SCULLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 362, 13 April 1910, Page 3

SCULLING.

. ill LU v.; iilLl J.IACE. in tlxt! matter oi tile sculling cilanipionsuip lo taivo piuce on tUo ZauiLi>;=i river next August, Mr. Charles Jansou writes:—"lt will be of interest to relate that Ernest Barry, the English champion, who is to row Kiehard Arnst, is a jounger brother oi William Albert Larry, who won tile Uoggett's Coat and .Badge, on the river Thames, in ISUI. Ernest Barry won the Doggett's Coat aim Badge and .Freedom in 1003." The Field newspaper says of him: "ile bids fair to make a name for himself. He stands lift in height, possesses undoubted strength, reaches out well, and rows willi a good body swing. The establishment of the coat and badge was instituted in 1715 by Tlios. Doggett, a celebrated comedian, in honor of the House of Hanover, to commemorate the aunt; yursary of King George's accession to the throne of Great Britain. The prize was a red coat, with a large silver ■badge on the iarui—bearing the white horse of Jlanover—and the race had to be rowed on the Thames on Ist August annually by six young Watermen, w'ho were not to have exceeded the time of their apprenticeship by 12 months." An English amateur, writing to a London journal, says:—"Arnst roust be a very good man if lie is to beat Ernest Barry, who is quite the prettiest sculler I have ever seen. Loosely built, and light for his size, 'he sculls with extraordinary grace and ease. So even are his movements and so equally is his work' Applied that he Scarcely looks to .be more than paddling even when he is making his most desperate spurts. His style is strongly rjminiscent of Mr. F. S. Kelly's, and, like the latter, his pace is as good at the end of a course as it is at the beginning, and the longer the course the better he likes it. I saw him gain over four lengths on a mail, who was by no means roweu out, between the top of Harrod's wharf and Hammersmith Bridge, in the Bridge to Bridge Handicap last year, Englishmen mav hope with some confidence that he will return the first British champion of the world for over thirty years." THE ENGLISH SCULLING CHAMPION. London, February 25. Barry, the Eng'ish sculling champion, realises that he has a big task ahead of him in essaying to wrest from Arnst, of New Zealand, the world's sculling championship. He is taking his coming match with Arnst on the Zambesi very seriously, and is sparing no effort to get fit for i the great race. The opinion of Barry's trainer, Tom Sullivan, himself an old Auckland boy, regarding the style of the English champion should oe of interest. "What do you think of Barry as a sculler?" he was asked.

"That," said Sullivan, "is a very big question indeed; tut as everybody is genuinely interested in him there need be no secrecy. Barry is . a very fine seul-, ler, but, like all of us, he lias faults. However, we have plenty of time at our disposal, and must utilise it in devising the best means of curing them. "For that purpose he will accompany me in the double-sculling boat that Clamper has finished for us, and from that position I shall be best able to correct them.

"His chief fault is that he cuts the finish of his stroke. In other words, he feathers his blade before he has pulled his stroke right through. I am supposed to have a hard finish, and if that is so, it will be best imparted to him by his rowing with me. I want ■him to hold out his finish longer and down more."

"Has he any other imperfections?" was the next question. "None whatever," said Sullivan. "You have them all."

"Has he any specially good points?" "Many," said the trainer. "He has a beautifully easy and graceful recovery, and has a finj deep and powerful hlade. He has a good drive with his .legs, and has his greatest power wnen he has just begun his stroke. Next week we shall have some long, steady rows together, and if I can perfect Ills finish, there will be no reason to find fault with his stvle."

"You are not certain that Barry will win?"

"There can be no certainty about any boat race. I am certain, however, that our man is leaving no stone unturned tn get fit, and thaf he realises that the task .before him is no easy one. Arnst is a good sculler He milst be so to have given those big starts, and yet win the first-class handicap at Wanganui recently." "What kind of man is the New Zcalander in appearance?" "I have never seen him," replied Sullivan, "but, judging by his photograph, he is a very big man when in his boat, I can tell you this: he is the heaviest world's champion vhat has even been seen. Stanburv, who went 12st 71b in good condition, is put quite in the shade by Arnst, who, when at his best, weighs a little over 13st. However, weight is not everything, and that I am hoping Barry will .prove." Barry is an early riser, and every morning is up by seven. He takes «. stroll before breakfast, which is taken at nine, and later visits the Heme Hill racing track, where he has three or four sharp sprints, all of which are of lesa than fifty yards. This is not part of the training, but has been recommended as a 'loosener" for the limbs.

c Then, after midday dinner, he journeys to Putney, tnd at 3.30 has his training row. Sullivan is usually accompanied in the double-sculled by Cordery. The Englishman is making excellent progress. He is qiute lmppy in his work, and is pleasing his chief supporters. It now appears that South African sportsmen have become so excited over the race that the projected international regatta that was to have formed part of the week's racing on the Zambesi, will be shelved until next year. Invitations were to have been extended to American, Canadian and English eights, but it is now thought that tlie world's championship contest will in itself be of sufficient interest. There >vvtll, of course, be the contest between tlie Cape, Durban, East London and Port f>he,pstone fours, canoe races for natives, and a gymkhana, but for a race between European, Canadian and American, and perhaps Australian crews, we must wait until next year.