THE OLDEST CHAMPION

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1929, Page 2

THE OLDEST CHAMPION

HANNAN’S REMARKABLE RECORD.

RACE WITH MASON ON FEBRUARY 2.

WELLINGTON, Jan. 26

Air J. (“Paddy”) Hannan, l’icton the professional sculling champion of Now Zealand, passed through Wellington yesterday, on route to Wliangarei, where lie is to race James Mason (champion sculler of North Auckland) for the New Zealand title. ‘‘When they first, wrote to me about the match.” said Hannan, “I did not feel inclined to take it on as I haven't been rowing for some time, and I’m getting on in years. I was prepared to hand over the title without a race but Mason did not want that. He wants to win it. We’ve had one go, and I boat him. Hut he thinks he can beat me now. If lie does, good luck to him. He is the fastest miler I have ever met, and if he could stay the three mile, he would lie a real champion. Hie race has been rushed on, and I have not had much time or opportunity to get down to training. I will be rowing in a Towns-built (Svd nev) wager-boat, and win or lose, I expect this will Be my last race. The stake is £2OO, and the Wliangarei people are finding me £6O for expenses Otherwise I would not have taken it on.”

Hannan’s career in the sliding seat is a remarkable one. He commenced sculling nineteen years ago, when he was a member of the Wellington and Petone Rowing Clubs, and gingerly tried himself out in the club tubs, which took a bit of shoving through the water compared with the Him racing craft now used in the big sculling races. Models have improved in wager-boats in twenty years as they have in motor-cars, but the old tubs called for muscle and brawn, and Hannan always had plenty of that. By 1913 lie had improved to such an extent that he dreamed of sculling glory. Snell was his belief in his star that in that year he entered for the big Parramatta Handicap in Sydney, and so an tomatieally deserted the amateur for the professional ranks. This race lie won. Hannan at once came into the public eye and almost immediately was matched against Archie Prid die, the ex-amateur champion of New South Wales. Hannan won the race pulling up. Then came the war, and a hiatus in all sport. In 1920 he met William Fogell on the Wairau River (Blenheim), in a race for the championship of New Zealand, and bent him. Fogwell was not satisfied and another match was arranged for next year (also on the Wairau), when Hannan won again easily, and put up the New Zealand record time of ISmin. 50 sec. over a course of 3 miles 100 yards

Tlie next challenger was F. Wells, whom Hannan defeated twice in 1921 once on the Wairau and once on I’icton harbour. Then came Alf. Felton, of Sydney (who won the Manawatu •Handicap years before). This race was rowed at Nelson, and created great interest, as Felton was Australian and Hannan the New Zealand champion. This made the race one for the Australian title. It was a mck-and-ucck struggle the whole way Hannan managing to win by 3 foot only. That was in 1922. The following year Hannan was challenged by \\. McDovitt, the Tasmanian champion. The race took place on the Riverhead course (Auckland), and again the New Zealander won. The following year (.1924) Dick A rust endeavoured to stage a “come-back” but the once world champion could not make itHannan defeated him easily on the Waikato River. The next race was in 1925 at Tauranga, when Hannan defeated Darcy Hadlield by twelve lengths. Hannan first met. Mason at Whangarei in November. 1926, and beat: him by four lengths and on the strength c>! that race says emphatically that he (Mason) is the fastest miler ho has ever met. “I have been told.’ said Hannan “that I have won more races tliiin any other professional sculler in the world also that I am the oldest sculling chain pion that ever was. 1 was 45 Inst August.”