FOGWELL'S RACE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1104, 18 April 1911, Page 6

FOGWELL'S RACE.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP AT AKAROA.

WON BY TWO LENGTHS.

GEORGE WHELCH INTENDS TO RETIRE.

THE COURSE—IS IT THE BEST?

•(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Akaroa, April 17J "I'm not going to have another go. I've finished my sculling career, I am now thirty-three, and I don't seem to have the dash I used to have. I felt that in my training, and the better man won to-day. When I got on the scales before the race I went only 9st. 9JIb I am still willing to take on any other man of my weight for,any sculling championship in the world, but I don't think there is one."—VVhelch after the racc, Tho second contest for the professional sculling championship of New Zealand took place to-day on Akaroa Harbour, when W. Fogwell (Australia), the challenger, beat the holder, G. Whelch (Akaroa), by two lengths, after securing tho lead at the end of the first mile.

As the result of the race Fogwell secures the purse of- ,£2OO, besides the title. Whelch secures tho "gate," which was, however, not' very large. The course was from Porter's Point,- Onuku, to Daly's Wharf—a distance of • three and threeeighth miles. It will be remembered that, when Fogwell rowed .Whelch. for tho title at Akaroa on Easter Monday, two years ago, he was beaten-, easily, practically giving up the race half way. To-day, "however, his form whs vastly ' superior to that shown by him on the former occasion, whilst Whelch' also sculled "surprisingly well, and was going "all out" at the finish, but. Fogwell, after securing his lead, was easily ablo to hold his own, and never looked in danger of being overhauled.'

In Torrents of Rain,

After eight weeks of sunshine right up to this morning, the weather broke just before twelve, and rain, came down in torrents, making matters very uncomfortable for visitors. About 1580 excursionists came from Lyttelton by the Mararoa alone. Shortly before four o'clock the two men (with their boats) proceeded out to tho starting point by launch. A fairly stiff sou'-wester was blowing, and a drizzling rain was falling, but the water was only slightly ruffled. There was a flood tide, just 011 the turn, and everything, therefore. was favourable for the fast performances that were put up. Mr. G. Armstrong was judge, Mr. G. Checkley umpire, and .Air. E. E. Lelievro timekeeper. Just lioforo tho race Whelcli turned tho scales at 9st. Dili)., and Fogwell at list. 21b. Whelcli's boat was slightly lighter than Fogwell's, and bo tli were built by George Towns. Whelcli's boat was the same as ho had used in his raco against Arnst. A Beautiful Start. Fogwell secured the inside position, and Whelcli the outside. A beautiful start was eft'ectcd, Whelcli rowing at 32 to (ho minute, and Fogwell at 31. Whelcli appeared to be rowing tho belter at the start, and, at the end of a quarter of a mile, rowing thirty to the minute, with an easy si vie, lie, had secured a slight lead. Foguoll was then apparently labouring, and making one stroke, per minute 1C53» ■

At the half-mile Whelch had still further increased his lead, and was rowing the better of the two, while Powell was dragging n little. At the end if the first mile Whelch had nearly a length's advantage, and both men were now rowing twenty-eight to the minute. Fogwell's Boat in Front. Fogwell here drew up and away, and, improving his style, soon increased his lead to three lengths. Whelch at this stage was catching water rather sharply. Coming between Glynan's Hock to tho Tip (half-way), Fogwell had increased his lead in four lengths. His time to Glynan's Rock was omin. 13=ec. One hundred yards from the Point, Whelch began to pick up, and, going for the inside running, reduced the lead to three lengths. Whelch was now rowing thirty to the minute, and Fogwell twentvoight. Despite Whelch's heroic attempts to

catch up, Fogwell easily held him off, and a t- Green Point (just over half-way) was still three lengths to the good. To the reef buoy (more than half-wav) his time was Hmin. ITsec. At Cemetery Point Fogwell was sculling in vastly superior style to the champion,- and, passing the Akaroa boatsheds, had increased his lead to five lengths. Whelch then-livened up, and reduced the distance. Passing the .Akaroa Wharf he made a great effort, and reduced the lead lo three lengths. Both men were nowdoing twenty-eight to the minute. Whelch's Last Effort. Whelch was rowing a great stroke now, but-the effort, had come too late. A quarter of a mile from home Fogwell was

