ROWING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16573, 4 November 1921, Page 3

ROWING.

NOTES AND JOTTINGS, (By “ RIPPLE.”) Of th© three crews left in the semifinal for the C.R.O. President’s fours, S. P. Godfrey’s drew the bye. F. H. Brown rowed W. M. Stewart on Friday last. Brown on the north bank heid Stewart to -Cowlishaw’s corner, but owing to goocf coxing by Stewart’s boy the crews came round with Brown only a quarter of a length to the good. Stewart picked this up and a fine neck to neck race was witnesed, Brown winnihg by six feet. In the final, F. 11. Brown v. S. P. Godfrey, Godfrey on the north bank lost half a length to Brown in the start, which at Retreat Road bridge was increased to a length. At Cowli-. shaw’a Godfrey had reduced the lead by half a length, and when the crews were round the corner they were dead level. From Cowlishaw’s to the winning post each crew strove in vain to shake off the ether. Godfrey at last secured a hard-won victory, by a margin of a foot. *** Tfee President’s fours crews mentioned were ; S. P. Godfrey (str), V. D. Hewer (3), F. A. Brown (2), R-. Maham (bow). W. M. Stewart (str.l, - R. A. Morgan (3), D. M. Robertson (2), H. Davies (bow). F. 11. Brown (str.), A. K. Johnson (3), H E. Otley (2), N. Walker (bow). Tlie following are th© crews selected to represent the Rowing Club at Akaroa Regatta : Senior Pairs:—H. B. Knight (str. 7, F. J. Stewart (bow). Junior Fours: S. P. Godfrey (str.), F. W. M. Oowlishaw (3), F. H. Brown (2), J. H. Moore (bow). Junior Doubles: S. P. Godfrey (str.), F. W. M. Cowlisliaw (bow). Maiden Fours: T. C. Chesson (str.), R. T. Beaven (3), H. E. Otley (2). R. Mahalm (bow) ; W. M. Stewart (str.), A. J. Johnson (3), R. R. C. Spooner (2), N. Walker (bow). Maiden Doubles; A. C. Pinwill (str)., D. M. Robertson (bow). Youths’ Fours: F. A. Bown (str.) T. F. M. Gibson (3), P. Wratt (2), N. D. Cox (bow). Youh’s Doubles: T. F. M. Gibson (str.), N. D. Cox' (bow). “ How did you come to take up rowing? ” Dick Arnst was asked recently by a representative of the fi Domin- “ Well, as you know,” replied the champion oarsman, “ I was a cyclist in my < young days. T won the New Zealand Wheel Race at Christchurch in 1903, and after that I broke the motorpaced record for every track' T started on. I went over to Sydney in 1906, and won the Sydney Thousand, in which I bad to meet all the best riders in the world. *** “ That same year,** proceeded Arnst, ”a. syndicate of Christchurch sportsmen, including Messrs J. H. Parker, J. F. Buchanan and Dr Thacker, sent me over to Sydney to take on rowing. I knew absolutely nothing about sculling at that time, and first got into a proper rowing boat on August 12, 1906. 1 couldn’t even row a tub decently at this ‘time, but stuck to my task, and as soon as 1 was able to row* a boat I used to do from thirty to fifty miles a day. “ My first race was in a regatta on Sydney Harbour on January 26, 1907, when, with 2(Jsee handicap, I got second place frorh Sid. Pearce. Next month I won the Mick Rush Handicap on the Paramatta, with 31sec start In March of that year, 1 went up to row in tlie Maclean Regatta, and fell out of my boat. However, I had the satisfaction in the following July of winning the handicap at Maclean from scratch. I then won the handicap at UHmarra in November; went across and rowed third at Woodburn, on the Richmond River and won the Goraki Handicap from scratch at Christmas time. <£ By this time,” said Arnst, “ I was satisfied that I could hold my own with the l>esb of them, and f challenged the winner of the Webb-Tres-eider race, fixed for November, 1907. While waiting for this race to come round, I rowed and defeated Harry Pearce in a race for £IOO a-sido on the Parramatta on August 1, 1908. I got a bit of a knock over this lakt race. As soon as 1 had arranged the match with Pearce, Webb’s supporters insisted that I should put up my whole £SOO stake. This was a. big financial hurdle to ask a .young sculler to take, and it was only the generosity of my staunch supporters which enabled me to meet the demand. This race with Harry Pearce excited a great deal of interest, and there was big betting that Pearce would lead in© for the first mile. However, when the race came off. I was well ahead at the end of tlie first mile, and eventually won by three lengths. I then came over to New Zealand, and rowed Webb for the championship of the world at Wanganui on December 15, 1908, and had the satisfaction in that race of attaining my great ambition, i met Webb again for the championship on the Wanganui on July 22, 1909, and again defeated him. ” Webb gave me tlie hardest race ©f my whole career in this second contest,” admitted the champion. ‘‘This can be readily understood when I tell you that we rowed the first mile in 5.15, covered the two miles in 10.51, and completed the full course of three and a quarter miles in 18min losec This was tlie fastest time by a minute ever put up in a world’s championship race over the full course. I rowed in the Wanganui Handicap in Decembei, 1909. and won it from scratch, defeating W. Webb and F. Hagney. I next met Welch at Akaroa on April 4, 1910, for the championship, and heat him. I then went across to Sydney, and promoted a £IOO handicap. I won my beat from scratch, after curing up to JOOsec start, and ran fourth m the final. _ After further relating incidents of his eareej Arn.-t made some interesting comment 011 present day oarsmen. He said - 4 ‘ From what I have seen. 1 consider you have *.s good rowing men here as 1 have c<rve across anywhere. They all so on the sport. The scullers, however are not as good as they were a few V*ars back, otherwise I would not ha-*; thought of coming back into the g« '.e again ” Women arc found to operate T»asseuny. much care and accuracy as men.