SCULLING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9810, 31 March 1910, Page 3

SCULLING.

■ ♦ ' .i - WHELOH v. ARNST. THE CoTiTnG RACE. [Fbom Our Corbespondent.] AKAROA, March 31. Akaroa is looking forward to a busy week-end. Many Easter visitors are staying over Saturday to see the boat raoe, and many more will arrive to-day. Accommodation in the borough, however, is not nearly exhausted yet. Locally people are discussing nothing but Saturday's contest. Naturally they like Whelch's chances, and the manner in which the challenger is getting through his work suggests that he will give the champion a groat race. Both men are known to be lion-hearted, so that thero will bo no giving in until one or other is decisively beaten. The only unpleasant note one hears in connection with the race is a complaint that the proprietors of one of the excursion steamers decline to give the contestants any share in the gate money. The others are meeting the principals generously. TO-DAY'S WORK. [From Our CoREEsvoNnENT.] AKAROA, March 31. Both Arnet and Whelch took a day off yesterday, except for walking exorcise, and spent the day pol.jshin<r their boats and adjusting the riggers. Whelch is heavier than when he rowed his last race, scaling 9st 12Jlb. He declares himself to be very fit and was never better in his life, and his party are quietly confident. Arnst was off colour on Tuesday night with some slight stomach trouble, but the day's spell sot him right again. He weighs 13st 31b this morning, and will probably bo a shade heavier on Saturday. Whelch was out first this morning, shortly after ten, With F. G. Westenra, an Akaroa amateur, to pace him. The water down the harbour was lumpy, but the challenger probably had ljin or 2in good water, and ho came back with his pacer at solid three-quarter speed. He was getting a fair swing, and finished his stroke with a push that suggested improved leg work. Then Artist and Folton left their shed and pulled out to the edge of the rough water, and came back over the same course as Whelch. The champion was pulling twenty-three or twenty-four, but oven at Uiat measure his pacor was little use to him over the last three-quarters of a mile. When ho returned to the shed his onlv reply to the nuestion as to how he felt was "Grand."