AFTER THE RACE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2380, 22 December 1908, Page 2

AFTER THE RACE.

WEBB’S WEAK LEFT ARM.

A TOUCH OF .'MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM.

INTERESTING INCIDENTS

AVriting the day after the sculling race, the special reporter of the “Dominion” said: It rained through the night at Wanganui, and continued to rain throughout the day, as if there was no stopping the downpour, so symbolic of Wanganui’s loyal grief. Few really cared about the championship—it was AVebb they were all sorry for. During the days of his triumph, he has been such a fine quiet fellow, never for one moment showing the pride . that must have been in him. And now that the time has come when he must tlike his honored place in the list of exchampions, he still bears himself as all who knew: him would have wished

-—modest in victory, manly and /without bitterness in the hour of his defeat. On a flagstaff on the .'hill high above St. John’s, Wanganui, yesterday morning, flew' -a Union Jack-half-mast —in the dull rain.. It typified the local feeling exactly. Webb has almost become a fetish in the district, and even when two miles of the course was sped and the riace was 'practically over, some thought that the local man had some miraculous power somewhere that would be exerted during the fast mile to the discomfiture of the big man ahead. Among the most enthusiastic admirers' and supporters lie had were the Maoris of the district, over a hundred of whom followed the race from start to finish on horseback along the riverside road. There must have -been between" 200 and 300 horsomen —Maori -and pakelia—ill the gallant cavalcade who jingled and jostled along in the rain behind the willows, and of these the Maoris kept up an incessant roar of shouted comment. “Wiri orriglit, you see! He come soon!” But War.i could not do so, even to please his Native friends. About opposite the two-mil 9 post, one Maori horseman stood up in his stirrups in the middle of the squad, and yelled—“l pet one thousand pounds to five shillings AViri win!” There were no takers. Only the desire to gallop past the next clump ol; willows to get another view of tlie river -and the race possessed the minds of those on horseback. It was such a good bet, too! AVEBB’S WEAKNESS.

Now it is .all over .everybody in Wanganui is talking about what the very few knew before the race. AVebb lias a weak (left arm, muscular rheumatism or something of the sort occasionally troubles him. It did on Tuesday. ®This 'is not uneiant in any way to be an excuse for Ins defeat, for had his left arm been as good or a better limb than his right the result would have been much the same. His opponent was -higher-geared, and bud the strength to drive it. The weakness referred to appears tb 'have -been fitful, and was not felt sin the Towns or Tresidder race, hut at a trial last week it is said to have pulled him up pretty sharp, hut it was all kept very quiet, and those who were “in the know” (hoped that a little nursing might put off the evil hour —hence the early cessation of rowing exercise. More than one suspected the weakness" during the race. Webb made no attempt to _ get out of Arnst’s wash at the mile, and later on, when the weakness developed, the strong right pulled him right across the river, and nearly got him into trouble with the willows at first, and afterwards with a pleasure boat. This of course is the explanation of his erratic steering, noted by me in my report yesterday. It is not likely that AVebb will row again. Still, prowess as an oarsman lias done him no harm. He has earned for himself a nice little cottage home rat- Aramoho /with a boatshed by the riverside, and he has a comfortable -billet with the AVanganui Steel Pipe AVorks, and is the best of good and contented -men. Ho takes an interest in dogs, and has a wellbred greyhound, land is no mean shotwith a rifle, as was evidenced recently at the up-river camp. Air. Tuck says that AVebb has never bet -a shilling on himself. FLOYD’S OPINION. ‘

Harry Eloyd, the veteran trainer, who took Arnst in hand, told me this morning that he never had any doubt about the issue of the race. “ What did I tell them in Sydney?” he queried. “I said if Dick can’t beat Webb I’ll never look at a boat again, and I’ve never changed from tlnat opinion. If 'l’d had plenty of money I’d have bet 10 to 2 that AA r ebb would never head him an inch, but having only my little bit of cash 1 wanted odds, and got them.” Floyd informed Barnett that lie did not think there was anything in his (Barnett’s) building-up manner of training. “I can’t believe that a &nan can put on four or five pounds weight in a few days, and not develop fat somewhere inside.” BarSiett told Floyd in answer to his opinion that he (Floyd) know nothing about it. AVas the “building-up necessary, or did the left arm need rest? A - . Floyd, who was on the umpire s boat, made Arnst’s times as follow: Mile, omin 35sec; two miles, 11mm 40sec: full distance, 19min olsec—which is only a second shorter than the official time. He is prepared to swear that the first male was covered in some seconds less than the official time (smin 43sec), and makes out tlie second mile to have taken longei than stated officially.