ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 12

ROWING.

[Br MescubtJ P ADD ON FOR THE FRONT. To Meet Ernest Barry. Oil Wednesday last an important event happened in Sydney. This was the departure for England of James Paddon, the champion of Australia, for the fulfilment of his engagement with Ernest Barry to race for tho world's championship on the Thames. The challenger is taking with him Syd. Kemp .is pacemaker and trainer, and the two are accompanied by that very keen enthusiast Sir, George Seifert. of Maiiawatu, who is Paddon's chief supporter. Tho New Zealand sportsman has charge of the arrangements of the party, and, as he has been over the ground before in a similar Capacity with Fogwell some three years ago, and is favourably known in sculling circles at Home, his presence should be of miich value.

How Mr. Seller! Sees Paddon's Chances. Some little time ago "Mercury" liatl a talk 'with Mr. Seifert regarding Paddon's prospe-ets, in the course of whic-h he stated that lie considered tho. big Australian's chances very sound indeed. Ho described l.'addon as a big, strong Soulier, who was keen 011 tho sport for its aiv 11 sake, as well as for the glory pertaining thereto. He added that Paddon was a tiger for worii, and absolutely to be depended upon, to strip at the top of his form when called upon. His sculling, according to Mr. Seifert, is not of a rery attractive description from the stylist's point of view, but ho nets great pace, and. being possessed of plenty of stamina, can see a hard through without "letting up," His weakest point is his watermanship, but tliis, his hacker thinks, is mainly dun to the shortness of the time in which he has been doing best boat sculling, ami is therefore likely to improve considerably during his preparation. Mr. Seiffirt reeegnised that this, on the Thames oflufse, with its patches of bad water and puzzling hack cd» dies, and cttfronts, is a serious handicap when opposed to a skilful and .'finished .waterman lifca, the .cliamnimi. Nevertheless, he was confident of his man pultkg up a very good showing.

Floyd on Paddon. Harry Floyd, o»e time Dick Ariist's mentor in scu'lliug matters, is no\v in England, and tho "Referee" publishes a cabled interview with the veteran running as under: — Cabled from Loudon ,■ April 15:—. "Harry Floyd, who a few ftjolitlis ago acted as Jim Paddon's trainer, in an interview.- said that Arnst, at fits best, was tho greatest sculler Australia had ever produced. Paddon, Floyd said, was very (twltWard, and woftSd probably ho the worst waterman who ever left Australia. Ho was iiat-itraHy topheavy, iiiexpenmi-eed in rough water, and he might fnvd difficulties 011 tfo Thames. Nevertheless, the Australian champion's style Was deceptive, as ho got moro naee out of his-boat than was apparent." An Answer to Floytf. Tho "Referee's" expert, "Argtts," then proceeds to criticise the message in these terms: —"Of course, tho above excerpts, taken doubtless from a lengthy interview—probably in tho 'Sporting Life ' —may or may not epitomise what ho actually said. That life Would bo interviewed, and that ho would Iravo a considerable _ amount to ss.y about- Paddon in particular was anticipated, and we havo bwn awaiting what ho would have to say with interest. Arnst, it will bo notified, is described as the greatest soft Her Australia had ever produced when at his best. The redoubtable Dick Artist, who is a New Zealand--er, and not an Australian—although ho learnt his sculling in Sydney—has proved himself a great champion, but whether ho was a greater sculler than other giants of the past—the Into Harry Searle, for example—is surely a dc4atable question. However, that paint need not be further discussed. So far as James Paddon is concernis-il, I don't, suppose that. H'arrv Floyd's criticissi of his watermanship will cause the Australian champion any loss of sleep or appetite."

Turned Do'»n! _ Ever since the victory of the Australian Olympic crew hi the big eight-oar race at the Royal Hfciikv Regatta two years ago, the rowing associations "on the other side" have been desirous of again. competing, and have boon moving in the direction of entering an allAustralian erew far thig classic event. . At the time of its victory the crew then competing rowed as representing the Sydney Rowing Club, thus complying with the Conditions of the- race, which stipulate thai the crews must be club crews. Correspondence has been carried on for some time oyer the matter. but now fin.siliix has been reached, tho result of which"is that the request of the State as.soeiaHop.s, that the entry of an Australian representative crow he accepted has hcmi turned down by tho Henley Committee. Whv Turned Down. The reasons for tho refusal are set forth in. a letter from tho Henley executive, published in the Australian press, which, after quoting' the nolo referred to above, says.:— "My committee think it would nob to right so to strain tho interpretation of this rule as to include within its scopo an association farmed, merely for- the purpose of making m oepnsional entry at Henley of an all-Australian crew under tho name of tho 'Australian Jlmv. ins Club,' and, further 1 , thoy consider that they have 110 potter, tinder the rule, to mate an agreement with an association so fo'med. ". . . Quito apart from- the question of legality, I am directed to state that there are, in tho opinion of tho committee, strong reasons why the entry n,t Henley Regatta of crews representing the whole of a Commoiiwealth, Dominion. or natiofi, should not be owonriifced. If such an entry wwo peiwiitted in one instance, other bodies would follow suit, and the United Kingdom Would, in self-defence, be compelled if) form a representative ernv, probably every wir. This would entirely alter the character of Henley "Regatta, ami would be seriously detrimental to the iwitie: of ihose clubs and colleges by which Henley Kejjattn has been supported since its institution, ami'which constitute the backbone of .rowing in this country.