SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1514, 24 July 1905, Page 2

SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

ST AN BURY BEATS THE CHAMPION. AN EXCITING RACE. By; telegrapHi, Press Xas’n, Copyright

Received 8 34 p.m., July 22. Sydney, July 22. The sculling race for tbs championship of tho world and £SOO a side was rowed on the Porramata river this afternoon between George Towns (holder of the championship) aod Jim Stanbury, an exchampion. Both oarsmen hail from New South \V ales. The course was three miles 300 yards. The weather was fine and the water smooth, and there was a light breeze with the men.

Owing to the previons reoordß of the competitors great excitement was centred in the event, and every point of vantage, as well as the steamers which fallowed the race, were densely orowded with eager spectators. Towns had a call in tho betting. The men started by mutual consent and at the work go Stanbury at onoe went to the front.

At Ryde bridge, a point 300 yards from the start, he had secured a lead of half a length, and before reaching Uhr’s Point, and rowing with apparent ease, he increased thu advantage to a length and a half.

At this stage Towns livened np somewhat, but his efforts made no impression on the leader, whe passed Claxland’s Point with three lengths to the good, and this distance separated the men as they shot past the white post, Sianbury’s time for tho distance being 6 minutes 1 second.

From this out there wa3 little ohange in the position. The champion rowed a game, stern chase to Putney, but Stanbury responded to every call, and at the gasworks Towns was four lßngths astern. Towns spurted time after timo, but failed to make up the interval. On reaching Gladosville Stanbury looked to be tiring, and dropped one of his sculls, but after very little delay he got going again, winuing by two lengths. The thus was 19mins. 37secs.

A GREAT CROWD. EXCITING SCENE AT THE FINISH By telegraph, Press A’ss'n, Copyright Received 12.43 s.m., July 24 Sydney, July 23. Probably tho largest concourse ever seen on the river witnessed the sculling race. It was larger even than in the palmy days of sculling. Craft of all descriptions lined both sides of the course for tho whole length, and the bauks were blaok with spectators. Many thousands were massed in the vicinity of the winning pest. I

There was a scene of great excitemeui at the finish.

When near the end Stanbury’s BCull fouled a couple of floating bottles, one striking the scuil and the other the boat, causing him to lose his stroke, and almost to upset the boat. Stanbury rowed 12st 81b and Towns 10st 121 b.

The betting at the start was 7 to 4 on Towns.

The opinion was freely expressed that Stanbury could have widened the winning margin eonsiderably had he desired.