THE HANLAN-BEACH MATCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4090, 30 August 1884, Page 4

THE HANLAN-BEACH MATCH.

The Aoe Report

Tho Ago gives the following account of the famous boat race .-—"After level pulling for a quarter of a mile, Hanlan quickened his stroke and Avent a length ahead. _ Ho then sloAVcd down in accordance Avith his ordinary custom, and -just maintained about tho same lead, going a little faster Avhen his opponent drew closer, and easing off again Avhen he himself seemed to bo increasing his lead. After passing the first point and getting into comparatively open Avater, Avhere the full foi'coof the breeze caught them, both became rather unsteady, an occasional splash showing that the Avind Avas somewhat rough, and that the Avater avus inconveniencing them. At about this period of tho contest a most unfortunate incident occurred. The steamer Tomki, Avliich had been chartered hy Beach's supporters, avus heading right across Hanlan's track in mid-stream. Hanlan pulled right up to Avithin a few len .hs of the steamer's side, ho being HhVhtly ahead of Beach, Avhose course just enabled him to miss the steamer's boAv. As Hanlan came up close a thousand voices called out to him to beware of being swamped, aud as ho turned in his boat and looked ahead, he saw the danger iv a moment, and apparently resolved to cut Beach right out of the race, heading his boat across Beach's course. He put on a magnificent spurt, shot past tho steamer's bow at nini-vcllou!- speed, aud dropped again into his steady stroke, when ho had put some four or five lengths between himself and bis opponent. The spectators thought the race now scorned a gift to Hanlan, and one or two incidents Avliich occurred in his TOAving just afterwards Averc interpreted as acts of bravado on his part, "but Avhieh, as Hanlan now states, Avoro si-ms of distress. Shortly after ho finished tins great spurt he half dropped his lefthand scull, but recovered himself almost immediately. Hunlau had not gone a quarter of a mile before he made a partial stoppage, entirely missing his stroke. This "•avc tho impression that ho Avas pulling well within himself, that ho had gauged Beach's powers, and satisfied himself of his ability to keep in front by responding whenever Beach spurted, and that he could - 1

afford to play with his opponent. Hanlan's explanation given after the race Avas over is that in that big spurt by which he cleared the steamers ho exhausted himself, and so far from " showing off " Avas in a, distressed condition. This statement is borne out by Beach, who states that Avhen Hanlan went so far to the front on that occasion ho began to regard it as a hopeless contest, until ho turned and saw Hanlan's face, and then he saAv clearly that Hanlan Avas "giving out," and tho thought went throujrh Beach's mind like a flash of lightning — "The race is mine." Encouraged by this hope, and in accordance with his trainer's directions, he put on such a spurt as Hanlan had done, and with half a dozen quick powerful strokes brought his boat right down on Hanlan, Avho had Avorked across into Beach's water, and Avas so exhausted that he could not respond to Beach's pace, and pull out of the way. The consequence was a foul. The boats did not touch, but Hankin's loft scull and Beach's right crossed each other, and prevented either from pulling. For a moment both boats were dead level, and either man had an equal chance of getting aAvay first, or in fact, Avhen they freed their interlocked sculls both could have re-started on exactly equal terms. But Hanlan Avas not equal to the emergency. He held up his hand to claim a foul, by which he lost his stroke, and then he halted a few seconds as if hesitating Avhether to go on or give up. This gave Beach a lead of five or six lengths, Avliich he never really lost during the rest of the race. Once Hanlan made a fierce attempt to overtake Beach, and actually got Avithin three boats' lengths, but his condition then gave out entirely, and ho fell away. Beach pulled hard, but as he Avas never really pushed there is every reason to credit his statement that he could have pulled much harder. He certainly finished in fine condition, which is more than can be said of Planlan. Beach passed the flag-boat nearly six lengths ahead.