SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1024, 1 August 1911, Page 4

SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

ARNST DEFEATS PEARCE. RECORD TIME. DICK’S OLD STORY. Sydney, July 31. Dick Arnst (holder) defeated Harry Pearce (challenger) for the world’s sculling championship and a purse of a-side on the Paramatta course on Saturday. The race was one of the most gruelling on record. The weather conditions were perfect, with a bright sun, smooth water and a steady westerly wind right behind the scullers, and the tide was in their favour. Arnst won the toss and chose the inside course.

T he men got away well together, the champion rowing thirty-four strokes to the minute, and Pearce thirty-seven.

There was no advantage for the first 200 yards when Arnst, pulling close to Pearce, was forced to stop and lose a stroke. This gave the challenger the advantage of a length, which he held to Uhr’s Point (the mile). The defender’s mighty strokes then began to tell and he started to gradually overhaul Pearce. He managed the corner badly, however, and got into Pearce’s water, and was within an ace of colliding. Arnst had to stop rowing lor a couple of strokes and allow Pearce to draw ahead.

Pearce kept on, thus showing good sportsmanship, as, had he stopped, Arnst must have collided, and lost the race on a foul.

After negotiating the point “Dick” bent his great back and settled down to a steady pull of about twenty-eight to the minute. He overhauled at the mile and a half, when Pearce was rowing slightly the quicker stroke, but not with the same power. Once in front Arnst headed for home and rowed like a machine, gaining steadily until at Cabarita he led by six lengths. Pearce, undaunted, pulled magnificently and tried repeated spurts, but the New Zealander was too powerful and kept driving on in heart breaking fashion. Rounding Putney, a few hundred yards from home, Arnst was leading by a good ten lengths. He dropped to a twenty-two strokes to the minute, and then Pearce looked round and wavered, but put in a last tremendous though futile, effort.

Without doubt Arnst was never once fully extended, and when he passed the post a winner by four lengths, he immediately stopped rowing, and dipped his hands one after the other into the water.

It had been a fearful strain and too much for the champion’s condition, causing him to vomit. Pearce, in the last struggle, felt the agonising torture of defeat, and when the pistol was fired placed his hands before his face and sobbed.

The time ot 19 minutes 46 seconds, is a record for the world’s championship. The first mile was rowed in 5 minutes 39 seconds. The attendance was easily a record, probably nearly 100,000 witnessing the struggle.

The river was black with small craft. Pearce admits that Arnst is too good for him, and he will not challenge him again.

Arnst declares that it was the hardest race of his life.

Beach, the veteran sculler, declares that there is nobody in sight to beat Arnst.