SCULLING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 678, 1 December 1909, Page 9

SCULLING.

THE MANAWATU HANDICAP

SOMETHING ABOUT .THE COMPETITORS. jThe Manawatu Scuiling' Handicnp, to take plnco to-morrow and on, Friday at JtWton, deserves; (says "Nautilus" in tho "Ref^?.-)::";■» a success, and thero'is every indication that it will bo one. The idea of tho handicap started with Mr. S. Messena, of loxtoiv-who first thought of a match'between Goo. Whelch (N.Z.) and Geo. Day" (N.S.W.), but subsemicntly decided upon a handicap race. ,Mr._ Messena and an iuUuontial committeo; with Mr. .W. .Bopk.as lion, secr<!tary/ have done tho .thing well, for the;prize-money is on a very liberal, scale, and practically all tho expenses ,'for t-oard, etc.), of tho ficullcvs are being paid when they, are in I'ostoii, .whilst (by arrajigoment with . the Wangunui committee) all thoso New. South Wales '-scullers invited to Wniigamu and ;who'havo entered at Foiton are,getting free traLsportation for selves 'and boats. . 1-urthermore, Mr.. Bill Beach's services have,been, specially secured.to urapiro the handicap. It Iβ apity that Dick Arnst's entry for.loxtpn was forwarded a few .day'ti too lato for acceptance, but, anywny, the Dominion will have-two ;strong representatives in -Win. Webb, of Wanganni, and Geo. Wheicli,- of Akaroa. Ex-world s, champion Webb has been preparing for this handicap for some time past, but he has not been 'able to do 'sis much work in tho boat as usual .owing to tho demands, on' his timo in the boat-building connection, for be it known Webb isi and has been for some little time past, turningout racing boats—he himself noW'.usss ,one of his- own creation.' Geo. .Whelch it was who. inspected tho course to bo rowed.over next.week, at the Tequest of Mr. Mes3ena, aiid pronounced it as "ono; of the best.'. In the circumstances I. should say that there should be n> orib moro certain.'to start than tho champion of' Now Zealand. :.". ■ ■: Of the' other. Dominion entrants the Green brothers are N.S.W. born, in fact they'are liko our own Bob Green, descendants of that famous yetoran Dick Green. The. others aro mostly amateurs. For examplo, Frank Ryan, of Cufyerden,; has cbmpi-ted about 13 .times, mostly in double scull "events, as an amateur; To Rowiti, ef: Takapu'nh, has. never competed in.. a single scnll race, but .has won in/doubles, arid also;_in ; pairs at amateur, regattas in.Auckland province. ;-A: ; S. competed onco onlv (on the Clarence _River) somo 17; years ago; Thos. Lawson, of Nelson, has occasionally, rowed in doublo&cullsand fours withhis club, but has never competed in a eingle scnlling, event; W. T;iOgilvie, of: Greymoutn, has-done some rowing with his cllib, and; has won several small sculling events of local importance only; 'whilst' 1 , . L. Green has.only jOne. race to' his credit, and ho iyos then; unplaced.. Thus the chances of the, New Zealand contingent.;are not, at this distance, -,xo6 easy to , sum- up, lmt' those of Webb and Whelch/appeal to inorniost.: Both fit and-well, I fancy Webb can just about concede sis seconds toWhelch; . '.'■'-"■• ■, f :.■'-''

..Turning to the N;S.W.,:entrants, the.handicaps and matches (between Thorqughgood and Mitchell)-up., north-delayed, the deparravo ;o£ somo of our. representatives rather too: much. Tho' trio to sail by the: Manuka (Syd, Kemp, P. 5... Hagnev, and Bob' Green} : are considered to , hainei gobd:chauces'of. winning.: Hagney- is pretty confident himself^whilst.l- have heard followers ;■;."' of ■ the ' /.' 6pprt'. \ and ; , good judges:;Say■;■."Kemp, will win," and' others equally ,os :-n-011-itt-form€d 'say "Green .'.will win.". ■ Of,'.the. trio' to go by the. Ulimaroa (Larsen, Felton, and. Ellis),'perhaps the'Broadwater; ebuller .';nas :tho' largest .numberoorf r admirers."; Larsen is 'a -.licll Kttup, compactly built, young fellow, and a; gritty sculler.: Felton reminds one as .to_ build of. Jirii. Stanbury at tho 'same age—ho is : cortaiiily a Soulier of . great: possibilities, although at' present/lacking in experience. ' Ellis, who is the.only sculler of the party ; to. cross'the Taiman- at; his owi expense, belicYDs.ho. ; has'a;Tery fair chance, and T;should .certainly'like , to ece his. pluckV're.warded;:by.a share of.the spoil. -Ho 19 under lOst.. inw/jight, but. he has roircd 'some :fair races with;good starts.: Jack Mitchell is leaving j for Fostpn via Auckland .this riiorningi necompauied by .his "trainer; -N.'.A; Ziefsch. 'It is a pity Ziotsoh : delayed hisientry ■ so'- lata■ that it qould netbe' acceptedi fpr.hoi.is a fair scnller, and is'iri form just now. it will' bo touch and go:.for Mitchell as to "whether'he can'-, get .hie ■ boat to. Fox toil in time.'' If. tho Victoria'arrives to, time Mitchell-.can'catch Sunday,'night's mail, train' :f rom Auckland; to-, Wcllirigton,:.cbangihs. .at Palmorston North.iqr.Foxton, and. ho will have sonic, three clays'- to spare .before "the .race It will, "however;, bo a , , much in orb expensive train trip than tho ..one. from,.WoJ-. lington. j I don't :<iuiio see howho'is.to. get his boat, through, unless :the'.railSvay.authorities ban■ be.persuaded, to"lash it.on the top of a carriage. ..Probably, if. -..this'- cannot "be-.- done, Mitchell .will decidoto'sendhis bpai.ns oppor-. . tunity,'presents .itself, .to. Wangahui,. via .hunga and New Plymouth, arid chance securing α-boat tit. Foxtbn., Wβ Syill' all wait for, neije about; that racing iKoat—-and the good sportsmen ■of Now.Zealand Vill,; probably, devise,: some ..means to overcome tho difliculty. ' ; A nyway, bbi,OTe:.b.e 'sailed, 1 Larsen told me that ho, lVoilld not. seo Mitchpll.-.stuck up if he ■ could help it. fqr,:ifnot drawn in the same: heat,/he Would ■Jend: the. .Clarenbe : Rivcr sculler his own' boat— a';good: offer froni- a gqod.'sports'nian. :To sum. lip, 'I- .like- the-: phances' ,of Syd.'Kemp,: Bob Green, and E. Larsen test of the N.S.W.lot engaged. -:.'.:; • '.'•,:- '■ :■,.,:■ "■■ -'Ov;.- :■.;-.■■:: It/will: thus bo : seen -I; havo reduced the :seleotioh to Webb and-Wllelch (New Zealand), nh'd.'Bob .Green, Syd.-Kemp, arid"E, 'Larson (N.S.WO.'arid to narrow it:down', stillI -will .stand : or fallrby '" Bob .Green, vor Syd. 'Kemp /-and mind," on some of his- trials-before h6.rq\w<l' Arhst .last .June,: Billy .'Webb should be terribly hard to beat.-.-. V-■"■:'"■.■;■,-....■,-■• \