ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 781, 2 April 1910, Page 8

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

SCULLING CONTEST. •; FOR" WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP.' W.HELCH MEETS -ARNST TO-DAY. j ;; .';: ■';)'BOTH MEN;HOPEFUL!:■ ■ \'... \ ;. : . i '(By ..Teleßraph.-riress.iAssoclatlon.)". . -■' .-/•.>■/!; Akaroa, 'April 1. The", race" between :R." .'Arnst," of Tai fapu, and ■ Georgo. : E.'';Wheiclii of Akaroa, for £300 aside and the sculling championship of-the world will.be rowed : on..Akaroa harbour at 2. o'clock tomorrow-, afternoon. The course./.stated: in ithe'articlesl -is, from Porter's Point oti' the:Akaroa:side-,of -the- harbour to tlio' Green Point reef, and, thence-.to, a line between, tho,judge's boat and Daly's ~Wharf. ■ -There: is .an 'obtuse angle, ai .Green :Point,;;where the inside is' marked by, a ■ stake on the reef and the outaide by; a' buoy. The man who has irir side .running may have an. advantage .oi, perhaps: half-a length at this corner, but'the outside: man would have to be rowing. to make it .more. •', The course is to be more than 3J miles ,and -less';.thau'. 3i.;miles.;.': Two' other have been flagged, and ;Whelch has'given Arnst. the right to name' one .'of.-.'thenp.oii the morning of the race but it/is improbable.that any departure .will" be made; from the; original agree--nient; j-.-A-. westerly, wind.; would raise ; a jobble on the Akaroa, side,, ■ and with a southerly, the competitors, "might: have to'lopk for'ai'sraooth coui-se.on the Wai-'nui;~or,-.up.:t.he.J;h.arDour...towards. Du : vauchelle'sJ; The, ■agreeinent; stipulates that"the race'must.be rowed'in smooth water;-';aaid : the' decision on - the; : point" .wiii-.rest with the referee. .:.-';■" ;.■■. ,- A'RNST BEEN'"ONWELL-LATELY., ■The-weather to-day has been.beautifully:,, fine,; aud" although; a southerly breeze .'tame this .afternoon' the prolepeots'-; -for' "tq-mprrow; .aro',-;«xcellenfc-Both'-men, of course'i'took,the; day:off-iWhelch-'going' for a ; ;quiet stroll in the morning,'whilst: Anist-: rested.'..'.■■' Tho; challenger says that he has never been ■ better"in:his-life,,and:he certainly looks •we 11,.. The ■ champion's appearance is ecircely'so ; satisfactory.". .He had . a sick''turn on ..Tuesday .after , -working, and took a rest on Wednesdayj with'thc result that he 'was ; t-o.all..''appearaiicps fit/on Thursday, but he.has been'."in the 'collar""."virtually■ ever since; ■ ~.He started' 'training- ior- the'. Wanganiii atidhe'may l be a : little stale. : flis Vexpeniehce;;'. of TTiiesday":suggests Bojnething' of the "kind: .If -that is the case,.he was unwse-to put.ia-two.;soli; rows :'Whelch had a turn, over the'cqu'rse"yesterday morning;.but left 1 Hhff' boat 'alone'-in; the aftefnobn , .' Judgirig'-'f rpin' :th'eir;' re'eent ■' .work/ , , the challenger.will':have_Vto.row'a couple of strokes "or; more,- quicker, ttan- Arnst- to : : ; keep; :with'' jth.e /'.-.chainpioni "■■ His ;;'boatruns. on : .Ti'eil, but his'catch seems to.be a'.trifie -late'. .'■.'Arrist''has a "faulty right hand,-fwhich 'has-been- emphasised since" hej .took: to: rowing:'in Felten's boat, wh'ich "is'-rjgged; rather high. Still_ he gets such : a powerful drive, that minor faults-^of. , ,style lose.;:their ;importance. -Akaroa opinion, .of.coursei.-is that the; challenger,y]ight as,he is, will keep the chappion busy/all the wayi and a: great race.'is'"anticipaied; It,has to' be kept in-jmind .that Whelch,-js^Wfar better oarsman than when'-'ho beat !Fogwell a .year -ago,:. and ..that; Arnst'. tioiiably below the top of liisiormT T>'' little, town .is very.!full of visitors all readyi) and the main;excursions do ( 110; come until';to-niorrow morning. ~--:.

