SCULLING.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 23 July 1923, Page 5

SCULLING.

WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP. PADDON RETAINS THE TITLE. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT SYDNEY. Sunday. An unprecedented crowd lined the banks of the Richmond River near the finishing post to witness the sculling championship. Nondescript conveyances came from all directions, some as far as Queensland, and presented a motley spectacle for the Northern Rivers. The weather was fine with a strong south-west breeze. The tide was at flood. Paddon (the holder) weighed 1-lst 21b and Hadfield 12s 71b. Both moved off from an excellent start.. Hadfield rowed at 33 to the minute and Paddon at 35. The latter immediately went to the front and led by half a length at 50 yards. The champion was rowing freely but the New Zealander was disturbed by the. choppy water. When threequarters of a mile had been traversed, Hadfield endeavoured to overtake Paddon but the latter drew in front and gave the visitor his wash. The New Zealander several times floundered badly in the rough water, and on one occasion lost half a length when rough water reached him.

Passing the mile, Paddon rowed 10 and Hadfield 45 with three lengths separating them. The latter at the half-wav pulled towards the centre course to avoid Paddon’s wash, but the champion pulled over. It was noticed that Hadfield missed with his right several times, and thence to the finish relied mainly on his left.

At 2.1 miles Paddon increased his lead to ten lengths, but the New Zealander, striking smooth water, threatened to ereen up on the champion. Rounding the bend of the river the visitor again encountered rough open water and his boat rocked like a matchbox in midocean. The chamni’on did not experience the same difficulties as he knew the vagaries of tho river and allowed bis boat to ride the water. Hadfield nlin-kily made a final effort to overhaul his opponent near the finish, and reduced the lead to six lengths. On entering the straight the crowd cheered when it saw Paddon leading. The champion then clapped on the pace and won by twelve lengths. Time. 19min. 19sec. Both men were wildly cheered by the spectators. Paddon said that it was a harder race than on the Wanganui. Hadfield was at a disadvantage by the rough water but he rowed a game race. Hadfield admitted that Paddon was ■the better man. By bad luck he got into rough water. If asked to practise on it he would havo refused.

The published reports vary greatl.v regarding the lonvt.hs of Paddon’s win, ranging from six to twoh-e lengths. Major Goodsell tN.S.W.) defeated treh’o Rharno (Wanganui) by half a length for £lOO aside. The pair kept together for the greater part of the iournev. A quarter of a mile from the fiirsh Good-" 1 ! Iv>d a length to spare, but the New Zealander, in n fine spu'-t. gradually reduced the margin by half.