LAND & WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1874, 21 October 1887, Page 21

LAND & WATER.

The great rowing contest between John Teemer and Gaudaur will take place on October 22 or 23 on some Eastern lake. Hearn will leave for Sydney early next month. He goes unfettered, and will be allowed to choose bis own trainer, also a boat of his own fancy. The opinion of his committee is that if they provide the necessary amount for bis trip to Sydney, Hearn should be allowed to go there and do the best he can for the colony. Mr George Cummins of Wellington has been entrusted with the task of building Hearn a racing skiff in which to take part in the Sydney sculling handicap. The boating season was opened at Port Chalmers on Saturday afternoon. The weather, although far from being pleasant overhead, was very suitable for the occasion, and a number of scratch matches were keenly contested. The number of boats afloat was large, comprising sailing boats, ships' gigs, four and pair-oar outiggers, &c. The season was also opened ftt Christchurch on Saturday afternoon with a procession of boats on the Avon. Over 50 boats took part in it. Between 3000 and 4000 people were present. A Wellington telegram states that the glove fight Laing v. Richardson, for £50 a-side, came off on Monday night, resulting in the referee giving the win to Laing. A well-known and enthusiastic patron of athletics has authorised the Melbourne Sportsman to say that he is prepared to guarantee £500 for a grand wrestling tournament (GrjecoRoman) open to all the world. The idea is to assemble in Melbourne wrestlers from every country, so as. to make it a thoroughly representative affair. In order to ensure this at least six months will be required to spread the information in Europe, England, and America. The details will, of course, require careful consideration, but should the working out prove successful it is anticipated the tournament will be brought off somewhere about next Eastertide. One stipulation is that there must be at least six entries. Evans, an English billiardist and now Australian ohampion billiard player, is prepared to make a match of 1000 up for: £100 a-side, conceding 150 points to any man in Australia. The Dunedin pedestrian Joe Seotfc left for England by the Bjs. lonic on Saturday. He will.

on arrival at Home, be taken in hand by Mr W. Jar vis, who was in Dunedin at the time of the recent Cottou-Scott match, and who will arrange matches for Scott against the best English pedestrians. , Scott informs us that he intends to walk only at his best distances— from 50 miles up to 100 miles, or from 12 hours up to 24 hours. Scott will not be accompanied by his old trainer Austin, but will engage one at Home.