AFTER THE RACE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16451, 13 June 1921, Page 7

AFTER THE RACE.

HOW ARNST BEAT HANNAN RACE AGAIN ST WIND AND TIDE. (Special to the ‘ Star. ) BLENHEIM, June 11. With a, couple of hundred yards gone in the championship sculling race, Arnst had asserted himself sufficiently to give his backers every hope of a successful finish, and the"* further the race progressed the less doubt there was as to the result- Hannan was not good enough to extend Arnst at any stage of tne race, and although tho result gives Arnst e. firmer hold on the championship title, he has yet to prove that he has "come back,” and his meeting with Hadfield (almost certainly on the Wanganui) will bo the real test of liia ability.

llannan was the lighter man, and tho conditions were therefore all in Arnst’s favour—a steady current and a strong wind against the oarsmen. Arnst afterwards said that it was a hard race, but he . was probably feeling very generous towards his lighter opponent. He expressed the view that Hannan took tho wrong water at the start, and that if ho had been, in Hannan’s position at the end of a mile he would have thrown it up. He had been surprised that Hannan’s supporters had elected to row against tho tide, for they weSo hampering his chances. If the race had been rowed with wind nnd tide there might have been a different talo to tell. ” T was lucky to strike a head wind at the start,*’ Arnst added, “ as my boat was big and got away well owing to my strength. I assumed the lead, and was determined with all m; T * strength to keep it. Pat was after me all the time, but 1 out goner ailed him in the most difficult points of the course. I can toll you T was very glad when the winning shot was fired, as Hannan kepu coining.” A DECISIVE WINTo some extent Arnst’ft summary of tho race was quite correct, but flannan never really had a look-in. Hannan said that at the start he was momentarily in the lead, but a wave struck his paddle, and lie wrenched his wrist and lost time. He felt the effect of the wrench up till tho last half-mile. He had chosen the wrong bank of the river in winning the toss- but be did not want to make excuses, realising that the better man won.

Arnst bad the advantage of considerably larger sculls, which enabled him to row a slotvor stroke. He started at 24. against Hannan’s 26, but Hannan fell off to 24 and Arnst to 22, which was about, his average for tho race. At the quarter-mile Arnst was a length ahead, and at tho half-mile two lengths, going easily. Arnst showed good watercraft in keeping inshore for the protection of willows and slack water, and passing the boatslied ho was three lengths ahead. Hannan at this stage was doing 24, and gaining slightly, but it was apparent from Amst-’s slow stroke that Hannan lessened the gap only on sufferance. At the Maori bend Arnst was holding a good two lengths’ lead, and when the wind caught the boats Arnst forged ahead, with a steady sweep that put the issue well beyond doubt. From this on the race was a procession, although Arnst did not relax his vigilance, and responded quickly to any acceleration by the challenger. A FINE EFFORT. Hannan, indeed, made a fine effort at the finish, but it only served to show that the conditions and his boat were against him rather than that he bad rowed himself to a standstill or that he had been undertrained. He was comparatively fresh after the race, and expressed himself equal to going l out again and doing the full course. Earlier training operations showed Arnst a little bit careless in his work, but in the race he rowed with splendid precision, losing no ground by faulty action. His sculling was distinctly superior to that of Hannan. The umpire, Mr J. 11. Morrison. of Blenheim, speaking after the race to a Pressman, stated that the men gave no trouble at the start and struck the water together. They rowed on terms for fifty yards, and after that the race belonged to Arnst. Hannan was obviously ‘‘ undeiffioated ” and could not do justice to himself in the rough water, where his shell failed to ride the jobble like Arnst’s. Mr Morrison remarked that Arnqft steered a very fine course, taking advantage of tho willows and rounding the bends more effectively than the challenger. Hannan rowed gamely, but met bis master, who looked liko coming back to his original form. STAKES PAID OYER.

The race was for £250 a side, with an additional “ gate ” guarantee to Arnst. The stakes wore jraid over at a. social gathering in the evening. Arnst made very complimentary references to Hannan, both as an oarsman and sportsman. He said that the •oxiVdtent time 'that was registered showed the quality that Hannan put into tho contest. He was almost inclined to think that if Barry or Felton had had to face on tho Parramatta tho same wind and tide that Hannan «vn-I himself had experienced that day, they would hardly have got to the end of tho first mile anv faster than be and Hannan. He was 19st 4.1 bin bis clothes in Sydney when he decided to come back into the game, and he had come down to 1-tst 61b m his clothes. On the Zambesi be beat Barry, and Barry beat him on the Thames. He was not making any excuses, but he could not help feeling that if his form on the Thames had been what it was that day, be would have won on that occasion. Sickness reduced him from I3st 81b to 12st 61b in two days. He challenged

Bari*y when the latter defeated Felton on the Paramatta. but Barry paid, “•Dick, don’t bother me till after Christmas or New Year. T will retire then, and you can have the championship.” He (Arnst) ' said lie did not want to have it that way. They had had one race. each, and he wanted the “ convincer.” Barry retired, and the speaker claimed the championship. It was an empty title, but they knew the rules. A lot of people said that he nicked in ” and claimed the title, but the position was that he had merely abided bv the rules providing for the passing of the title if a challenge was not accepted within a certain time. THE NEXT RACE. The one who first challenged him in proper form would get the next race. Where it would be rowed lie did not know, but his native associations were with Nc-- r Zealand, and this country was his home, no matter where he /rowed. AV> for* future races, they would understand that a man did not do all bis hard training work just for fun. In saying that he was not wronging the sport itself, but as a matter of justice to the sport these things must be managed with something of the judgment that a man applied to his business affairs. The question of the best gate could not bo put out of the case altogether. He liked the Wairau River, and could not. sav too much for the climate, but Wanganui might make - a big effort to secure the race for championship. He did not know, and he was not going to rush straight into tho next match. “ I don*t think,” Arnst proceeded, ” that the Blenheim people realise the advertisement that Hannan lias gained for them.” To his mind they would hr; doing the right thing if they saw to K that Hannan

got something more than the loser’s end of the game, and he would be the first to put his hand into his pocket for such a worthy purpose. Arnst has received many congratulatory messages. He intends to return to Christchurch, where Mrs Arnst has been staying. Probably he will do his winter training on the Wairau, in preparation. for his meeting with Hadfield, who is at present amateur champion of New Zealand but will lose his amateur ■status in the challenge against Arnst. This challenge was handed to Arnst by Webb after the race.

A Government kineraatograph operator t-ook n record of the race, and it will probably be released soon.