FOGWELL WINS. ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 90, 18 April 1911, Page 3

FOGWELL WINS. ROWING CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW

ZEALAND. WHELCH'S SCULLING CAREER ENDED. [BY TBLEGBAPH — MIESS ASSOCIATION.] AKAROA, 17th April. The second contest for tho professional sculling championship of New Zealand took place to-day on Akaroa Harbour, when W. Fogwell (Australia), the challenger, beat the holder, G. Wheich { Akaroa), by two lengths, after securing tho lead at the end of the first mile. As the result of tho race Fogwell secure* the purse of £200, besides the title. Wheich secures the "gate," -which was I however, not very large. The course was from Porter's Point, Onuku, to Daly's Wharf— a distance of threo and three- ! eighth miles. I It will be remembered that when Fogwell rowed Wheich for the title at Ak<iroa on Easter Monday, two years ago, he was beaten easily, practically giving up the race half-way. To-day, however, his form was vastly superior to that shown by him on the formur occasion, whilst Wheich also sculled surprisingly well, and was going "all out" at the finish, but Fogwell, after securing his lead, was easily ablu to hold his own, and never looked in danger of being overhauled. ROWED IN THE RAIN. After eight weeks of sunshine right up to this morning, the weather broke jusc before twelve, and rain camo down in torrents, making matters very uncomfort-' able for visitors. About 1580 excursionists came from Lyttelton by tho Mararoa alone. There was a flood tide, just on the turn, and everything was favourable for the fast performances that were put up. Just before the race Wheich turned the scales at 9st 9£lb, and Fogwell at list 21b. Fogwell secured the inside position and Wheich the outside. A beautiful start was effected, Wheich rowing at 32 to the minute, and Fogwell at 31. Wheich appeared to be rowing the better at the start, and, at the end of a quarter of a mile, rowing 30 to the minute, with an oa3y style, he had secured a slight lead. Fogwell was then apparently labouring, and making- one stroke per raiauto loss. t ••*■ • v At the half-mile Wheich had still further increased his lead, and was* rowing the better of the two, while Fo'gwell was dragging a little. At the end of the first mile Wheich had nearly a length's advantage, and both men were now rowing twenty-eight to the minute. Fogwell here drew up ape' away, and, improving his style, soon increased the lead to three lengths. Wheich at this stage was catching water rather sharply. Coming between Glynan's Rock to the Tip (half-way) Fogwell had increased his lead to four lengths. His time to Glynan's Rock was smin 13sac. One hundred yards from the Point, Wheich began to pick up, and, going for the inside running, reduced the lead to three lengths. Wheich was now rowing thirty to the minute, and Fogwell twentyeight. Despite Whelch's heroic attempts to catch up, Fogwell easily held him off, and at Green Point (just over half-way) was still threo lengths to tho good. To the reef buoy (more than half-way) his time was 14min 17sec. At Cemetery Point Fogwell was sculling in vastly superior style to the champion, and, passing the Akaroa boatsheds, had increased his lead to five lengths. Wheich then livened up, and reduced the distance. Passing the Akaroa Wharf he made a great effort, and reduced the lead to _ three lengths. Both men were now doing twenty-eight to the minute. Wheich was rowing a great stroke now, but the 'effort had come too late. A quarter of a mile from home Fogwell was three lengths to the good, but a hundred yards from the finishing post Wheich came up with a great spurt. Fogwell, however, held him quite safe, and won easily by two lengths. The official time reported was 20min lsec. ' FOGWEEL'S INTENTIONS. Intei-^^yed after the contest, Fogwell said that it had been a' good hard race right through. Wheich, he said, had led him at the quarter-mile by three-quarters of a length. He (Fogwell) had* rowed up to his own expectations, but Wheich also had rowed a good race. The course was a very good one, but not good enough to row a championship match on, because the weather was so uncertain. The water that day had been a wee bit choppy. Questioned as to his future intentions, Fogwell said that he had put up the stake to row the winner of Saturday week's contest between Pearce and Kemp for the championship of Australia. Asked as to whether he had any intention of challenging Arnst for the world's championship, he merely laughed, and said : "Not just at present, at any rate." Fogwell will remain in Akaroa till the end of the week. He then goes to Christchurch for a few days, then to Palmerston North, and then back to Sydney. He added that any challenges for the championship would be left to his backer, Mr. Seifert. - The race (if any) would have to be rowed in New Zealand, but he would not row it 1 at Akaroa, preferring the North Island, and probably on the Manawatu River. WHELCH INTERVIEWED. Wheich, on being interviewed, said that no one had been more surprised than himself at the result. The race had been a fairly hard one, and there had been no 'loafing" attached to it. '"I folt as though I was rowing strongly all the way," continued Wheich. "I was putting my strokes in pretty hard, though 1 wasn't rowing as well as I generally do I never felt better in my life, but I had the cramp in my chest, and didn't seem to get my breath. I'm not going to have another go, I've finished my sculling career?" he remarked in answer to a query. "I am now thirtythreo, and I don't seem to have the dash I used to have. I felt that in my training, and the better man won to-day. When I got on the scales before the race I went only 9et 9^lb. lam too much on.the light side, and I don't think there is any other championship man sculling at my weight. I m still willing to take on any other man of my weight for any sculling championship in the world, but I don't think there is one." Wheich considered that Fogwell should row his next race on Akaroa Harbour. Fogwoll. he said, had been well treated at- Akaroa, and he had io row the championship in Now Zealand. The Akaroa course, in ordinary weather, was as good, if not better, than any other in New Zealand. If the weather suited, nothing could beat a Ealt-water course, there were no tides and no tricks— in fact, nothing to contend with, and, with but ono turn, the Akaroa course- was practically straight. ARNST'S OPINION. Amongst those who followed the race was "Dick" Arnst, the world's champion ecullor. "It was a terribly good race to the mile and three-quarters," he said afterwards in conversation with the Press reporter. "I felt it was Fogwell's race then, but it was a roally good sprint of Whelch's at, the finish. The condition of both wt's good, and the style good. Wheich rowed even better than against me. in his race against mo he didn't seem to get going so well." Arnst added that both men were faster than he had thought they were. Arnst considered the Akaroa courso a really good ono, but not good onough to row the championship of the- world on. Jack Arnst, Fogwpll's trainer, said it was very probable that a match would eventuate Between him and Fogwoll.