THE GREAT SCULLING SWEEPSTAKE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1281, 17 September 1886, Page 3

THE GREAT SCULLING SWEEPSTAKE.

BEACH v. TEEM Eti. The following special telegram to the Sydney ‘ Evening News’ of the final heat for the great sculling swe-pstakes is to hand by the Waihora, at Auckland : Amid a scene of the wildest excitement, ‘ and after one of the finest races ever wit- ! nessed on the Thames, Beach defeated Teemer. The umpires’ boat and steamers ’ allowed to follow the race were crowded to ' excess. Everything seemed to favour a ; fair race between the two men who had come through the struggles in the preceding 1 heats. There was not a ripp'e on the water, and besides the time set for the race and the * tide were admirable. The tide had just turned, and was what acquatic men would 1 unhesitatingly describe as fast, and altos | gether the circumstances favoured the better man. The men made their appearance before the assembled thousands, and looked ' as promising as could bo possible be wished ' for. Various estimates have been made as ' to the numerical proportion of the crowd. I will content myself with saying that it was one of the la-gsst and most fashionable attendances that ever witnessed a sculling match on the Th ones. It was for all the world like a Vars'ty day. Beach and Teemer made their appearance almost simultaneously. After the initial preparations little time was lost, as both men were ready for the fray and both seemed anxious to get to work. Be ich, although he does not cut an exact ideal tigura in a boat, looked to be in the pink of'condition. On his face there sat a somewhat anxious but de'ermined look, and bis great broad shoulders and hardly set muscles seemed to stand out wiih even more prominence than on other occasions when he was stripped at the tournament. Teemer was also stated to he in fine form. He looked so ; yet with all the statements that had been made as to his ability to row the champion down, he betrayed a certain amount of uneasy uervouruess. All was ready, and the race began, Teemer was the first to ca'ch the water. He struck cut at the rate of 36 strokes to tho Alth iagh Beach was slower to catch the water, when he did begin there was no mistake about his intention ; it wa< clear that he me ini' business. He struck the water a* a rate of 38 strokes to the minute. They were marvellous strokes of power. Teemer by the fiist grip of the water got a slight lead, hut Beach when once he set his boat in motion took the lead, and Beach may be said to have led fr'm the start At the conclusion o f the first six strokes Beach had obtained a lead of halt a length. Tho race was a fierce one, for Teemer was pulling in grand sty'e, and showed if won if would be at the cost of a hardly- fought victory. However, in spite of errors. Beach was more than his match, so that by tho time Dukeshead was reached he had increased his lead to two lengths. Still Teemer continued to fight a splendid battle. W hen passing VValdon’s Teemer made a very game attempt to overs haul Beach. The champion had slackened his stroke to 35 to tho minute. When he saw the effort Teemer was making he quickened his stroke, and with 38 to the minute he successfully kept Teemer at a distance. Xeeipgr ' continue;! Jo. struggle. , hut nil to ho purpose, and this was his dying spurt, for having failed to lessen the gap he seemed to lose heart. B-ach me nwbile continued to row in faultless style, and from this point the race became a water tour for Beach. Hammersmith Bridge was passed . by Beach in Bmin 46seca, and from this Teemer was entirely ou'picel and hope lessly beaten, and the race so far as the A mencan was concerned w-is a stern chase. Beach continued to paddle along in the easiest style imaginable, and paddled home a winner as he liked, with a clear lead of m-re than 10 lengths. When passing Birne-’ Hotel Beich stopped, and recognising Mrs Wentworth, the wife of Mr Daroy Wentworth, the well known Australian, who was waving [congratulations to the champion, he raised his hat—an incident that was responded to with deafening cheers. The course was considerably ham ■ ' pered with amall craft, and Beach had a ■ very narrow escape from fouling a floating basket. This ho managed to avoid, or the i result might have had a serious effect on i the race. Everybody is astonished at tho i splendid form displayed by Beaoli. He pulled, amid deafening cheers and hearty congratulations, tho winner of what must i be regarded as a splendid race. The enthusiasm after the race was intense, Beaoh i seemed when he passed the Ship at Mortlake as fresh as when he started. He i looked as though he could have stayed 10 miles“ Pegasus,” the celebrated London 1 aquatic critic, considers Renforth was the i best man that ever rowed on the Thames i until the appearance of Beach. Beach . (" Pegasus” says) is far better than ever i Renforth was. He also says that despite

Teemer’a efforts, Beach was never extended. The cntics in speaking'ftf the way in which the course was hampered by small craft, are unanimously, of opinion that the course should be roped for future great matches.

HANLAN CHALLENGES BEACH. Nn little amusement has been caused in acquatio circles in-London at the latest display of Hanlan’s “front.” Immediately after the brilliant display Beach made against Teemer, and when Beach is acknowledged by all'critics to be the best oarsman that ever appeared on the Thames, it was announced that Hanlau had challen ed the champion to row him mu'the Thames. The challenge was first regarded as a joke. Saoh, however, proved not to he the case. The challenge has been made, and Beach is wiling to ro” Hanlan or any man in the world, but not when and where his challenger may choose. ■ Hanlan is in America, and .taking the time that it would be necessary for Hanlan to set to England and then got into training, bad weather would have set in. and Beach might find himself wholly out of condition. Beach states that ho is not only willing, but anxious to meet Hanlan and prove to the world that te did and can beat the American upon hia merits. Beach states he has for some rime been in England waiting for a challenge from Hanlan, That challenge did not come until Hanlan thinks that he will have advantages in the effects of climate. In these circumstances Beach has announced that these are.the only conditions under which he will row Hanlan. The match must takb- plaoevtm matta River, Sydney; to • take choice of time.

In view of the approaching contest for the acquatic championship of the world, the following extract from a leading New York sporting journal is not without interest : It Teemer had not broken .down nor his right arm become useless, owing to an overstrain, and be had pressed GSndaur, the fastest lime on-record for, the distance would have been beaten, and Gaudaur would have rowed the three miles and turn in 19min 27secs, the time he made in his trial on June 10, two days before the race. Gaudanr’s time w a danger-light for any cham : pion, and it is doubtful if there is a man in the world who can equal, let alone neat, the performance. Time is ho criterion ■ f oarsmanship, we are well aware } hut it must be acknowledge I that when a man rows a trial on a river or lake in 19min 27secs that he can repeat the feat_ within lOseo any time in smooth water, so that by this theory Gaudaur is a worthy candidate to back against Beach or anybody els