,■■; (By.'.TeleErapn.—Special .Correspondent.) '•■ >-V,l v^;,' / ~ Christphuroh,. April.il. ;■ Ifywind and: weather,: a nd.water mit/.. :■ the ' race, between ' Arnst >and Whelch will be rowed in.Akaroa Harbour, on, Saturday, afternoon.. The "challenge" (it: will,be remembered) • was issued-as-.lpngr.agq as N oTCm be r last. The laws governing a .world's championshipcontest .provide that; the stake shall be not: less ..than'.£soo a; side' 1 in-an : international-, but.wherel.' tho '_ two contestants 'are.f romVthe : same 'country the stakes may.'be'not less.than £200 a side..'.-.Whelch challenged for;.£2oo. a. Bide, but.-'Arnst-'espostuiated -that : if. 'the race wa'sVto be rowed -bn ■ Akaroa; Harbour,-as' Whelch'"and .his-friends desired; each' side should-put up £300. v."There is,"vsays ; .corfe--spph'denf: of '.the ..(.'limes," . .'/another condition'implied rather.thanexpressed .duo to Arnst's. concession'■ in- going to Akarqa'to race. Whelch'.h.as given him the right to.name'the course." ■

,- : There" are three possible courses.' One is !frbm .about, two - miles beyond' the buoy off Green.Point Reef up the harbqur to.that buoy, and then in a ■straight line ,'from.-L tho buoy' to Daly's Wharf..; There-is.a slight bend at tho buoy,.giving,the 'inside'tposition an advantage of almost h'alf a length. Tho other.courses in' contemplation are on the.other side of the harbour from tho town—one. under the .shlter '. of Wai--nui,- and the . other . finishing ' alongside Oiiawe Peninsula. The course chosen", will depend'oh tho .weather conditions. Whelch knows the harbour so .well, and is-.!so .expert a' waterman, ■ -that one course-will .suit him as : well as another, and he';will, be anxious to row if the boats >caii-'float.: -The agreement pro'vides,,however, that the race must be rowed in smooth water. Tho race is timed to. start-"at- twoo'clock, but the referee may .postpone it until a later hour if;tho.water is rough. If the Porter's. Point course is chosen there will :be a.niile.and a quarter'of smooth water, to! finish .'/oVer,; whatever'niay .be tbe conditions;.elsewhere. This .course is l about three and miles. Whelch; will row.in a boat- specially, built for him by George: Towns—a beautiful craft, weighing just. 231b. Arnst is' using the boat.Jb'elMn: lowed in on the Manawatii River—another Towns : boat, weighing 281b. Mr.. A. E! Crad- ■ do^k ;: ;wfll be the. .referee, .and... Mr. George Checkley the judge.-.'■.• -. . . -.• PROSPECTS OF THE CONTESTANTS. -.The :sjtar.t will, be' by mutual consent,' but, of: course, there is a provision that if the 'men. do .not get away fairly promptly the referee may send them on their journey him self. Neither tho champion nor tho challenger was on the water yesterday. For. one thing the . weather conditions; were' unpleasant, 'a cold, south-easter.bringing up occasional showers. Then' both: wanted to put in i -day.at tho I, ',boats, "■ which needed polishing/. "Whelch'• looked ' well, and eaid : that ho had'never been in better condition.;_ Ho gave his weight as 9st. 12}1b., : Tfhich ia a'pouhfl or so heavier than'when he rowed Fogwell. There is not the 'slightest'doubt that ho is a greatly improved oarsman. He takes a slower- stroke.than at the beginning of the- , season;, and gets more out'of it. His friends-expectito see him put up a great fight,>and the pace-wilHiave-to be very'solid..to : crack him .up before the distance is covered. - Arnst pul'ed quietly down; tho harbotir with .Felton, his -pace-maker.. Nothing '■ sensational was attempted in- the way of. work, but Arnst'came.past the shed a couple of Vlengths ahead of • Felton, who had .-been of.".'little"-assistance to him over .the last mile. Harry Floyd, who was standing by, declared that the champion was not. rowing as well as when he beat ;.Webb'tho first time, , but Arnst was.

