event comfortably. .At tho 20th Century Universal Regatta on the Parramatta ho won a .£IOO prize in the one and a half mile, beating Ck Nielson and A. Wauchop. He then wont to England with George Towns, While in England he had two matches with W. Barry. In the first, in open boats, for <£so a side, Barry was victorious, but the second, in best-and-best boats, for .£IOO a side, resulted in a win for Pearce. The latter then ! accompanied G. Towns to Bed Portage, Canada, ou the trip in whi(jh Towns recovered tho world's championship from Gaudaur., Pearce was matched against John Lockett (Gaudaurks trainer) for ASO a side, and won easily. Returning to Australia lie accepted a challenge, in 1903, from B. TTossider, for the Australian championship. lu the race which ensued Tressider was victorious. On August Ist, 190 S, Pearce was beaten by B. Arnst on the Parramatta. On July 17th, 3909, Pearce tried conclusions with J. Mitchell, on the Parramatta, for the championship of Australia and ATOO a side, and beat him by four lengths in 23min Usee, His other successes aro too well known to recapitulate. Many people arc of opinion that as Arnst has defeated Pearco before there is no reason why he should not do so again, but there can be no doubt that the Australian's unbroken series of wins over Ben Thoroughgood, Frank Hagncy, Jack Mitchell, George Day, William Webb, and Syd. Kemp entitle him to great respect, especially as ho is said to bo rowing better to-day than he has ever done before. Both in Good Form a The race will be rowed with the tide, over the full championship course, from Rydo Bridge to Searlc'a Monument, a distance of three miles and 336 yards. Tho stakes will be <£soo a side and tho world’s championship. Concerning the men a Sydney writer says: “The Australian's form is as good a» he lias ever shown, and if he succeeds in holding his slide it will mean lengths to him over tho course. Pearce is rowing with groat dash and vigour, and his boat travels freely between tho strokes. At the faster rate of striking his work is even more attractive. He speaks confidently of his ability to stay the course at top pressure, and believes that he can bring tho title back to Australia. “Arnst, on the other hand, hardly dis-' plays tho same vigour as we are accustomed to see from him, but nevertheless his work is full of power. The champion continues to swing a long way back, after tho pressure has been relieved, from the stretcher, but he gets real- good