ROWING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 60

ROWING.

Chatting wifch an enthusiastic Australian sculler who was passing through Dunodin the other day concerning tlie Dick ArnstHarry Pearce sculling race and the approaching Arnst-Webb race on the- anganui River on December 15 next, that worthy remarked -.-"Well, what do you think of Dick Arnst now?" Without waiting for reply, he rattled on: ."I think he is going to be a. world's champion. I know Harry Pearce and his sculling abilities well, and I say the man who can hck Pearce over a mile is going to be the topnotcher of the sculling world, and Arnsfc is that man. Mind you," he continued, "Arnst is not , a graceful sculler or a master of style— indeed, it is only 14 mouths ago that rowing in a handicap race he fell out of his boat when leading in the race. Yes, Arnst is the coming world a sculler. To beat Herry Pearce, who is the fastest man over a mile who ever sau a sculling boat in Australia, is a wonderful performance. And Arnst did it— not only so, but he dragged Pearce over the mile and then waited for him, sprinting as he did, and there is no sprinter in Australia like Hkrry P«arce." will 4rnst beat Webb on the Wanganui River { said I, remembering that I hod seen Webb while in Wanganui two or three weeks ago. "Why, yes, he will, every inch of the wav," came the response, "and in saying thi's T am not unmindful of what a ««« sculler Webb is. But Arnst is a marvel. This will give the Wanganui supporters of Webb something io think about. While on tour with the British Rugoy -team wo wore taken up the famous Wanganui River, Webb's camp and the starting ana finishing pointe of the recent race for the sculling championship of tho world being 1 pointed out to us as objects or particular interest on the river. Again a week or two ago I was a guest up the Wanganui River with a happy launch party, and had a further opportunity of inspecting the championship course on which the race for the sculling championship of the world will be rowed on De- | cember 15. It will be the race of a life I time. May I be present to witness it on that memorable day.

The good time put up by R. Arnst in his race against Pearce has led to the inquiry as to how it comperes with what other men have done. The state of the water, strength of tide, and general conditions materially affect the time in which the top mile on the Parramatta can be zowed. Some of the alow miles have necessitated more rowing than ,the fast ones. These .are- the quickcst :— *T. Sullivan, smin 19eec; C. -Neilsen, sm-in 2feeo; H. Searle, Smin 35seo; T. Clifford, smin 38seo. , ' The regatta in connection with the Olympic Games was held on the Henley course on the Thames on July 28, *nd was probably extended over three or four days. One of- the conditions was that any country could be represented by not more than two crews. France and America ■were not expeoted to compete, but a Tery large number of entries were expected. A cable just received is to the effect that all four events were won by Englishmen. The races were champion pairs, fours, eights, and sculls. In the final of the Eights the second crew was from Belgium, and this is probably the same club as won at Henley in 1906 and 1907. There was a representative gathering when the stakes qnd gate money in connec- I tion with the Pearee-Arnst match werepaid over. Mr W. Beaoh, the referee, declared Arnst the winner, and then handed him £100 for himself, £100 to be returned to his backers/ and £50 as his share of the gate money. Several toasts -were proposed,including the winner and the loser. Arnst, in reply, stated that the race was quite as hard as vuited him, and he complimented Pearoe on the gameness of his rowing. Arnst will pay a visit to Brisbane for a few days. While there he will take part in some pigeon-shooting. He is •regarded as a fairly good shot. • Afterwards he will return to Sydney to see the ! American £eet arrive^ and in about a month leave for New Zealand, making iFoxton his training#}uarters until two or three weeks before the date of the race against Webb at Wanganui. He will be trained- in JNew Zealand by W. Fogweil, who will first, however, have to attend to G. Day on the Richmond River until the end of the first week in October. i