getting great paco out of his boat, con-, sidoring, that he was rowing no .more than twenty-three to twenty-four to the minute.- J. Arnst, who. trains -his brother, Imd an anxious, day yesterday, because the champion had been sick on Tuesday night, and was, ,as he put'it, "not too lit" yesterday, .but this morning Dick i was evidently well enough; indeed,' all the better for the spell/ Mr. Spencer Gollan will be over to see the race. Hβ has in his nocket,- it is said, a provisional invitation to Wkelchto meet. Barry on tho Zambesi'. if : hojbeats Arnst. Whelch's: friends .say. that;they, will not go to South Africa jiist yet;-.whether he beats Arnst or not. This\ afternoon. Arnst rowed. down' to the Kaik ; with Felton, indulging in some sprinting. On tho way he turned tuid'-' put in a fast quarter. Then lie picked up his pacemaker, and the pair, came back, at a solid pace. The" champion looked to bo going •■ •. leisurely, V but/.his long, powerful stroke was pushing the. boat through .the water .at a great speed. He was very well ■ after-v his : work. After seeing the : men .at"work, it .js_ easy- to understand' 1 why.'::'Akaroa ' iif general' ■-.is. _;SO".. hopeful Whelch's chances. ■ . ''.■■■. ■.'

THE PARAMATTA -. HANDICAP. ; A oable fcs been -received from Arnst, champion of.the world, approving, of tho preliminary arrangements and expressing his ..intention of definitely competing in the Paramatta River handicap.- 'He.is to arrive.at Sydney; on April 12. Thenj besides Harry' Pearce- (champion, of Australia) there are 'twenty-five 'scullers'in and-around Sydney who would give a good account of themselves in the best «■.company, ■to say nothing of the big contingent of northern'•'river; ..sciilkrs..'.who: ; ; would, be anxious to-.compete (says-:the Sydney "Telegraph"). ■'", It. ■is ''expected that over-'thirty entries ■ will 60 received, a-nd from these the material for'the' making of a now champion may be secured. Over '£100 in " prize-money : is being offered the scullers of New South Wales for. a.big handicap on the championship '. course at the end of this month. Half a dozen Sydney gentlemen , have taken .the matter up, and after-, some. . consideration have submitted ■ appended conditions to nearly' sixty scullers in the State , . There are to' bo three heats on Saturday, April. 30-aji"d:thefinal on Saturday, May 7.. So far the prizes for the final aro to be-'£70,.£20, and"jfilO, whilst"£2 and £1. will.bo;given the placed men in. tho ;heats ; but all- these prizes may be.substantially ;increased.• 'The entrance fee is v£2 per man (no acceptance), and the; course will be two .to ■ two and a half miles. First three men in each heat are to start in the final. . .'.'■.'■ ■ ■ v ..- ■ , ■ 1 . \ " BARRY'S EXPENSES.' . :. ' (By Telceraiili—Press Association.) ' ;>' ,' London, March 31. Subscriptions to. the expenses fund of Barry/ the English sculling cham-| pion,. who is to ; row R. Arnst-on ijHe. Zambesi for the world's championship, amount to £788.-..., ■ .-■•■■ ■ ; Mr. : Guy. Nickalls estimates tUet'-Kbe, total sum. required will h&..&HOQ. 'A': special endeavour-is being made to raise the "baianoe.-- , •; ■ •' '■.-,

v CRICKET.,'- - u -.,; y/r ■J'-. "DOJiINION." ■.-. A, .match will : take place this afternoon, at 2.15 at Newtown Park between teams representing tho : Good. Tensplars arid The DoinsioK. The elevens will be as under:- 1 - . ' ', ■• s ~: Good-Templars will bo selected from:. Wright &)', Cresswell, Blenkinsop,. Gray,, Patterson, Greig, Dooley, Pooley, .MJKenziei. Lambert, .Shields,; .Baten-;burg;-Brown, and Dryderir'. ■. 1 ;-.-"' J .- : Domnion; team: . Earle, ,':Blantori, Spenco,-.;Hall, Mackay, ,Atkini;.Beasley, ; Morgan,. Kinnear, Gilmour,. Maysmoro. Emergencies: Pilkington, - Galvin, Fran-cis,-Dunkley. ■,;■.. •' .'"■.'■..•■•'.;:,!f::' , ■•.'■•'. ■ \\ : .:': /-'FOOTBALL. ;/ :: -'. ;: \^,-. : TO PREVENT ROUGH PLAY. ;:.; . (By. Teleßraph—Prcss ;■ Association.) ■ ' ".': ~;; -• l Wangariul, April 1. ~ The annual' meeting of tlie Wanganui Rugby Union was held ten-night, arid the following officers elected: —Patron, Revv J. L.. Dove; : president) G. Spriggens ; .vice : presidei;ts, Dr: Wall, Messrs. .G. ; Simpson and L.' .Bassett; secretary, Mr; r: R. Dunkley; •treasufer'i.'.'Miv'L.. Craig; >■■- vice-president , ' New Zealand Rugby. Union,,:Mr.' : .G.' The following motionj. with; a view to preventing rough' play,-: was : carried, after discussion: "For each player warned by a referee and reported to the Management Committee', in a cup contest offe' point shall, be,deducted from the cup contest '.points of the team playing the :Q& ending member, arid for each player'ordered off the. field by , the' referee two, points shall be. deducted likewise ; two points deduction to be. the full penalty for any one player in -the same match." ...-'. '.• - ■ ■■' ■ ' '• ■ ' '

