SCULLING.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13167, 25 July 1911, Page 1

SCULLING.

THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP

PEARCE AND ARNST.

Next Saturday Harry Pearce, the champion sculler of Australasia, will meet Richard Arnst, champion of the world, on the Parramatta river, foi tho title and stakes of £1,000. It if., now, says the "Referee," some three years since "Dick" heat Harry Pearce. Then lie was somewhat raw, and had not readied the form and mastery of tho art that he now possesses. Pearce, on tho other hand, was even then a man of long experience, with a good command of the best principles of sculling, and yet Arnst beat him rather easily. Since then, however, Harry Pearce, who, up to 'that time, had boon credited with only being "a miller," has lived down that bitter experience and demonstrated time and again his real worth. On the very face of the defeat the first question that thou&.itful people ask is: What chance lias the Australian of beating Arnst? Arnst, the world beater, the vanquisher in turn of Webb, Wholch, and Barry? Poarccalways has been and is still quick off the mark, and rows a very fine race from the first dip of the scull to the last. He, in his earlier races, showed a tendency to tire after the first mile, but his continued successes in the last three years have shown that ho does not now require a breather after the first mile. Like most men, of course, his second mile cannot, in tho nature of things, he as fast as the first, but he has time and again in recent year?; shown tho real grit that is in him. Pearce has defeated Thoroughgood, Mitchell, Day, Hagney, Webb and Syd. Kemp, and it is with this list of victories behind him that tho hope of Australia faces tho big proposition of Arnst.

Harry Pearce always has trained conscientiously and well with the result that he has three solid years' hard work as a foundation for tin's with present training. As against this, Arnst has not rowed so often, and in the intervals between his races he has lived well; but the champion has now been for some ten weeks in solid training. Arnst, with his party, is confident that ho can retain the title. Certainly he is now doi)ng everything that is humanly possible to do it. His ten weeks' work has got his weight down to 13st. 61b., and he says freely that he feels fit to row Pearce to-morrow. Harry Nathan, his trainer, is confident that the big man could face the start in a week easily, and that he will be thoroughly well wound up by the race day. Undoubtedly the champion looks well, both stripped a.nd in his boat. During last week the New Zealander did some heavy boating work, and came through satisfactorily. Putting his pacer some lengths up, Alf Felton, who is undoubtedly smart at the work and very good for the mile, was left behind. But although Dick has done a lot of solid work he does not, after the first mile, seem to row with the vigour and vitality which has always characterised his work.

Pearce is confident, perhaps too confident for a challenper. He, like everybody else, must know that he is up against a man of no mean repute, who has vanquished everybody he has met. But Harry is in such fettle that he could race at once. Peter Nelson has the Australian down to 12st 121b, and he will row, it is thought, at about 12st 101b. Pearce is undoubtedly shaping well. No fear at all need be ha<l that ho will not be in absolutely the best condition that it is possible to get him. In addition, he will be almost on an equal footing as regards weight with the champion. Besides this, he is rowing with confidence and vigour. His grip of the water is now an honest one. Ho catches the water. i with a full blade, and drives it through quickly and well. Apart from his old fault of shooting the sIiVK he is rowing better than he ever did.