three lengths to the good, but a hundred yards from the finishing post Whelch came up with a great spurt. Fogwell, however, held him quite safe, and won easily by two. lengths. The official time reported was 20min. lsec. THE INTERVIEWS AFTERWARDS. FOGWELL'S INTENTIONS. Interviewed after the contest, Fogwell said that it had been a good hard race right through. Whelch, he said, had led him at tho quarter-mile by three-quar-ters of a length. He (Fogwell) had rowed up to his own expectations, but Whelch also had rowed a good race. The course was a very good one, but not good enough to row a championship match oil, because the weather was so uncertain. The water that day had been a wee bit choppy. Questioned as to his future intentions, Fogwell said that he had put up the stake to row the 'winner of Saturday week's contest, between Pear.ce and Kemp for tho championship of Australia. Asked as to whether he had any intention of challenging A rust for the world's championship, lie merely laughed, and said: "Not just at present, at any rate." Fogwell will remain in Akaroa till tho end of tlie week. Ho then goes to f.'hristchurch for a few days, then to r.ilinorston. North, and then back to Sydney, lie added that any challenges for the. championship would be left, to Tlis backer, Mr. Seifert. The race (if anv) would .hare to b.Q royrid in New Zealand,

but he would not row it nt Akaroa, preferring the l North Island, and probably on the ManriSvatu River.

A TALK WITH WHELCH. IS AKAROA COURSE GOOD ENOUGH r Whelch; on being • interviewed, eaid that no one had'been more surprised than himself at the result." The race hail been a tairly hard , one, and there had been no "loafin'g" attached 'to . it. The . first mile had been very solid, and he had then secured tliree-parts of a length lead on his opponent.. Looking across to Fogwell then, it had appeared to him that tlie latter had had enough of 'it. He (Whelch) had then seemed to.get "tangled up a bit." Owing to .the wash from a steamer ha could not get his stroke in, aild it had given Pogwell a chance to. recover. At that, stage lie (Fogwell) had appeared to freshen up and gain heart." "1 felt as though 1 was rowing strongly all the way," continual Wh'clch. "I was putting my strokes in pretty hard, though I wasn't rowing as we'll as I generally do. I never felt better in my life, but I had the cramp in my chest, and didn't seem to get my. breath. I'm not going to have another, go, I've finished my sculling career," he remarked in answer to a query. "I am now thirtythree, and I don't seem to have the dash I used to have. I felt that in my training, amL the better man won . to-day. When 1 got on. the scales before the race I went only 9st. !)Üb. I aril too much on the light side, and I don't think there is any other championship man sculling at my weight. I'm still willing to take on any other man of my weight for any sculling championship in the world, but I don't think there is one." Whelch considered that. Fogwell should row his riext race on Akaroa Harbour. Fogwell, he said, had been well treated at Akaroa, and. lie had to row. the championship in New Zealand. The Akaroa course, in ordinary weather, was as good, if not better, than any other in New Zealand. If the weather suited, nothing could beat a salt-water course, there were no tides arid no tricks—in fact, nothing to contend with, and, with but one turn, the Akaroa course was practically straight.

OPINION OF "DICK" ARNST. A REALLY GOOD RACE. Amongst, those who followed the' raco' was "Dick" Arnst, the world's champion scullcr. . . "Itwas a terribly good race to the mile and three-quarters," lie said afterwards in conversation with the "Press" reporter. "I felt it was Fogwell's race then, but it was a really good . sprint of Whelch's at the finish. The condition of both was good, and the style good. Whelch rowed even better than against me. In his race against mo ho didn't seem to get. going so well." Arnst added that both men wero faster than he had thought they were. Arnst' considered the Akaroa course a really good one, but not good enough to row the championship of the world on. Jack Arnst, Fogwell's trainer, was naturally very jubilant over the result. Speaking of himself, lte said that lie was not exactly looking for matches just vet, but it was very. probable that a match would eventuate between him and Fogwell.

