WANGANUI SCULLING HANDICAP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1036, 13 January 1910, Page 13

WANGANUI SCULLING HANDICAP.

ARNST WINS FINAL. With Dick Arnst (scratch), W. Webb (3secs.), and F- S. Hagney (10’s'ec.) left Tn the final' of the Wanganui Sculling Handicap, Saturday’s

race gave promise of being a highly interesting one, and three river steamers left town crowded with spectators, large numbers availed themselves of motor launches, while several hundreds lined the river banks at the finishing line. Arnst’s chances found most favour with backers, although Webb’s supporters clung to the hope that the ex-champion might*; strike his best form. The Australian, Hagney,’ who had won his heat in good style, had also to be reckoned with, so that a great race was expected. The race was rowed over a two-mile course, and Hagney, leaving the mark 7sec. before Webb, set out at a pace which plainly showed he was determined to give the back-markers, a warm contract, and he was six; lengths to the good when Webb started,- the ex-champion having 1% lengths’ advantage of Arnst. Webb started off at 32 strokes to the minute, and rowed in an impressive manner over the first ha'f-mile, while Arnst kept going at 30 strokes, skimming through the water at a great rate. Hagney was also getting along in brilliant fashion, and had a lead of five lengths at the end of the first half-mile, there being little change in positions at this stage of the journey. Passing the tnree-quar-ter-mile post Webb had reduced his stroke to 27 per minute, while Arnst contented himself with 26 and later 25, (but his powerful strokes began to improve his position. At the mile post Hagney was only three lengths in the lead, while Arnst had lessened the gap between his boat and that of the ex-champion. The time occupied in covering the mile was 6min. B^sec.

During the next quarter-mile Webb made a determined effort, and, spurting away from Arnst, came within a canvas length of Hagney, but this burst of speed exhausted the ex-eham-pion s energy, for he was obliged to rest on his sculls for a few seconds, losing three or four strokes before resuming the race. Arnst had passed him during this stoppage, and though Webb continued to row on in the wake of his opponents, it was apparent that he was done up. Arnst overtook Hagney at the mile and a-half, but the Australian stuck gamely to his task over the last half-mile and kept the world’s champion extended. Arnst crossed the finishing line a little over two lengths ahead of Hagney, while Webb was fifteen lengths away last. Arnst’s time for the two-mile journey was 13 minutes 33 seconds. FIRST-CLASS HANDICAP; first prize, £100; second, £5O; third, £25. Two milesR. Arnst, scratch 1 F. S. Hagney, lOsec ; 2 W. Webb, 3sec. 3 A Farewell Handicap for a first prize of £l2, second of d&8, and third of £5 was also held during the afternoon,; being open to competitors not engaged in the final of the big TacieJ Seven competitors started, and the result was as ■ follows :—Kemp, ‘ ssec., 1; Dick Green, Bsec., 2; Larsen, 9sec., 3.

At a meeting of the Wellington Swimming Centre on Monday evening indignation was expressed at the council merely “receiving” a letter of protest from the Wellington centre with regard to the allocation of the New Zealand championship meeting. It was resolved that in terms of the resolution forwarded to the council, the centre had no intention of nominating any representatives to compete at the championship meeting at Auckland next month.

A meeting of the committee of the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta was held in the Palmerston Buildings, Captain H. Parker (chairman) presiding. A letter was read stating that H.M.S. CliaU'enger would 1 b’e in Auckland on Anniversary Day. It was decided to write to the officers of H.M.S. Challenger asking that the ship’s band be permitted to play on. the flagship on the day of the regatta. A notice of motion was tabled in regard to classes 6,8, 10, and 13, which refer to 24ft, 22ft and 20ft mullet-boat classes, “That the resolution that they be unrestricted be recinded and that the classes be sailed under restricted (Ponsonfoy) rules. The chairman reported that all beats had been arranged, and that the collectors would commence canvassing for donations to the regatta at' once.