SCULLING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12240, 14 June 1909, Page 5

SCULLING.

THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP.

By "Nemo."

In my notes of Friday morning, when reternng to the road collection to b& made near Mr Earle's property on the morning of the sculling championship, I stated that two of the committee, were deputed to act "as collectors, lv his/respect I was misinformed, the gentlemen in question having very generously offered their services solely in tho interests of the scullers, and those ufiin</ the road will, I feel certain, gladly con-; tribute the Is. The final deposit of £300 per man, to finally bind the ArnstWebb race, has to be lodged by their respective backers with Mr F. Webb Jones, the stakeholder, to-morrow. On the 22nd inst. we will once again, have the satisfaction of witnessing the world's ; sculling championship fouglitout on- the Wanganui- river. That jfc will be a great day I have no doubt, find the race one of the greatest tn tha history of sculling appears certain. Both men have won fame in Uie aculling arena, Arnst by the fact that he has reached the top rung of tin* "Sculling ladder" in two short years. Webb by his all round brilliancy as \n oarsman and by disposing of Stanbury in that memorable race on the Wanganui river on Boxing Day, 1906, and by annexing the world's sculling championship by defeating Charlie Towns on the Parramatta on August 3rd, 1907, and thus bringing the championship to these shores.

In the forthcoming race, in the interests of the public, the sport, and the ■■,.. ■■" ' men themselves it is to be hoped that? ho scullers go to the post fit and well. In many, of the championship races of - late years, as well as the minor events, ono could not, by the greatest flight of imagination say they were great spectacles to witness. Take ? for instance,, the Towhs-Durnari race m Sydney two years ago, which for the greater por- * tion of, the distance was a procession. The Webb-Towns race on the Parramatta on August 3rd, 1907, after the first mile and a half was practically the same, while the Thoroughgood-Fogwell race, the Webb-Arnst race, and the recent Whelch-Fogwell match were practically over before half the'distance had ■•■ been traversed. The British, public enjoy &:good display of bulldog pluck and / grit- combined; with that essential—skill \. —which makes for greatness in all branches of sport. The public pay for r the sport and are entitled to^ a display ;"> worthy of the occasion, and 1 feel tier-'!i '■■% tain that on the 22nd inst. wei shall be '■''■"'/. treated to a great exhibition of sculling, one which wjll long live in the memory- 7 of. thoseTKho.?wiil have the' good; fdrtune tdAvitness ic. - "^ . v v Siiice jny last appeared -both,,scullers^ Shav^ ;^ork; that the crucial ho^Vis^jeais;&t;..taln:d-'is: apparent by. the: , * solid ...hard trainingindulged in bybqth '■'■" ' * men.;-':^,:'i>.';'i'.'.•■ ■'■'>-' ■•• ■'■ :>:"'-- -v '-^H-'*'

Early'iti thiew.eek the champion wa& reported slightly amiss, but his work showed no indications of anything wrong* Fridays, Saturday's; and yesterday's river work were fine expositions of health, vigour, and ability, the course - being twice each day, and sprinting indulged in. If pace and endurance count for anything, then Dick' - Arast is 'well, very well, and will put up a performance on the 22n,d inst. ' ~ worthy of a champion. His weight vesterdafy was 13st 31b. No fault was to be found with his appearance, and his manner was that of a strong man on a purpose bent, and knowing not defeat. The ex-cfhampion took things easy on " Friday-;, doing; pftly half-pace work on .thelqwer cpurserin theinoriiing, and no i"> • Tlve>iiiw.brE:-'in:/the-'<iiftern"oi()h. On Sat-in-day morning Webb, paced by Whelch, . did the- full championship' course, ana in the afternoon the trio —Webb, Whelch, and Green —took', gentle exercise'scaling some of the precipitous slopes on Cave's property at Kaiwhaiki.^ Yesterday morning brisk work was in^~" dulged in on the lower course, and i» * the, afternoon Webb, accompanied by Whelch over the first mile, and Green oyeiv-the last-mile, covered the .championship course. 'The display was of a. high order, and the way Webb finished up was. a revelation to those who wit- ' nessed .it. : v