FOGWELL'S RECORD. PREVIOUS NON-SUCCESSES. Fogwell. is now' a well-known figure in the professional rowing world, but, up till; quite recently, was considered by th9.se who. kneiv his- powers' in a Wager bpat,'.a better mari than his showing" in matches indicate'd. "Dick" Arrist, for whom ..ho acted as .pacer, is known to liavo admi(tcd : that there were few- who could extend him over a-mile and a half like "Billy" Fogwell. . Notwithstanding this, Fogwell, never appeared to be at his best on the ■ day of . any race lyhicli concerned him,''.and the- reason lias been given that, in his anxiety, he was, given to overtraining himself.

Against Thoroughgood. On July-16, 1909, he rowed B. Thoroughgood over tho three-mile course on the Hunter River for aside and the championship of Australia. The race was unsatisfactory, as a foul occurred (to which both men contributed)-, at the end of tho first mile. Thoroughgood gained several lengths as the result of it, and this advantage lie improved, and won by ten lengths, covering the course in 18min. 20 2-ssec.

Against Whelch in 1909. On April 12, 1909, he last met Whelch at Akaroa in a race for the championship of New Zealand, and .£2OO aside. The men got away well together, and at the three-quarter-mile mark . the. Australian was leading by a length, after which Whelch slowly drew level, and then, putting in a. big spurt, left Fogwell standing. This gave tho Akaroa: man- a two-lengths lead, vihich lie maintained despite a game effort 011 the Dart of Fogwell. , About the two-mile mark Fogwell suddenly ceased rowing, indicating thereby that, as far as he was concerned, the race was over, and Whelch rowed home an easy victor twenty lengths, in front of Fogwell, who rowed out the course after a few seconds' spell. No official time was taken, but "Dick" Arnst. who was following the race, "clocked" the men, and gave the time, for tho mile as G minutes, and the winner's' time for the full distance as 20min. 27sec.

In the Parraniatta Hundred. Fogwell won the fourth heat in tho "Parraniatta Hundred" rowed at Sydney, on March 20, but made a very poor showing in tho final 'a week later owing to indisposition'.

CAREER OF GEORGE WHELCH. A BRILLIANT ONE. George Whelch, as has been. indicated above, is riot by any' means a big man, though ho has an exceptionally long reach, a fine constitution, ( a'nd any amount of pluck. He first! developed his rowing powers in the pursuit of his calling .as a .fisherman, and, upon entering the Akaroa Boating Club; proved his grit by winning the club's single sculls,' and rowing in the bow seat of the winning boat in the club's'pairs and double sculls. That was a promising opening of what has proved to be a brilliant rowing career. He was taken in hand by Mr. A. E. M'Gi'egor, under whose coaching, the little seaside clubman was brought prominently into the list of winners. For three years Whelch's name appeared first in the results of all the youths' races at. Christchinch, Lyttelton, Little River, and Akaroa regattas. With the' exception of the Youths' Pairs at Akaroa. in 1899 (lost by four feet) his youths' record (under 2i years) included no fewer than 22 wins out of 23 starts—no mean performance. In 1900 and 1901 he did not race. On three occasions he won tho Amateur Single-Sculling Championship of NewZealand, beating AVebh in 1905. Webb rhade tho honours even at the next championship regatta, but the Akaroa. man's supporters then claimed that ho was badly interfered with by a passing steamer. In double-sculling events for years past AVhelch rowed "bow" for J. Wo'odilJ, and these two have twice annexed tho Dominion's Double-Sculling Championship. . He has also stroked the junior fours crew to victory.

■ Altogether,' Whelch has started in 5G regatta races, including single and double sculls, pair and four oar, and has secured 4G firsts and 7 seconds, and was only three times unplaced.

In BOS ho challenged Ben Thoroughgood for the Professional Championship of Australia, and a race for «£2OO aside was decided over the Raymond Terrace courso on the Hunter River. Thoroughgood won bv three lengths. On Anril 12 190 D, he met and defeated Fogwell for the championship of New Zealand and .£2OO a-side, the. latter practically giving up tho race,at the half-way mark,