SCULLING MATCH. AUSTRALIA V. ENGLAND. MATTERSON V. BUBEAR.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 415, 30 October 1889, Page 5

SCUL LING MATCH. AUSTRALIA Y. ENGLAND. MATTERSON Y. BUBEAR.

Slm.ojal despatches to the Melbourne " Standard " give particulars of the sculling race between Neil Alatterson, of New South Wales, the trainer of Harry Searle, the sculling champion of the world, and George Bubear, the English sculler, for £200 a side and the sculling championship of England, which took place on theThameo course on the 14th. Both men were in fiist-class condition, and for sonio days past a keen contest has been expected. Tho betting was even, there being a strong diversity of opinion as to the merits of the two scullers. There wa^ a large number of spectators present to witness the race, and a good deal of enthusiasm was displayed towards the Australian, which increased when the champion Searle escorted his friend and former trainer to the starting point. The race was a good one, both ecullers rowing well, but the Australian oarsman proved too fast and strong for Bubear. As Matterson passed the flag in tho lead of Bubear, the cheers of the spectators were intense, the victory being evidently a popular one, although a good deal of disappointment was felt at the inability of Bubear to uphold the sculling championship of England. Neil Matterson, who has wrested the sculling championship of England from 1 tieorge Bubear, has been known for some years pas- to be a sculler of considerable merit, and the fact that he was chosen by Harry Searle, the champion of the world, to act as hi 3 trainer previous to his last contests, shows that so good a judge as Searle placed a high value upon his pace, stamina, and style. Matterson had not come into note aB a winner of sculling matches in Australia, The first; race rowed by him was on May 29th, 1885. whon ho defeated C. A. Meseonger. Since then he met 0. Nelson once and P. Komp twice", but was unable to defeat either sculler. His match »vith Nelson

was rowed in 1887, and those with Kemp in 1887 and 1888. He is a very fusb oarsman for a mile or a mile and a half. George Bubear was at one time regarded as the most likely of all the English oaramen to uphold the honour of English eculling, and it was indeed though b that he might develop into a champion. This opinion was strengthened m 1886, when he defeated Peter Kemp on the Thames. In 1887 he beav G. Perkins on the Tyne, for the English Championship, but the following year he had to lower his colour? to VV. itoes, who rowed him on the Putney to Mortlake course for the English championship. He is in the Slsb year of his agei of medium stature, very well built, and his rowing weight is about Hat 41b. Ln the year that William Beach rendered memorable by beating J. Gaudaur and Wallace Ro«s on the Thames 3 , Bubear lowered the colours of Chris. Neilsen.