THE WEBB-TOWNS MATCH

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2150, 5 August 1907, Page 2

THE WEBB-TOWNS MATCH

CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD ’ WEBB THE WINNER. DETAILS OF THE RACE. United Proas Association —Copyright SYDNEY, August 3. The sculling race for the championship of the world between Charles Towns (New South Wales) and AA’ebb (New Zealand) took place on the 1 arramatta River this afternoon, the men breaking away just after 4 p.m. Tho weather was dull and threatening, with a strong wind blowing, but right behind tho scullers. AVebb won tlio toss, but thor o was no particular advantage in positions. Rush, the votoran sculler, acted as umpire. The competitors received an ovation as they leisurely sculled to the startingpost. • An excollont start was effected, Towns going away at tho rate of 38 strokes to the minute, whilo his opponent was only rowing ono loss, but tho champion did not get away from AVebb with the rush that his supporters had expected. At Uhr’s Point it was found that Towns had reduced bis stroke to 30, and while AA’ebb too had decreased bis be was putting in 32. j The first half-mile was clocked as 2min 40sec, and the Maorilander was pressing his rival, who had barely a length s advantage. Webb was rowing surprisingly well, although liis body was rolling somewhat. As the mile-post was approached AVebb had reduced towns lead to a half-length, and the hopes of the New Zealander s supporters were rising steadily. It was clearly evident Towns could not get rid of him As the boats swept past the mile (Blaxland’s) Webb was almost on terms, tho time in travelling the distance being smin 40sec. AVebb then opened out with A fine spurt, and Towns gamely responded, each doing 30 strokes to the minute. Approaching Putney AVebb had forged llioad, and soon assumed a length s .ead.

Towns came at him, ind both scullers edged into Gas•oigne Bay somewhat, which was l’owns’s side of the river. Towns piickened his stroke and altered the •onrse to clear Putney Point. AA’ebb nude a great effort to get clear, but ’owns came too quick and bit the tern of AA’ebb’s boat with his left .cull. The New South Welshman held up his hand as a protest and ;hon went on after Webb. Putney Point was left behind in 9min 7sec, Webb at this time having a couple of lengths’ advantage. Seeing his rival coming up again he cracked on pace, md added another length to his. lead, and the Race was practically over. Towns spurted, but AA’ebb responded readily to every effort Towns put forth. Tennyson (about 2 miles) was passed in llmin 52sec, and there great cheering arose from the steamers at Webb’s success. He was now able to hold Towns with almost ease, and though the latter spurted and spurted, AVebb maintained hie eight lengths’ lead, passing Gladesville in lomin 58sec. Towns now made a wonderful spurt, which he maintained almost to the finish, and drew up to within three or four lengths of the visitor, but as the judge’s boat was neared AA’ebb put in hard rowing, and gained the verdict by five lengths in. tho fine time of 20min 45sec.

SYDNEY, August 4. The protest against AA’ebb was dismissed. THE PROTEST. Received 7.33 p.m., August 3. SYDNEY, August 3. Towns has lodged a protest on the grounds of a foul. The matter is not yet decided. SYDNEY, August 4. In dismissing the protest Mr. Rush, tho umpire, in giving his decision, laid: —“I wish to 6ay that when Blaxland Point was turned I considered the men rowed as straight a course as possible, for at Putney both were occupying the same positions that they took at starting, and I believe Towns, bad sufficient water at all times without having to depart from his straight course, and that the slight touching iof the sculls which took place in no way interfered with the result. I therefore dismissed the protest.”

HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED Press Association. | AUCKLAND, August 4. | The news of Webb’s victory over Towns in the sculling championship was received here with great delight. The race created more genuine excitement than anything else for some weeks past. WANGANUI, August 4. The news of Webb’s victory was received with great enthusiasm by the large crown assembled in the vicinity of the Telegraph Office. Cheers innumerable were given. The garrison baud played “See the Conquering Hero Comes”.and the Mayor made a speech, in the course of his remarks he expressed pleasure at the glorious victory and invited the people to witness the next race for the world’s cl ampionsbip on the Wanganui River. The Garrison Band remained tm the hotel balcony and during the evening played various selections while the crowd waxed greater and greater.

WELLINGTON, August 4. Large numbers of people assembled outside the newspaper offices last night to learn the result of the sculling match on .the Parramatta. The news of AYebb’s win was received with great pleasure.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONTESTANTS. WEBB. I AA’ebb, formerly of Lyttelton and now of AA’anganui, lias been before j the Nipw Zealand public for many I years as a first-class sculler. I H'S most striking performance of late I years was the defeat of Stanbury on I the AYanganui river last year. AYebb I w is at that time the champion amaI tear sculler of the colony, and so I confident were his backers that a I match for £2OO a side was arranged. I Stanbury trained very hard; got into I what was believed to be good condiI tion, and was just about the right I weigjit—something like two stone I heavier than his opponent—but not I mere than the ex-champion had rowIml at before, and had won. AA’hen I the race day came, Stanbury was I favorite at slight odds. The AA’ebb I party laid out some £3OO, however, I fearing nothing. They knew their I mar., and backed him, although lie I was opposed by one who was reported Ito bo anxious- to again race George I Towns for the championship. AVelib I j-15 well trained, and weighed lOst I <lo. Stanbury and his trainer were I confident that he would win. So I were liis friends in Sydney, who, it is I believed," had put their money on I hirn. AY hen the race began, the men I rowed oil even terms for a quarter lot a mile. AA’ebb’rowed slightly the I mower stroke, when Stanbury sprint- | d and gained ,an advantage of four I lengths. At -two miles the boats were still separated by about four lengths. So far, both men had rowed hard all the way. At this point Stanburv was joticed to be distressed. AVelib then A r si?? d Lfi’ T° within two lengths. With effective strokes the New Zealander came at the leader. There ■vis great excitement when AYebb had overlapped Stanbury. They had only about 500 yards t.o go. but the Australian was rowed clean out, and AYebb, still strong and comparatively fresh, passed to the front, and bis rival collapsed completely. After the rare, Stanbury expresed tile opinion that ho had met a better man oil the day. He admitted that AA’ebb had surprised him, as he did not think ho could stay out tho distance at the pace.

