SCULLING AT WANGANUI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 706, 8 January 1910, Page 3

SCULLING AT WANGANUI.

FIRST HEATS. Wanganui, January 6, The heats of the first-class scaling handicaps rowed to-day were successful, but as a . financial undertaking it must have proved a disappointment. Comparatively few people patronised the boats which ran up to the course, but a large number of spectators had gathered at the finishing point by two o’clock. The greater number of these, however, brought no revenue to the promoters of the race. The weather was gloriously fine. A light breeze, which rippled the water at the start of the first heat, fell away to nothing, and left the water quite calm. Everybody is looking forward to Saturday’s final, which is expected to prove a great struggle between the three heat winners, Arust, Webb, and Haguey. Arnst rowed a fine race, with the exception of the tendency towards roughness about the half mile, and finished easily. Webb also rowed well, but not up to his best form. His stroke was somewhat short, and he had very little left in him at the end of what was the hardest-fought race of the day. Haguey again showed power in plenty, but was very rough, splashing and scooping repeatedly, and, uothwithstanding his defects, this young sculler has many admirers here who prophesy that be will develop into a champion of the first water. The starters in the first heat were Arust (scr.), Felton (13 sec.) and Kemp (16 sec). All three men set off at a fast pace, but it was soon apparent that Felton was not in his best form. He steered a bad course, dodging from under the willows out towards midstream, and losing a good deal of groundKemp kept his lead well and rowed his usual pretty stroke, and he was still in front at the half mile. The time for the mile was brain. 40sec. Three quarters of a mile from home, Arnst passed Felton and went in pursuit of Kemp, whom he overtook some distance from the winning post, and eventually won pulling up by about five lengths. The time was 13mm. 4Ssec. The winner’s actual time from start to finish was 13mm 32sec. Webb (ssec), Mitchell (i3sec) and Dick Green (23sec) faced the starter in the second heat. With half a mile thrown behind, Mitchell got into trouble with the willows again, and became so hopelessly tangled that he had to pull up for a time, and was thrown out of the race. He started again, but was never in the hunt. The mile was done in 6min 35sec and Green was still leading. Three-quarters of a mile from home it looked as though the task set Webb was too big- The pace was telling on both men, and another quarter of a mile saw Green showing signs of distress. Webb kept plugging away doggedly, and crept up until he was only a length behind. Then began a struggle such as is rarely seen. Webb gradually overhauling Green until he was level. Then a curious thing happened. Green, almost worked out. took Webb’s water at this critical moment, and forced the Wanganui man to go right round his stern and set off on a fresh course. It looked as though this must lose the local sculler the race, but he put in a great effort in the final hundred yards, and, passing Green within a few yards of the post, was proclaimed the winner by three lengths, after a great, but exhausting race. The time was i3inin. 24J2sec., and Webb’s time was 13mm qisec., orayjsec., faster time thau the time taken by Arnst, although it must be remembered that the latter was not pushed, and slowed down after he held the field. The starters in the third heat were; Hagney txosecl, Bob Green (issec.), Larsen (xgsec.), and Te Rewhiti (assec). At the half mile post the limit man still held the lead, but he was towing badly, his boat stopping between every two strokes,

aud a? he began to lire he drew over to the right-hand side of the river, right away from- the other three men, and was taken little notice of. At the mile post the time was 6min. 30sec., aud the position of the men was Green, Haguey, Larsen. From this ppintou there was a good struggle between Green aud Hagney, but the latter prevailed winning by about two lengths. Time 13mm. 3sec. Bob, Green, ot Sydney, has refused a match with Lawson, of Nelson, as it would entail too long a stay in New Zealand with too little return.