AQUATICS

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 275, 23 June 1888, Page 3

AQUATICS

Mr. Watson, his well-known bucko , has shipped for Rockhampton, a new boat, for Hanlan. This boat has been presented by Petei O'Sullivan, the Sydney boatbuilder, to lm staunch patron Edward Hanlan Mr O'Sullhan has built this boat hiraseif, and has be-towed on its construction extraordinary pains. She is n beautiful model, and she is considered by experts to be the best boat among the many good ones her builder has turned out. Her dimension; arc as follows 1 — Length, Ml ft bin ; breadth, 10£ in : present woight, 171b : hill weight, gear and fittings, '271b. Mr Watson, who is in constant coi respondence with Hanlan, has leccived a letter from him in which he expre--es his gratification at the hearty and friendly way m which lie has been received in the north. Ho says the Kockhamptonite.s have fully sustained Australia's reputation for friendship and hospitality to the stumper ; and adds that his reception was, indeed, worthy of a prince, lianlau who is about as bad a sailor as lie in a good ."culler, -^ays he had a (splendid passage up, the water being- as smooth as his own natixo Ontaiio Lake in her best mood. Hp was not at all .sea-sick : the captain of the Baicoo (Mr W. W. Hampton) took him under the protection ot his nautical fin, and made him comfoitable during the whole voyage, and landed him safely in Rockhampton even a better man than when he left Sydney, and Trickett may take it for granted that about this there is no gammon. Hanlan luih had a slight cold, bub is now quite recovered ; is quite in love with the Fit/roy, and thinks it an admirable couise. Of Trickett he has a very high opinion, who has no doubt vastly improved on his Thames torm. He [ says that he has by no means a soft thing on, but, on the contiary, think* < Trickett will give him a hard race,' though Hanlan believes he can beat him. On Wednesday, the J3th instant, Hanlan defeated Tricketfc at Brisbane, with the greatest of ease. James Stansbury and Julius Wulf rowed for £100 a side last Satin day week on the Paramatta River course. The weather was fine, with a fresh breeze from the westward, which died away shortly after the race started. The tide was a fast ebb, about half out. and all things favoured a fast race. Before the start the betting was even, bub in some instances 5 to 4 was laid on Stansbury. Both men rowed in the ' buff,' and appeared in good condition for a hard race. J The start was by mutual consent, and was an even one, the sculls dipping together at the same instant and striking about 38 per minute. Wulf soon led, rowing with great power, and ab Uhr s Point had an advantage of half-a-length. On the way across the bay to the mile-point Wulf kept a splendid course, while Stansbury did not steer so well, nor did he show form so good as previously ; still he made the leader row very hard, and later on gradually overhauled Wulf by a grand spurt in much better style. The latter rowed with much labour bo retain his lead, and before bhe mile was reached he wag nearly used up. Just hore Stansbury made a rush, and led by a few feet pasb the beacon, the time being smin. 54sech., which is very good time, although nothing extraordinary. A great struggle then book place to Putney Point, which Stansbury reached in 9min\. osecs. , with two lengths lead. On reaching the Gas Company's Works Stansbury had the race well in hand, and was rowing a long, clean, and powerful siroke, while Wulf was still rowing a game race, but labouring very much. Off Carbarita Stansbury led by tour lengths, the time being 14min. 50secs. Near Oladesville Wulf again spurted and drew up quite close, bub Sfcanabury answered the spurt" and drew away again fast. The time at Gladesville (2£ miles) was 16min. 15secs. Fz'om this to the end of the course there was no change, and bhe leader increased his advanbage iusb as he pleased, bhe distance being rowed in fast time. Stansbury won by three lengths easily in 20min. 46isec, and showed a fine bib of sculling toward the finish. Undoubtedly the better man won, and he shows a great improvement on his previous rowing. His performance was quite brilliant and gives promise of still better

' work. He scaled I2sb. 21b., andisSfb. llin. in height. His age is about 20 years, and he ha/bho appearance of becoming a really good man. Wulf rowed 12st., and he is aboub 24 years of ago. In style ho does nob compare favourably with the winner, bub he has great strength. Mr .). E. Myers acted as umpire. A Sydney paper says :—Stansbury, who beat Wulf on the Parramatta on Saturday, is regarded as tho coming oarsman, and perhaps the finest ever produced. Captain Paul Boyton had a rough adventure on Lake Michigan on March 27th. In tho morning he left Fuilerton Avenue, Chicago, for a swim to South Chicago and re tun". Ho was carried far into the lake, ' stripped of his navigating instrument", and lost for tilteon hours in the drifting ico. From seven o'clock in the morning until midnight the captain was without food or drink.° At midnight, when He was lebcued, bib vitality was almost gone. He Miy.s it was tho hardest experience he had met with in his life. At tho last meeting ot the Victoria How - ing Association, Mr Upward moved tho following resolution : — That in view of the piopot-il to send an Australian crew to England, to row against the amateur oarsmen of Croat Britain, it isi desiiable, in conjunction with the Intercolonial eightoaied laco, to be rowed on the Parrunatta river, New South Wales, in November next, that the amateur oarsmen of the colonies be invited there through their rowing associations, or similar bodies, to take part in a foui -oared i ace in coxswainlest, boats, and also a sculling race, it being understood that the eight-oared and four-oared be vowed on soparate days, and that the oarsmen may or may not row on. both day* Further', that this association gnes its assistance to the New South Wales Assoeia tion in carrying this into ellcet. He said that if Australia sent a crew of amateurs to Enghnd it was essential thai some ~f the men should be able to low in foui -oaied rajes as well as in eights. It would be lequircd that at least ten or ele\cn men should go to England. In view of this he thought it was desirable to bring the oarsmen of all the colonies together once a year. M.my of the colonies would not be able to send eight-oared crews, but they could send a four, if this motion were pasted, it would have the effect of bringing all the rowing men of the colony together. He believed that both Tasmania and New Zealand, as well as the other colonies, would compete. The extra expense, '■o far as Viototia was concerned, would bo trilling. He would ask them to »ive it a tnnl. The pcoplo of New South Wales were greatly in favour of the proposal. If a ciew weie to go home it would be essential that they should ha\c four-oared i aces here firs'-, a.s the men when at home would ha\e to tow a good deal in these kind of contests The motion after a discussion was alteied to lead that the four-oareel iace should be lowed in beib outriggers, and, if possible, without. coxswains, and can led unanimously.