KEEPING-THE''-"'AMATEUR GAME '..;:■:■.;■- ;vr:.vPURE:;-.-'.;".:'.'.•■ ...; (By Teießiash.—Special Correspondent.). . ■'■[''■:''; ■■•'■- ; Christchurch, April : . 1. !■'" The •'encroachmentv<of -the .Northern •Union game:into,the domain of amateur Rugby was referred to last evening (says the Christchurch. "Star")-by the president of the -Rugby..Union, When speaking'.- of. -the decision of Now .'-Zealand to send a team to'-Aiiistf alia,-tils year-out of.turn. , .He-.said., that the Northern Union'game, nlthouglr not. worthy of much'notice in New ■ Zealand, was 'becoming very strong on tho. other side. If :Now Zealand wished to help Australia to keep. the , , amateur game pure, it would be easiest by sending a team over this season to counteract the effect that might be produced by tho Northern Union team in. Australia.

SOUTHERN FOOTBALL CLUB. The following teams will represent this club, against the.Hutt Valley Football Club at Lower Hutt to-day:—J. P. Harris, Gosling, J. Burns; J. Flanagan, H., Kelly, B. Gallagher,. Flemmingham, M.-Guthrie, E. Houlihan, J.Luudon, J. Campbell, P. Sealey, C. M'Guiro, and (i. Johnson. B: M'Cauley, Harburtou, T. . Carroll, 'R. Hastings, T. Taylor, Norris, J. Johnson,' T. Davis, J. Duggan, D. Campbell, Duncan, H, J. Hamilton; J. Kavanagh, J. W. Duncan, and'R. M'Cleay. The': St. John's Association Football Club hold-' a practice oiiSeatoun Park this -afternoon. BOWLS. •" PETONE CLUB. • Tlie: following will represent Petpno in tlie final round for the president's cup against Hutt Club at Petone. this afternoon:—Cowio, Fowler, Noy, and Dr. Ross (s.); Findlay, Carter, Mclhuish, and Wylie (s.); Jones, Walton,' T. M'Arthur, and Southgate (s.). At a friendly match on- the Hutt green, tho following will play for- Petone:—Gray, R«nnie, T. .M'Arthur, andMarsden (s.); Firth; Lowin, Renai, and Gilmour .(5.).; Smith, Bull, Castle, and Henry (s.).' ■■'■'■ ; : .There .will be a meeting of tlie Northern Bowling Association at the Wellington Club's pavilion in Friday evening next, tho business being the appointment of a vice-president and secretary (vice Mr. J. H. Montiplay, resigned). .• ■ .

