ARNST EASILY DEFEATS WHELCH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 783, 5 April 1910, Page 6

ARNST EASILY DEFEATS WHELCH.

A "JSBBIE" Off THE WATER,.

CHALLENGER'S SHORT STROKES NOT SUITED.

CHAMPION'S FUTURE INTENTIONS.

(By TeleEraph.-Presa Association.) Akaroa, April i. The spoiling race for .the championship of the world between E. Arnst, the present holder, and George "Whelch, 'of Akaroa, challenger, postponed from Saturday afternoon last, took place in the Akaroa Harbour this afternoon, and resulted in an easy win for Arnst by several lengths. The day opened fine and calm, but a slight northerly came np during the morning, which ruffled up tho surface of tho water, and caused some uneasiness lest the event should have to be postponed again on account of rough water. Fortunately, however, it did not increase, and the sea at the time. the race started, although not smooth, was not rough.

traversed Arnst was ahead, rowing a swiußing stroke of 28 to the' minute, which ho subsequently reduced to as low as 22. From the time Arnst got ahead he had the race in hand, and the event may be said to have been settled after that first distance was traversed. Passing tho Maori Kaik Arnst was rowing from 2S to 2G.. He had established a good lead, and at the mile and a half distance he was several lengths ahead. AVhelch was rowing a short, quick stroke, but the jobble gave him a lot of trouble, and he seemed able to make no good effort all. He was rowing 28 to the minute past the Kaik, but Arnst's long ■ powerful swings kept him easily in the lead. Approaching. Green Point (two miles) Arnst slowed down, but on encountering the tide rip in that locality he put in some good strokes again until he was in slack water.

The Competitors' Form. ' Both men had put in some hard training in preparation for the race. Arnst arrived here about nine weeks ago, and has been training assiduously ever since. Whelch also underwent a severe course of training,'and both men went to tho starting point in good -. condition., Tho delay of Saturday was a good , 'thing in a way, for it enabled Arnst to shake oS a recent indisposition, which had been causing him some trouble earlier in the weok. ..-..'..

Arnst Takes a Detour. Whelch, on approaching .tho Beef (oil : Green Point) increased Ms strokes .to 30, and shaped a straight course over tho Reef to the finishing line. Arnst, on the other hand, made a somewhat big detour to escape the rocks off the point, and slackened down considerably,. so much so. that many were unde,r the impression that lie was done. From Green, Point, to the finish he slowed down to as muck as 22, which enabled Whelch to creep \up, but Ai'list had plenty in reserve, for he had no difficulty in maintaining his lead to tho finish.

Whelch, on the other hand, had trained himself to be in form on Saturday, and two days' delay seemed to make a difference to him. In the race this afternoon ho did not seem to be able to get going properly, and although he covered the distance with plenty of energy still left, yet he never had a chance against Arnst after the first quarter of a mile, and it does not seem at all likely that Whelch, even in the best trim and on the smoothest water, could ever 'heat tho present champion.

During the last mile Wlielch rowed very pluckily, and put in several good spurts which. showed he had plenty, of energy, left. Tho best ho could do, however, was less than what Arnst could do, and there is no doubt the better man

Ten Lengths Lead at One Stage,

There was a nasty jobble on tho water which quite upset Whelch, but Arnst made very good work of it, and was never J pushed. At one stage'of ■ the race he outdistanced his opponent by quite ten ■lengths, but afterwards he took things easily,- and Whelch, by hard and sustained work, reduced the gap to three or four lengths, but Arnst easily maintained his lead, and won by about that distance; He .kept up a fine swinging stroke when he settled down after the first quarter of a mile, whereas Whelch, being the lighter man, had to row faster and.less accurately. . . •>, . The attendance of. spectators was not very large, but there was a good crowd notwithstanding, excursion steamers, coaches, and motor-cars bringing a fair number of visitors from Christchurch and various settlements on the' Peninsula

Rowed in Two Breezes.

.The race was fined to start at 3 p.m. , and at. about 2.30 p.m. tho official boat Kelvin, with Arnst and A. E. Craddock, the umpire, on board, left Akaroa for tie scene of the start at Porter's Point some , three miles and a quarter down tho Harbour. It was blowing a light northerly in the upper part of the harbour, where the race,was to finish, but approaching the starting point a southerly jtas encountered, the result being thai the race was rowed .in two different breezes. There was a decided jobble of a nasty nature, which - caused ' some trouble, but the umpire and the competitors agreed that the water was quite smooth enough for the race, and the two men were soon afloat. Arnst's boat was taken down by the Kelvin, Whelch taking his.skiff down in'his own'boat. The men .were ready to start shortly after 3 o'clock, and the umpire tossed for position. Whelch took the call, and bid heads. 'The toss went'against him, and Arnst selected the inner position near the northern, side of. the harbour, which it is cojisidercd would mean au advantage of about a length in the race. As events turned out it was quite immaterial which position Arnst took, , and as a matter of fact he did tho last section of . the race,- from the Beef (tw.o miles), to the finishing point a long wav to the outside of Whelch.

