ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1162, 24 June 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

"THE TWENTY-NINTH OF JULY."

(By "Mercury.")

July 29—World's Championship: Arnst v. Pcarce, on the Parramatta River.

Arnst and Pcarce-The Articles of War.

■ Appended is a copy of the articles as signed by Champion Arnst and Challenger Pcarce, and upon which hang the world's title, £1000 in stake-money, and more races for the winner:—

Richard Arnst, of New Zealand, and Henry Pe'arce, of Sydney, hereby agree to race for £500 (five hundred) pounds a-sido and the sculling championship ot the world, the holder of which is tho first-named. Tho winner to receive £500 on his own behalf and £500 which is to be returned to tho subscribers to his stake.

The race is.to be rowed on the Parramatta River, starting at Ryde Bridge and finishing between the judge's boat and Searlc- s Monument. Tho race to be rowed on the (twenty-ninth day of July, 1911, and we agreo to start at i p.m. Tho sculling championship conditions and championship boat race law to govern the contest and t'o apply to this race. Wo agree to Mr. William Beach as rc- < force, and Mr. N. J. M'Donalu us

judge. We, this sixth day of June, 1911, have paid to Mr. Arthur Andrews, who shall be stakeholder, the sum of £100, and, we each agree to deposit with the stakeholder a further sum . of £200 on tho first day of July, 1911; likewise a sum of £200 on the twenty-eighth ■ day of July, 1911, making the amount of subscriptions £500. .Each subscription to be made good on dates specified not later than noon. Should cither of us fail t'o pay the sums mentioned on the days named, the one of U9 who shall have made default shall bo considered to have forfeited; and tho sum in the hands of the stakeholder shall be so divided that 'the one not in arrears and his subscribers shall equally share.

We agree that tho certificate of tho referee shall be sufficient reason for tho stakeholder to pay over to the declared winner, or his order; and we further agree that there shallbo no appeal at law or otherwise.

Anything not included in tho conditions and boat race laws shall be held to be excluded. <

(Sgd.) HARRY PEARCE, RICHARD. ARNST. Witnesses:—P. J. Evenuett, Jersey Road, Artarmon; and D. C. Bathgate, 1 Denisoh. Road, Lewisham.

"It Took a Lot of Argument." Commenting on tho meeting between the two scullers at which the above agreement was entered into, the Sydney "Sun" says:— . ' It took a lot of arguing, even at the last moment, to bring tho men together, and in this Harry Hoy.d advised the champion, and Tommy Kelly, Beach's old trainer, whispered many wise little things in Pearco's ear. The date of the contest was tho stumbling block. Pearce, 'of course, wanted to adhere to July 15 (which was verbally agreed upon by the two Lion socio time ago), regardless of tho fact that there were other big sporting fixtures -on that day. Arnst did not mind the othor attractions so much, but, feeling t>.at ho required another couple of weeks to get ready; asked for it. It looked a heilthy state of affairs when the rival scullers disregarded the consideration of gate money to a certain extent, yet Arnst put tho matter to Pcarco in the proper light by explaining that if they bumped any of the big football matches and big race meetings the loser' would have to suffer. There was a heavy expenses bill to bo paid by both men, win or losj, and it behoved them to get as good a gate as they could by avoiding other sporting fixtures. Pearce gave in at last as to one week, but upon Arnst mentioning that tho tide would bo against I hem on July 22 tho challenger found that he would rather swing tho extra week and make it Julv 29. In this resnecfc Pearce was wi.se, for he would find Arnst a harder man to beat against the tide.

Pearce's Trouble in Bringing Arnst to the Mark,

Arnst openly stated that from Pearcc's stubbornness regarding tho date of the race, the challenger's backers must want to catch-him at a disadvantage and out or lorm. Penrce certainly stuck to the uato ot winch his backers advised him, and gavo way only when ho had no alternative. But it is to tho interests of ioarco and all,.concerned.in him to get the raco on the day when he wants it. Jivcry man would nsk the same thin". Ho was mute fair in holding out as long as he did for July 15. Ho has challenged to try to win the championship, and is risking ,£SOO on his chance, so ho was not giving in to tho day ' that suited Arnst without a struggle, and ho certainly put up a fair one.. • Prior to tho signing of articles it was thought in some quarters' that Arnst had other fish to fry, and that he would not inoot Pcarco on the Parramatta. No doubt tne champion's altitude lent colour to the belief, too, and Pcarce had an idea that he had a big job en to catch Arnst. .However, tho challenger remarked to ; Tho Sim's" representative, "If he doesn t want to row me, why doesn't ho say fo? Ho certainly can dodge mo bv naming any courso he likes, but I'll follow him to New Zealand, England or anywhere else ho goes." Harry was tncrcioro determined' to get a race, but within an hour or so from making fho statement his anxiety was relieved, as Arnst had affixed his name to the paper that binds him to meet Pcarco on tho Parrnisatta liiver on July 29 No doubt Harry Penice lias had a lot of troublo in bringing Arnst up to the mark, but the champion's delay was only a compliment to tho challenger, and indicated that Arnst knew ho was not meetinga mug—that he realised he was up against a good sculler. How could he think otherwise whon Pcarco has polished oil seven men in succession, and with comparatively short intervals between each race?