Speaking of Webb, Trident, in the Sydney Mail, recently remarked : He j has brightened up considerably, and I although he does not. row with the I via: which some others have done, he I gets a very fine run on his boat beI tween strokes. This is done chiefly I lii- the way he pushes his swing home I at tho finish, and the writer has j never seen a sculler get a better com- ■ bination of swing and drive. He does I not get the water quite hard enough, but the boat shoots along with even pace, and as the recovery- is so steady, there is nothing to carry away the speed obtained. - That he can stay any distance is beyond question, tor he has proved liis pluck and grit in. home waters, although so far there lia • i been no means of judging his quality in this respect on the Parramatta. As pointed out before, his steeling is really very- clever, and it n<u been noticed that in his rows on tarn course lie comes down stream as it lie were learning the marks to direct jus-course wjien in the race, il.e knowledge thus gained would be vah ' abl ? to h,m in clue time. I he following paragraph is fron a recent, issno of the Sydney SunEverybody complains that they have never seen V ebb doing any hard work

on the river. "He never seems to bo liunying himself,” is the verdict of everybody, and bis absence from tho river on several occasions during tho week has set people thinking. None of our competent judges are impressid with the Now Zealander’s form, and a fairly easy win is predicted for Charlie Towns, who is undoubtedly rowing in rare form. AVebb is to be seen doing nothing much better than a paddle every day in the week, but is doing some.land work. His method of preparation is like that of'Durban, quite new to out recognised "rules, and sculling expects here shake their heads and will not listen to anything so new and out of the general run. After the Towns-Durnan race, in the early part of March last, the champion could liavehad a race with AVebb for the title and £IOOO stakes, lie decided, and wisely, too, not to race the man who had beaten Stanbury. Shortly after he retired from tho rowing arena, handing over the championship to his brother Charles. TOAA’NS. Charles Towns, who celebrated his 27tli birthday on July 23,- has been rowing for nine years, chiefly in handicaps, in which he has met with a fair amount of success. During tho last few years he has made his-way to tho ranks of tho foremost scullers, and when his brother decided early ill the year to retire from the racing arena he handed the championship of . th o world to Charles. As there is no Professional Rowing Association exisfc- ' ent to govern such matters the exchampion was able to make such d.isposition as ho chose of the honor, and . followed time-honored precedent. ’ Australian experts spoke very highly i of Charles Towns’ abilities, and nev--5 er doubted for a moment his ability t to defeat til© New Zealander. Some p went so far as to declare that he was j superior to his brother George.

SOME OF THE “HAS-BEENS.”

(Special to Times)

AVELLINGTON, August 4. , A AVellington rowing man, who is now, in the words of the famous old song, getting somewhat "slow on the feather,” but who still takes a keen interest in the sport, chatted in an interesting manner to me yesterday regarding some of the past N.Z. champions. He remembers the race in AA’ellington Harbor between Stevenson and Hearn. Hearn was champion of N.Z., and held the championship for several years, until he was almost an elderly man.’ He was a AA'est Coaster, and one of the famous Dolly A’arden crew. Stevenson, who was quite a young man, challenged him, and came over from Australia for tile race, which was rowed in Wellington Harbor on a beautiful, clear, calm day. Stevenson won quite easily. My informant, who was speaking from memory, said he believed Stevenson held the championship until it was taken from him byTom Sullivan. Sullivan was in the old Torpedo Corps in Auckland, and had been accustomed only to rowing in whaleboats. He came down to the capital city- and joined the AA'eilington Rowing Club, in which he formed one of a famous . crew—McKay (stroke), Rose (No. 2), Sullivan (No. 3), and Bridson (bow). Bridson, who is now manager for Briscoe and Co. here, was also a N.Z. amateur champion. McKay was a famous stroke, and fancying Sullivan’s strength and style, lie took him into the boat as his No. 3. Rose is now, .1 believe, an architect at Masterton. This celebrated crew won the championship of N.Z. three years in succession, and held it altogether for four years. Of the four McKay was the first'amateur champion, then came Bridsen, and next Tom Sullivan. Sullivan beat Stevenson for the championship of N.Z. ■ Then, says my informant, he went home and won the championship of England, but lie was defeated on the Thames for the championship of the world. liearn is now working in a timber factory in AVellington.