HOW THE TRAINING WENT.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 232, 10 December 1887, Page 10

HOW THE TRAINING WENT.

The greatest imaginably int'or&st was taken *ii the proceedings of i-lie two scullers who weio training o» the JJepean, for the championship which was decided in Beach's favour last Saturday. Hundreds of people daily journeyed out to watch them at work, and on Saturdays and Sundays they held a regular levee. The "inevitable" photographer was in attendance the whole- of the last week, and many times both Beach and < Hanlan had to submit to have their pictures taken, so they should be very plentiful over the other side just at present. The champion kopt very well ,n]l through find ,took matters in his \\wtil «

cool way. In replying to a question as to whether he was always able to sleep on fcho eve of an important event, he said, "I never knew what it was to have a bad night before a race. 1 always sleep soundly and generally have a nap^ during the day of the race. I remember in one of the first events I rowod in Sydney, they had to come and wake me up to get into my boat and go to the post." There is no doubt that his wonderful calm, even temperament has had a great deal to do with his success ; in fact, the late L)r. Fortescue, who was a great admirer of the Dapto man, used to say : "Beach, is not a man— he is a coldblooded animal.'' Speaking of Hanlnn, one critic said :—: — "Hanlan is rapidly gaining friends, his faultless style being the theme of universal admiration, whilst some perhaps too captious critics take exception to the way in which Beach uses his right scull. To übe a technical term, Lhey say he ' knifes ' — that is, instead of striking the water with the blade of the scull fairly at right angles, he cuts ife with the blade at an angle, just as one would slice oiY a piece of cheese with a knife. Of course, the eflect of this is a loss of power, and al*o the tin-owing of more weight on the oilier hand, so that the boat would not run true, but a very slight difference in the fittings or fcho fact of one scull not being as well greased as the other might account for this. Still, thore is no doubt the Canadian's, style ,s the far moic popular of the two. Hanlan seems vciy confident, though there is no ' blow on his part as to what he will do, Tfe has never been so well looked aftei in his life ; in fact, he is inclined to grumble at the strict watch and waul Bietl and Perkins keep o\er him. One thing is certain, that the Canadian will come to the post as lit as he ever was in his life, if not m better trim than he has been before." All soitsof abburd rumours were afloat about the race being arranged, and that Hanlan would not be allowed to win. The champion, ho\ve\or, laughed at the whole a Hair, and s-aid that if anyone wanted to .squat c the iacc that per.son had better call on him, when he would get a fitting reception. "He will probably be in bed for the ne\t month should he ventiire to come." The train arrangements weie \ery good as settled on by the Railway Department. It was pi op-Joed to tun 10 trains to Nepean on the diiy of the sculling championship lace, vi/., h'\c .second-class, accommodating 4,500 pci son*., and live fir^t-clas,-,, curbing capacity 3,000, and to charge 3s and £>?■> .second and iir.st-elnss lespcthely ; and to induce the bulk of the .^econd-olass tiattic to goeaily, 2s return wa^> to be chaiged for ocilain tiuin& to be bpeeilicd. In addition to these services thoic was to be a special iir^t-clasrf train, with losmed seats booked and numbered, at 8->, accommodating 260 persons. Michael Rush, the ex-champion naisman, was at the training quarters ot the two men for some time. In an interview re the Beach-llanlan l ace he said he was of opinion thatHanlan would rowagreaten ace than was generally anticipated, from the fact that he was taking less "Krug 'and paying morj attention to hi-3 tiainer's instructions than on the preuous occasion; also, that Beach having suspended rowing operations for some time, must naturally, at his time of life, begin to feel stiff. " 'With a line day," he said, " Tianlan must be very clo^e at the finiVh."