ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1216, 26 August 1911, Page 12

ROWING.

WHAT! ARNST AFTER JOHNSON?

(By "JlEßCunr.")

September 11. —I'ogwcll v. Barry (Thames, England). Go from Home to Learn News, Truly docs one go from home to loam news. The following appears in a recent London "Sportsman," (ho letter ijiiotod being dated immediately prior to Hie recent championship race:— The failure of "Bill" Lang has in no way damped Iho ardour of tho Anstralians in their search for a "While Hope," and at last they believo they have discovered a man who has inoro than nu outsido chance of bringing back the wcrM's championship. Tho new aspirant is "Dick" Arnst, champion sculler of tho world. For somo tinio past the Australian sporting journals have been hinting at the possibility of tho burly New Zeulandcr forsaking the outriggers in favour of tho ring, and a few days before leaving Australia a correspondent writes: I ascertained that tho favourable reception generally given to the suggestion that he should take up boxing had made Arnst reconsider his decision. From the one most concernc-dl have received an. invitation to l)o present at his try-out with an American boxer of note, ft was supposed to bo Arnst's first business effort with tho gloves, but even remembering tho great disparity in weight and strength in favour oi tho New Zealander, it was soon apparent that he had been paying more than passing attention to the sport. Ho did not shape, like a novice, but made the most o£ his superior strength and weight. After tho bout 1 had the pleasure of a long chat with Arnst. and in reply to a direct question, he said: "Well, you see, there isn't much in tlie sculling business. In fact, there is hardly enough to repay mo for the solid trainiug it demands. Good matches are few and far between., and there arc not more than a couple of decent handicaps in the course of a year. Naturally, a world's champion has very little chance of pulling off a handicap. So far, I have cleared up everything in my own class, and tho outmatches ahead of me are with Harry Penrca and Barry. If I get through with thorn, there's nothing in sight for nic in the boat. Dozens of my friends have been drilling into me that in tho ring there's always something doing, with big money, for tho man who can got near the front. I know it means a fairly long apprenticeship, with a good chance of failure at tho end, but at the present moment I am strongly inclined to take it up. So far as weight and strength are concerned I would not bo giving away anything to the biggest of them. In good condition I would go well over list., and I ought to have a sleep-producer about mo somewhere. At any rato, I think I'll givo it a trial." Fogwcll and Barry are Fit. W. Fogwcll and E. Barry are reported by cable to b? fit and wolf for their race on tho Thames in two weeks from Monday next. Fogwell's weight is given at list. 41b.. rnd this is very satisfactory, being only a pound or two over his racing weight when here Ho must have "made good use of his time on the voyage, and so 4 has been able to settle to useful work right from the first time he dipped his sculls in the Thames. Full course rows of 4J' miles, and home again is a fair day's work, but by this lime in his career tho Richmond River sculler should know how much he can do in the.wav of work. It has bren very warm in England, and this will not be so much in favour of Barry, as it is needful to tho Australian. The English champion is reported to be 51b. heavier than the challenger, but it is well to rerr ember he is two inches taller, and of similar measurements in other respects. Fogwell will prove speedy, and tho water should just suit his dashing style, but it is recognised here that he will have nothing, to spare on tho last couplo of miles.. ,- r , . . That Attompt to "Square" Arnst, Last week reference, was n'ndo in this column to a report current in Sydney that Arnst had bceu offered X 2500 to "go down" to Pearco in their race. This report is confirmed by tho Sydney "Sun," and referring to tho outrageous attempt to "'square" tho champion, this paper says: "It was made by a person quito outside the Pearco camp, and was never intended to refer to any of tho challenger's supporters. Unfortunately some of them think that the statement may be taken as applying to the Pearco party, but Arnst has often named the man who endeavoured to undermine his honour and reputation as world's champion with the tempting offer referred to. The champion, too, has endeavoured to expose the person whenever and wherever it was nossible. and has made no secret of the fact that tho tempter failed."