A SCULLING CHAMPION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2032, 5 March 1908, Page 1

A SCULLING CHAMPION.

TRESIRDER ARRIVJfItf 1M GISIHIRNE. TILE AUSTRALIAN ON HIS LATE RACE. Richard Trosiddcr, roeonUy defeated by Wobb for tin* championship of (lie world, arrived in Gisborne yesterday morning lor tin* purpose o." spending a holiday for about, a wool;. Ho was sought out by a “Times” representative yesterday illei-iioon, and in tlio oour.so of a short chat gave some- in forest mg particulars regarding bis late race and about biinsolf. THE LATE RACE. Tresidder bad not mnob to say regarding the rooo.it race. In the morning the weather was against the gate, but the weather improved in the afternoon and at the time li,u race was rowed the oonditions were perfect. A bet tor * sheet of water could not have been procured. It was practically dead water all 'the way. though over the list mile and a quarter the rowers were affected by the wind. The public was catered for verv well in all respects. Tresidder trained hard for the race for six weeks in Australia and for eight weeks in Wanganui .though lie had been more or less in training since June list. Tresidder rowed with Gil in blades to his sculls and AVobh with GJ, though Tresidder would have liked to have had blades of Tin. The wider blade enabled a rower to got more paeo out of his boat, but more strength was required lor the wider blades. Webb bad no advantage from bis more inthn ite knowledge of the course. If AVobh and Tresidder were put together oil the course Tresidder lie is certain lie could row the better course. His system of steering was superior to Webb’s. He was only over the course three or four times, but. bo could row from end to end without once looking round. He could do the same on the I’u ramatta course, though of course lie was fairly lamiliar with it.

The following Press Association cablegram from Sydney received yesterday, was brought under Tresidder’s notice: “Eogwell savs that Tresidder was not at his best when lie, met AA'ebb. He showed no dash ; lie always felt too sure, and appraised Wobi) too cheaply.” lie said Fogwell is quite mistaken ill Ins assertions. hie (Tresidder) had never un-der-estimated AVobb, and had let his friends know be expected a hard tussle, lie bad started the race at. bis best, lie bad rowed his best, and was fairly beaten on his merits. AUSTRALIA AMD THE CHAMPIONSHIP. Asked as to It. Arnst, who has challenged AYebb for the championship of the world, Tresidder said ho had never seen him row, so lie could give no indication of his chances against AA’ebb. Arnst was well.spoken of in Australia and he (Arnst) was con tide lit lie could get backing either in Australia or New Zealand. In Australia Fogwell was looked to to challenge on behalf of Australia-, but Tresidder thinks lie is hardly the man to win the championship. TRESI ODER'S RETIREMENT. It is Tresidder’s intention to retire now from rowing. He leers that- lie is growing too old to do justice to rowing. It was very probable that ho would settle in New Zea--1 inch A LONG SUCCESSFUL CAREER. Tresidder started his rowing career in 1890, when he was IS years old, coining third in a double scull race on Luke- Alacquarie. \A ith Redford he, started seven times in double scull races and won on six occasions, lie started also with others ill double sculls and was fairly successful,, nnd lie was successful also in single sculls at various regattas. in IS9-1 Tresidder started his match career, when be beat Jordan over a quarter of a mile, lip 1890 lie beat Jim Ford (brother of his pacer in the recent race) for £SO a side over 3 miles. In 1899 lie beat AVorboys over 3 miles for £SO a side. This race was rowed in watermen’s skiffs, which weigh about 250 lbs, are 22 feet long, have a beam of 4ft Sin and a draught of lSin. In 1900 lie beat AVorboys in best-and-best bolts, AVorboys being conceded 15 seconds start. In 1903 lie beat Harry Pearce in a race for the championship of Australia. (Tresidder still holds this title). In 1901 lie met George Towns in a race for the championship of the world, but was beaten. From that date till last year lie did not do any rowing. In June 1907 ho met anil defeated Ren Thoroughgood over 3 miles for the championship of Australia and £IOO a side. He then issued a challenge to the winner of the AYebb-Towns race for the championship of the world, and the result of that cli-al-longe is still fresh in the public mind. CHAMPIONSHIP RULES. The lack of rules for governing contests for the world’s championship was pointed out. At present it was not obligatory oil the champion to accept any challenge, and if AA'ebb should so desire lio could merely ignore all challenges and retain tho title of champion till his death. Rules had boon drawn up, but they had not been, confirmed. These rules were unsatisfactory. In these rules a champion was allowed three months in which to accept a challenge, but it was allowable to lodge another challenge during that three months, when a further three months was allowed before the race had to be run ; and if that rule had been adopted it was conceivable that a champion might hold the title for years without rowing a race as a result of the delay which was liable to occur. At present there were no rules ol any sort. There should be a rule making it obligatory oil a champion to row at least two races a year —a man who could not row twice a year was not wanted in “big’’ rowing. THE FINANCE OF SCULLING. “Sculling,” said Tresidder. “is the hardest of all sports, and the worstpaid.” He explained that the recent match resulted in each competitor. receiving £2OO from the gate. As a rule scullers depended on the o-ate to nay training expenses, which were fairly heavy. Nine out of ten scullers were not moneyed men and bad to rely on the public for everything. AVobb was lucky in getting one man to back him —he (Tresidder) had to gather his backing from about 300 people. DIFFERENT COURSES. “Tho course I vowed on at AA'anganui.” said Tresidder, “is the best T hive ever been on.” The Parramatta course was a hard one to row on. There were a number of deep buys along tho river, and the run of the tide in and out ol these bays made correct steering a matter of some difficulty. The Nepean course was shallow -and the river was lull of weeds, but the Hunter river course was a good one.