SCULLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1921, Page 5

SCULLING.

WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP. ARNST BEATS HANNAN. AN EASY VICTORY. O' ■■■ " By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Blenheim, June 11. R. Arnst (holder) beat J. P. Hannan (challenger) in the world’s sculling championship on the Wairau River this afternoon. Arnst won easily by three lengths in 22min 33see. There must have."been between 5000 and 6000 people viewing the race. The race showed that Arnst has not lost his old form, for he was not really extended over any part of the race. Starting off at 24, the champion quickly took the lead, being a length ahead at the first quarter-mile peg. Hannan started at 26, dropping to 24. At the half-mile Arnst added another half length to the gap, and with threequarters of a mile gone the champion was two lengths to the good, and was taking things easily. This order was .maintained till the boatshed was reached, Arnst keeping close inshore to the protection of trees on the bank and ©lacker* water."

Leaving the boatshed Arnst opened up the gap to three lengths, which he increased to three and a half in the next quarter-mile. Hannan commenced to creep up, rowing 24, and he lessened the gap by a length at Maori Bend, where Arnst still held this lead, though Hannan was rowing splendidly. Rounding Maori Bend two lengths still separated the boats, Hannan doing 22 and Arnst slightly less. The rowers caught the wind in the next reach. The champion, with a long, powerful sweep, continued to hold his advantage, and with two miles gone Arnst was three lengths to the good, and taking things easy. Hannan quickened his stroke to 28, Arnst still rowing 24. Crossing the river to the western side Arnst livened up to 25, Hannan doing 26, but there was still three lengths gap. In the calm water both boats came nicely along, Hannan failing to make any impression on his opponent. - Half a mile from home both settled’ down to business, Arnst now doing 29 and Hannan 26. The challenger reduced the gap slightly. Hannan' touched the bank and momentarily stopped. With the winning post in sight Hannan made a great effort, but Arnst, rowing steadily, kept his three lengths lead until the gun was fired.

ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIP. SOME RECENT HISTORY. A few details concerning the recent history of the championship may be of interest. . Arnst first won the title by defeating William Webb (the holder) on December 15, 1908#. on the Wanganui River (New Zealand). He then successfully defended his title against Webb (on the Wanganui River, on June 22, 1909) ; against George Whelch (at Akaroa Harbor, New Zealand, on April 4, 1910) ; against Ernest Barry (on the Zambesi River, Rhodesia, on August 18, 1910) ; and against H. Pearce (on the Parramatta River, Sydney, on July 11, 1911) On July 29, 1912,* Arnst lost his title to Ernest Barry over the Putney-to-Mortlake course on the Thames. Barry in turn successfully defended the title against three challengers (Durnan, Pearce and Paddon), but lost it to A. D. Felton (Australia), on the Thames, on October 27, 1919. Barry regained the title from Felton on the Parramatta on August 28 of last year. Arnst, who hhd “come back” to an extent, and had competed with a measure of success in races at Sydney, challenged Barry. The Englishman, however, had intimated that his race with Felton was going to be his last. Through the non-acceptance of his challenge to Barry, Arnst claimed the championship—a claim which rowing authorities agreed was technically correct, although there was a sharp division of opinion on the question of merit.