ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

■ •» ON THE BATTLE TO-DAY. (By "Mercuei.") To-day.—World's Championship, Arnst v. Penrce, Purramnttn, Syducy. This afternoon the three miles and three hundred odd yards of ivnter between Eyde Bridgo and Searl's Monument on the l'arramatta River in Sydney will bo Ihe most important place in the world for boating enthusiasts. Tho grrat race is timed to start at i p.m., and, if the prognostications of tlio critics go for anything, and, also, as the men are to row with, the tide, it should finish in tomething approaching record time.

Their Records, Weights, and Styles. Tho records of the two contestants arc too well known to tho general public to need detailing now. Arnst has licalon our AVilliam \Vebb twice, and also Welch and Barry in championship races, and has never been beaten, in a match rate. Pcarce, after ho beaten by Arnst, ran up a sequence of seven wins, over Thoroughgood, Mitchell. Day (twice), Hagney, Webb, and Syd. Kemp. Physically, the two aro a perfect match. On this head tho Sydney ''Sun" says:— As to the rival scullers, they are nearly equal in stature. Pcarce, in fact, carries himself better than Arnst. Tho challenger's frame is as straight as a die, and big as he is, ho looks even heavier in his street clothes. He is perhaps more trimly built than the world's champion, but the latter is the bigger man. Arnst is just as tall as Pearee, and may be a trifle more 60, while ho is a good shade heavier, especially in the limbs and about tho chest. Arnst would doubtless havo the best of the measurements in body or limbs against Pearee. The challenger, however, is an ideal man when stripped, and a better model of an athlete could hardly be wished for.

The difference in weights represents the best part of a stone, but unless the heavier man knows exactly how to apply that extra poundage it is all superfluous weight —a tiny passenger, in fact. This is where Arnst scores, for there is uot an ounce of his weight that lie does not use to good effect. He has an abnormal swing in which the whole of his 13st. 71b. plavs an important part, and w.hat bothers most judges of rowing is just how he recovers so steadily after Ms big body spreads itself out until it eeems to bo almost horizontal with the for'ard canvas of his boat.-But a fine strong pair of legs plays an important part in the champion's work. Pearce has adopted a style approaching that of Arnst. That is, he has lengthened his swing, and uses his body to bettor effect. Still the length of his stroke does not equal that of Arnst's. But Pearce is naturally a fast striker. That is what made his mime as tho fastest miler in the world, perhaps, .until a littlo while ago. Still, fast striking will not win a race against a man who is holding more water with his sculls, rowing almost the same rate of stroke, and putting just as much weight into his work.

Their Condition and Their Boats. The following reports on tho condition of the men are culled from papers, to hand by the Australian mail. Since they w;ere written, we have been informed that stormy -weather has interfered with the work on the water, but, an both are "jn the same boat" in this regard, and as both seem so well forward in the preparation, ■ this is not likely to affect matters. "Rigger" in the Sydney "Moraine Herald" writes:—

So far as the training operations aro concerned, everything appears to be progressing satisfactorily. I. saw Arnst yesterday morning, ami he wanted to tell me that ho had roiio stale. "There is something up with me," ho said. "I don't know what it is, but I co.n't go the full course- When I get to Gladesvillo I go right off, and have to turn back. I think I have done too much work in too short a space of time. As a matter of; fact, I, am not going out at all to-day." "Well, I havo known Dick too long not to know when he is trying to have a littlo fun at my expense, and I told him so; but ho only-, laughed and repeated that ho had gone off. I told him he must havo some money he wanted to get on himself, and lie only laughed again. The trouble is Arnst is always tho same whether lie is trying to "pull your leg," or whether lie is telling you the most serious thing in the world. He will always laugh about it, and yon hardly know whether to take him seriously or not. However, I told him what 1 thought about it, and he finished up by saying that ho had been doing good work on the river and off it. On the river, ho said, ho had been getting in some fast work over the two miles, and had done very well. He did some very good work on Sunday and also on Monday. His boat, he said, was the best he had over had.. "I have had it specially built for rowing with the wind and tide," he said, "as I anticipate we will have both with us on July 29. This boat is built of smaller lines in tha bow, and slightly bigger at the aft. She is heavier than tho last boat I had, but not quite so long, and has a broader beam. I am rowing with 7-inch blades on my sculls, as I believe in pullinj tho boat through the water, and not tho sculls. I Know, too, that I row with less inboard to my sculls than Pearce does." Pearce, for his part, has done equnlly; wcll. He has got up a splendid pace, and as to stamina, well, that is unquestionable. On Saturday last ho did a good fast row over tho course, and at the latter end was picked up by an oightoarecl crew, This crew paced him for a considerable distance, and when I say that he held the eight' comfortably, oven after ho had practically covered the course, it will at onco bo seen that he has developed a great amount of stamina. To hold an eight, even a scratch eight, is a pretty tough task, but when a man can do it after having rowed a threemile course, well ho should stand a good chnnco of pushing his opponent along on tho day of the race, provided, of course, that he is as well bodily. This performance has had the effect of grently pleasing Pearce's supporters, and they aro more than over confirmed that' their man will secure the world's championship. Pearce's boat is the one in which he defeated Syd. Kemp, and Harry says ho never had a boat to suit him better. It is a grand shell, and has a reputation for "running" that has mado it conspicu- j ous on more than one occasion. It was I built, as was that to lie used by Arnst, by Mr. Gco. i'earn (Geo. Towns) at Gladesville.

Definitely—Arnsi Will Win. Last Saturday "Mercury" ventured a straight-out "pick" and chose Ariist as his selection for the. winning place, lie now takes this last opportunity of repenting this lor the reasons that were previously outlined: Firstly, from information' received from a good judge on the scene; secondly, because wo have not learnt that Arnst, despite his cessation of work and his good living since his African trip, has deteriorated at all, anil Hint while this is so ho is a bigger and more, powerful man than Pearce, and at least as good an oarsman and stayer. Moreover, a third reason for pinning one's faith in tho champion suggests itself, Fogwell, who should know each man's capabilities if anyone should, was as keen ns the proverbial mustard on a match with Pearce, but he simply scouted the idea of racing Arnst. This is very significant and proves conclusively how Fogweli compares tho two in his own mind and, as stated above, he should know something. Wherefore this ttribe "plumps" for Avnst.

The senior curate of Folkestone Parish Church, the liev. C. S. M. l'layfair, was recently injured in a remarkable accident in tho belfry. As was his custom, Mr. l'layfair went to the talfry to ring Ihe bell for Evensong. When he pulled the. rope, however, he was drawn up lo the celling and (hen thrown heavily to tho door, lie was found unconscious about twenty minutes later, and when examined it was discovered that his collar-bono was broken. Earlier in the day a peal was rung on the bells by the. Kent Association of Change Ringers, ami it is thought that ono boll had been "left up." The Finance Committee of the. Diet of Oldenburg lias dolenuined to lax bachelors and spinsters. All such having reached the age of 110 will be liable, if in receipt of an income of 4:210 per annum, to a 10 per cent tax. Tho new tax will fall almost exclusively upon iIIOJLi