SCULLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18446, 6 January 1922, Page 7

SCULLING.

A NEW WORLD’S CHAMPION HADFIELD BEATS ARNST. CHALLENGER’S EAST WIN. SCIENCE TRIUMPHS OVER STRENGTH. (Feom Ouh Own Cohbkspondent.) ■ WANGANUI, January 5. Hadfield’a big achievement in winning tho title of world's champion eculler to-day was witnessed by a crowd estimated at anything from 7000 to 10,000 people, and there was not one, big or littie, who was not impressed with the triumph of scientific sculling over strength. The start was by mutual agreement, and the little wind there was came from west by south with a tide slightly on tile obb. Both men caught tho water together, Axnst jumping off at the rate of 40 to the minute, whilst Hadfield got in 38. For about the first 200 or 3toyds Amst had control, and if he had been able to maintain his slight lead it may have caused Haclliold to get a bit rattled. The challenger, however, was perfectly calm and looked extremely confident as he dipped his blades in with a responsive boat under him. Arnst. who had tho choice of positions fay reason of hk winning the toss, was in the best water, but he could attain no advantage. Hadfield was rowing lor every inch like a champion. By the time tiio’ quarter-mile peg was reached Arnst, who was obviously labouring, Imd dropped to 35 to tho minute, whilst Hadfield was rowing a beautiful, clean, swinging stroke of 53, and surely but steadily th© Aucklander’s boat forged ahead until at the end of tho first mite, which was covered in smm 30sec, there was a couple of lengths cf water showing between Hadliold’s boat in tho lead and Amst’s following up. Thence on it was purely a procession with six or seven lengths between the two boats. When the last mile was being approached the water was calm and placid, and Amst put a little more ginger and strength into nio strokes which were still ungainly, and as a result he reduced the dtotar.ee separating him from th© man who had already won tho race. When Hadfield had sufficient water between his boat and hk opponent's ho crossed over into the better w*tor, and Amst was getting the little backwash. Tho challenger continued to increase hk load, and at tho two mile post was fully four and a-half lengths to tho good, tho time being llmin ifisoc. As tuey started to turn the bend for borne, Arast’s right arm seemed to bo troubling bem, and ho was sculling much below his old lorrn, there being no life at ail in hk work. When tho last long stretch of water on the home turn was readied, the thousands of jxtople on both banks vociferously cheered the victor on his sculling triumph, it being apparent to all that a new world’s champion had fought and won. 'Hadfield at this time looked as fresh as a daisy, and could have kept up the pace ho was going at for miles further, or if needs be ho could have vigorously responded to any challenge which might have been thrown at him. There was, however, nothing doing. Arnst waa a beaten man, though he did not throw up the sponge until Hadfield had been declared the winner of tho title with a lead of about 10 lengths to his credit. 1 Thousands of cheers wont up for the new champion, and ail the steamers on tho river blew their sirens. The air was certainly charged with electricity. The scene was one of unusual life and animation, and tho sight of the cheering crowds as tho scullers passed tho post was one to be remembered. After ’easing up, both men shook hands heartily. Hadfield received many congratulations on his win, which was well deserved, and waa achieved as a result of a particularly fine effort, and crowning achievement of a particularly successful sculling career in the amateur world. He is a most finished sculler, and outclassed his opponent in every possible form. Hadficld’s future success is assured., The time tor the full distance was 19min 46 2-ssee, which is fully a minute over tho time previously put up by Arnst over tho same course. At the same time it has to be remembered that Hadficld was never extended, and won as he liked. Had he boon pressed it is probable that, under the perfectly ideal conditions which prevailed, a record time would have been put up. Hadfield’s sculling was certainly a treat, but Arnst was, to all observant people, not himself, and ho gave just another example of the foot that it is 1 practically impossible for a man to take off four or five stone in weight and prove himself to be os good a a he was when years younger and less bulky. Seen afterwards, as he pulled up to the landing stage, Hadficld said, “ I feel very, very proud. In fact, it ia the proudest moment of my life to have won such a race. It was not quite so hard as I expected, and I know after tho first mile that th© race was mine. Dick made several game attempts to make up tho leeway before we reached the mile peg, but they were of no avail.