Trouble at the Start. The start was somewhat protracted, and for .a,time it seemed as if the umpire would have to start the men himself if they failed during the time fixed to start by mutual consent. Arnst was obviously ill at ease, and he made one or two false starts which Whelch did not respond, to. Several times they had to be called back by the umpire to the starting point, having worked their way some distance down the harbour. Whelch then got away, but that also proved a false start. Both men seemed to bo manoeuvring to get every advantage riclit at the beginning of the'race; Pinally their blades caught the water simultaneously, and. shortly after 3.15 p.m. the great race commenced. Whelch's Short-Lived Initial Spurt. Whelch started off at a. Croat rate, about 42 to the minute, 'and he actually headed Arnst, who responded with 32. The spurt, however, did not last long and after a iju&rter of a, mile had bees

won. No official time . was taken, but according to a reliable time-keeper tbo distance was covered in 21niin. 50 3-ssec. Tbis was by no means fast time, but the competitors had to contend with a jonblo, a strong ebb tide, and a head wind for part of the way.'

The "Good Big Man" Once More. Arnst's weight and strength . enabled him to overcome with greater caso tbo peculiar difficulties encountered, and tho result of the race was only another demonstration of the fact that in sculling a good big man must beat a good litHo .man every time. Interviewed at tbo conclusion of tho race, Mr. A. E. Craddock, the umpire, said there was nothing in the raco iron) start to finish. Arnst drew in shortly, after the start, and won as ho likcti. His stylo seejned to.bo evor so much nioro suitable for work than that of Wholch, whose strokes were too short Tho water was a little jobbly, but was very fair for rowing. Champion Interviewed. Dick Arnst, tho winnor, was being rubbed down by bis brother Jack when ho was seen by tho writer. "It svas a hard race to row/' he said, ''and tho water was not at all good. I rowed vory bard to get ionnd the last corner, ami had to put in all I know. Gcorgo Whelch came up at tho finish, and I had to row right up to the line, as I did not iraut him •to get any closer. Whelch went pretty fast off tbo mark, and for a time left me, but I caught up again. George Whelqli put up 11 really good race, but he had bad luck with tho state of the water.

,r Wo made a very good start, and our blades struck tho water pretty well together. I got a hit anxious at the start on account of the water, hut soon settled down." Arnst added that he was delighted with the excellence of the Norton sculls he had used during the race, and expressed his thanks to Akaroa people for the kindness and hospitality extended to him while he was in the town..

Future Plans—The Zambesi Race. The champion said he would be leaving for Australia on Thursday to compete in a handicap event on tho Parramatta River,- and from Australia would go direct to South Africa to prepare for the coming contest with Barry on tho Zambesi. He would have to be "in South Africa for at least ten weeks before the raco in order to become acclimatised, but ho did not think the climate would trouble him at all. The race with Barry, which takes place on August 18, is for a purse of 1000 sovs., put up by South African sportsmen, ,£750 for the winner and .£250 for the loser, Arnst receiving .£3OO for expenses. If Arnst wins or loses on that occasion, Barry has announced he will give him another race on the Thames. Loser's Impression: Could not "Get Going." George Whelch, the defeated challenger, was also interviewed. He said ho could not get going at all, and did not feel at all tired at the finish. The jobble tossed him about considerably, , ' and he could not get going. He had a disappointed feeling. He had not extended himself, but he did not want or. wish to say that Dick Arnst was not the better man. It was hard for anyone to say what Arnst really could do. Even supposing thore had been another mile to go, Arnst- might still have won by threo lengths.

I was just going properly when 'I got into better water near the finish," continued Wholch, "and I could have kept on for another mile or so without becoming fired. During the earlier part' of the race I eometimes got in a dozen' or twenty good strokes, and then the: jobblo would affect me. Quite a big wave camo along, and- I was getting water.all over my.back. No Knowing' What Arnst Can Do. . "I. reckon Dick is a better man and wo don't know what he can do. . I had a chance, fai try him and was very.glad to get it. The tide was against , us and the water was very slow, also the time, for I have frequently covered the courseeasily in'2oJ-min." Whelch added that he had no sculling plans for the future and would take a rest for a time.