LAWN TENNIS. LADIES' DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP. WON BY MISSES NUNNELEY AND WILLIAMS. Tho final contest for tlio _ ladies doubles (provincial) championship, postponed from Thursday owing to tho rain, was played on the 'i'horndon courts yesterday afternoon. The contestants were: 'Misses Nunneley and Williams, and Mrs. Holmes : and Miss Batham. 'I'Jie game was short and sharp, and resulted in an; easy victory for Misses Nunneley and Williams, 6—o, 6—l. Both the winning ladies were m excellent form, and simply won .as they liked. PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. The last act of tho Easter tournament of the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association was played yesterday., The ladies' doubles (senior),, which had been commenced last Monday, and abandoned on account of the lateness of the hour, was replayed from the beginning. Miss Nunneley and Miss William's' defeated Mrs. Holmes and Miss Batham, the soores being; 6—o, &—l. The figures were rather a surprise, as each side had won a set (6—4, 6 —4) when play was abandoned ■on Thursday afternoon. Mrs. Holmes and Miss Batham were not in such good form yesterday, while Miss Williams played much better than on the previous occasion; and Miss Nunneley displayed her , well-known mastery of the game. HOCKEY. As the -Karon ground will not bo available to-day, the Karori Hockey Club will conduct its practice games at Day's Bay. SWIMMING. The Thorndon Club decided a 50yds. consolation race at the Thorndon Baths last evening. The results were:—First heat :' E. Aicken (7sec.), 1; C.. Sheehy (65e6.), 2," H. Adams' (Bsec.), 3. Also started: S. Henry (956 c.), and F. Evans (7sec.)'; time, 38sec. Second heat: J. Stratford (3sec.), 1.; R. Nelson (scr.),2; J. Wareham (4sec.), 3. Also started: T.;H. M'Lean (3sec.), and V. L. Allen (4sec.); time, 32sec. Final: Nelso,u 1; Stratford, 2: Won By a touch._ Time, 31sec. Owing to darkness setting ill, tho handicap teams' race was postponed Until Monday evening. _ • , At a -committee .meeting held , last evening, the club announced, its intention of .winding-up the season with a social reunion and presentation-of prizes to take placo during the month. CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS.. Attractive sport should be afforded by 'the cycling,' championship sports meeting which is to. be held oil the Basin Reserve this afternoon. Among tho contestants, will! be B. Campion, 'holder of the. New Zealand one milo' champion ship; and -E. Parkes, who won ■all the cycle events at Now, Plymouth on Easter Monday. Some promising young riders, including J. Fontister (Auckland) and F. Hetherington will also compete. Running races have been.withdrawn'from the programme owing to the small entries. The Petono Brass Band will.-play during tho, afternoon. . AXEMEN'S CARNIVAL. BJr Tcleeraplj—Press Association—Copy rich:. v, .Sydney,, April 1.. At tho 'Axemen's Carnival, Miley (Victoria), from Bcratch, won the big event (the Cup. Handicap, loin...logs); in lmin. I7sec. S. Johnson (New Zealand), with five seconds: allowance, was second. On Easter Monday an axemen's carnival took :-placo- ; at Rangataua, and proved a huge success. Tho principal events were well-contested, tho results being .as followi-r-Standing Chop:. F. Briscoe, I; - P.: Hinds, 2; F. Bear, 3, i Underhand Chop :' F.' Bear, 1; L. Abel; 1 . 2; W. Mvingstonc,: 3. Single Hand Saw; D,. Johnston, 1; G. Mickheal, .2 ; S. Kennedy, 3. Double Hand Saw: Benbow Bros., 1; Gordon and mate, 2; Mickheal and mate, 3. Trophies were presented by : the local tradespeople, and Messrs.'Porham and.Larsen kindly gave their grounds <np for the occasion. Sir. W. G. Brown worked hard as secretary and handicappef. > YACHTING. EASTER CRUISE. ■ An. interesting account. has been received of tho Easter cruise of Mr. Jackson's launch Taniwah, of which the crew wero: Messrs. S. Jackson (owner) and. son, P.- Holland, R. Highett, A.' Duncan, and A/Morton. It is as follows:—', ' : .. ."We! left the Boat Harbour on Thursday night at 9 p.m;, ran to Island Bay, and' - reefed tho mainsail. ■ The wind. freshened considerably, blowing feather-white. off Tongue Point, so wo put back to Island Bay, axriving there at midnight, wet and tired. Got under way again Friday, morning at 9:45 a.m., ■and mado Tory Channel at 1.30 p.m., after a good passage across. Stopped at the wnaling station for dinner/ and arrived at Picton at 5 p.m. Left for Port Underwood Saturday, 10 a.m., and reachcd there at 3.30 p.m. It was blowing fairly stiff all along the coast. Put ' into Robin Hood Bay, and went ashore for an hour' or so. We then proceeded to, Ocean Bay, intending to spend the night there, but had to upanchor on account of a change in the wind.. We ran up to the head of tho Sound, arriving there at 11 p.m. Went ashore and made our way up to tho homestead. .' The settlers were pleased to Bee us, and entertained lis with a little_ music, etc. Left 'early Sunday morning to catch - tide at the Wairaii Bar; crossed the bar without mishap, and arrived at Blenheim between 9 and 10 a.m. We had a stroll around the town, and called on one or two friends, who were surprised to see us. Left again at 4.30, and proceeded down the river, and stopped at a house about half-way down. We went ashore and found that the 1 people wero friends of Mr. Jackson. They invited us up to the house, where we spent a most enjoyable evening. Wo left again at 10.30 for tho mouth of the river. Early on Monday morning wo were roused up,, and informed that if wo did not hurry we would miss the tide. Tho bar was crosscd safely, and after a most enjoyable trip, arrived off Wellington • Heads at 3.15 p.m., the Boat. Harbour being reached about an hour later." This afternoon tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club holds a race for a trophy presented by Messrs. Walker and Hall.