- Ho stuck to it well, and made a stern chase of it, and I give him every -credit, not only for the effort he put forth just- now, but for the consistent way he has ’ trained.” Dick Arnst paddled back leisurely to the landing stage near his camp, where he was welcomed bv his trainer and a large number of supporters, and vigorously cheered. “ I got it where the chicken got the axo ” was Arnst’s acknowledgment of the greeting. Oa> returning to his tent, when interviewed by a reporter, he remarked : “ He was too good for me. I did not worry much till we had covered a mile, and then I tried to come at him, but failed.” Asked whether he felt fit, Arnst replied: “ Yes, but. tho better man won, and good luck to him.” AN INTERESTED SPECTATOR. PADDY HANNAN(Pun United Pkess Association.) WANGANUI, January 5. An interested spectator at to-day’s boat moo was Paddy Hannan, whom Arnst defeated on the Wairan a few months ago. There was talk to-night of Hannan challenging Hadfield, but in view of the ca.se with which Hadfield beat Amst, and the ©eso -with which Amst beat Hannan, it is considoped that tho next raoo which will take nlaoo on tho Wanganui River will more likely lie between Paddon arid Hadfiold. The official film of to-day’s race was takqn by Mr Newham. The stalcos are to be paid over to-morrow night. BRIEF RECORD OF EVENTS. The history of the world’s sculling championship has frequently been wrrt-ten in brief on the great occasions when the race for world’s honours has been contested in New Zealand or by a Now Zealander, as in tho cases of Webb and Axnst. There k no need, therefore, to give more than a brief outline on this occasion. Professional sculling really originated among tho old Thames boatmen nearly 90 years ago in the years celebrated by Charles Dickens in several of his novels. There wore never any better watermen than those who plied their craft for a livelihood on tho Thames before mechanical propulsion on tho sea became common. For many years there were competitions among tho Thames boatmen for the pride of tho river, but it ,was not till tho ’fifties of tho last century that tho professional soulling championship of England came into being with tho claims of J. Messenger after defeating T. Cole on the Thames. Tlireo years later Messenger was beaten by Henry Kollory, who held supremacy for nearly 20 years, beating several oarsmen of renown. In 1676, one Nod Trickett, an Australian, challenged Sadler, then holder of the title, 37 years of age, and on tho decline. Trickett stood 6ft 4in in height, and did not impress the critics, but the greater stongth of his strokes told, and ho won. It was not till Ernest Barry defeated Amst on the Thames nearly 30 years later that the championship returned to England. In the meantime, many waters were the scene of championship races. In Australia is was the. Parramatta, and liere Trickett defended his title successfully. He was finally beaten by Edward Hanlon, of Canada, on the Thames in 13(0, after a farcical race, in which tho winner lay down in his boat and waited for Trickett to come up. Hanlon ■was reckoned tho prettiest sculler of all time. He waa then in his twenty-fifth year. In 1884 Hanlon succumbed to another Australian, W. Beach, who held tho title for three years, beating the famous J. Gaudaur on tho Thames after the gamest struggle on record. Beach again defeated Hanlon and retired in favour ofPetcr Kemp, who also succeeded in boating Hanlon. Towards the end of 1888 appeared tho brilliant Harry Searle, who defeated Kemp and. then went Homo to row

O’Connor, the Canadian champion, on the Thames. Searlo won, but died as tho vessel was entering Sydney Heads on the way homo. A broken column 'St the finishing point of the Parramatta course is his memorial. Komp again assumed tho title, and held it for a time until beaten by Janies Stanbury. In 1892 Stenbury defeated Toni Sullivan, the first New Zealand challenger, on the Parramatta, and in 1866 C. B. Harding, the English amateur, on the Thames. Then Gaudaur, at the ago of 30, beat Stanbury on the Thames in a race which tl\p Australian claimed on a foul, disallowed. Gaudaur insisted on all challenge races being rowed in Canada. George Towns challenged him in 1901, and beat him on Ills own waters, bringing bade the championship to Australia, Towns beat Trasidder, but was beaten by Stanbury. Next year Towns recovered the tide. Edward Daman, a Canadian dhallen ger, was beaten by Town on tho Nepean in 1907. Towns handed the championship to his brother Charles, who was beaten by William Webb, of Wanganui, on the Parramatta; Tho championship was now in New Zoaland, and the Wanganui was the scene of some fine challenge races. Webb defeated Tresidder there early in 1908( and held the title till tho end of that year, when he was defeated by the present holder, Richard ■ Arnst, ex-champion cyclist, in tho time of 19 minutes 52 seconds. Webb was not satisfied, and in June, 1909, rowed Arnst again on the Wanganui. Arnst won in the record time of 18 nrinutDs 14 5-5 seconds. The subsequent history of tho world’s championship sculling is more] familiar. Arnst beat Barry on the Zambezi, but was beaten by the Englishman on tho Thames. Barry beat successively Human, Poaroe, and I'addon, but Felton, the young Australian, won the title on tho Thames .in th© year after tho armistice. Barry recovered it on the Parramatta, but retired soon afterwards. Arnst. challenged, and his claim to the title was accepted. Ho defended his title quite successfully against Patrick Hannan on the Wairau last June, and now he has been defeated by D.’Arcy Hadficld' on tho WaganuL THE WINNER’S SPLENDID RECORD. D’Arcy Hadfieki was bom near Nelson on December 1, 1689. Ho started work on a farm at tho age of 13? years, and later served -a portion of his apprenticeship as a shipwright with hi-j father, going to Auckland in 1910 to complete his apprenticeship with Charles Bailey. There be took on lowing, and for two years was very successful in fours and double soulls. I .ate in 1912 ho tried single soul ling, and in March of tho following year won tho Pearce Oup and tho New .Zealand Amateur Rowing Association’s Championship at Wellington. Later in the same year ho also won several handicap races at Auckland. In 1914 Hadfield retained the amateur championship of New Zealand at Moroer, and also tho Pearce Oup at Wellington, and in 1996, at Picton, again justified his claim to be amateur champion. Early in 1916 Hadfield wont to the war, and was wounded at Pusschendaele. After two months in hospital, ho returned to tho front, biit was attacked by bronchitis, which sent him to England for several months. He joined the Codford rowing party, and won a sculling race' at the Hammersmith service regatta, also Laving a seat in the winning four. The next couple of months, saw Hadfiold winning a variety of rowing races. As an illustration of his staying powers, it may be mentioned that one afternoon he covered a mile eight times in exhibition races, winning on each occasion. After tho armistice Tio represented England in the eight-oared race against, France, rowing No. 7.' In Juno of the same year Hadfield won tile single soulls at Walton and Marlow regattas, and in July excelled himself by winning the Kin wood Cup at tho Royal Henley peace regatta, defeating some of the world’s noted strollers, including Kinnear, tiie winner of the 1912 Olympic sculls and tho chief bcidling contests m England. Hadfield then .went to Paris, and at the Pershing Stadium Gameo won the army sculling championship, defeating representatives of England, France, America., Italy, Belgium, and Australia. Back in New Zealand, Hadfield; in 1920 once more won- the amateur championship (tf New Zealaiid and the Pearce Cup, while with A. White he secured the champion double aculls. Hadficld represented New Zealand at. the Olympic Games at- Antwerp, where circumstances conspired against him, and on hie rot-urn again lie retained his dharapionKhin honours, -with hk eyes on the world's professional championship. Hadfield turned professional and challenged the winner of the Amst-Hannan race. ARNST’S GREAT CAREER. “Dick” Amst, who is a native of Tai Tapu first became prominent in the athletic world as a cyclist. In 1903 he won the New Zealand Wheel Raoo at Christchurch, and subsequently ho broke the motor-paced record for every track be started on. Ho won the Sydney Thousand in 1906, defeating some of the best men in the world at that time. The same year a syndicate cf Christchurch sportsmen, including Dr H. T. J. Thacker, and Messrs J. H. Parker, and J. F. Buchanan, sent Arnst to Sydney to try rowing. At that time he knew absolutely nothing about sculling, and the first time he sdt in a proper sculling boat was on August 12, 1906. Ho determined to became a sculler, _ and.. as soon as ho could row a. boat be did from 30 to 50 miles a day. Hk first raco was in a regatta in Sydney Harbour, on January 26, 19C7, when, with 20scc handicap, he came second. The following month he won the Miok Rush Handicap on the Parramatta with 50sec start. He entered for a race at the Maclean Regatta in March of that year, but fell out of lus boat and was unplaced. Some four months later ho won tho handicap- at Maclean from scratch, subsequently winning . the handicap at Ullmarra. besides obtaining third place at Woodbum, on the Richmond River, .and winning (bo Coraki Handicap from scratch at Christmas time. His numerous successes had given him confidence, and he challenged the winner of tho Wobb-Tressidor race, which was fixed for November, 1908. While waiting tor this race, he rowed and defeated rilarry Pearce for a £IOO a-side on the Parramatta in August, 1903. After defeating Pearce he came to New Zealand to - row Webb, and in defeating tho latter ho attained tho coveted title of world’s champion. The first race against Webb was rowed on the Wanganui on December 15, 1908, and on July 22, 1809, Amst again defeated Webb, after what ho maintains was the hardest race of his career. He then successfully defended his title against G. Welch (at Akaroa Harbour, Now Zealand, on April 4, 1910), against E. Barry (on the Zambesi, Rhodesia, on August 18, 19l0), and against H. Pearce (on the Parramatta River, Sydney, on July 11, 1911). On July 29, 1912, ho lost tile title to Ernest Barry over the Putney to Mortlake course on the Thames. Barry then successfully defended the title against three challengers (Daman, Pearce, and Paddon), until ho lost it to A. D. Felton on the Thames on October 27, 1919. Barry regained it from Felton on the Parramatta on August 28 last. Arnst regained it by default through tho nonoeceptanco of his challenge, and on June 11, 1921, ho rowed his first race since ho came back, easily defeating J. P. Haunter, of Blenheim, on- tho Wairau River.