SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW ZEALAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 444, 8 February 1890, Page 5

SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP OF NEW ZEALAND.

, HEARN V. STEPHENSON. Victory for the Auckland Man. , .-•••<•- !" J r ' After a number of postponements, which Were becoming wearisome to the public anff the rowers, Stephenson and Hearn have at last been able to get oft their match on Wellington waters, and it lias ended in a fairly easy victory for the young Aucklander. The match has been looked forward to with interest for some time past, ever since Stephenson issued his challenge on September 12tb, 1889. Hearn lost no time in accepting, and since then both men have been in active training, Stephenson’s being chiefly on the Paramatta River, Sydney. He arrived in Wellington about a fortnight ago vyith his trainer Neil Matterson, and has since been doing good work on Wellington harbour when the wind would allow. The match was for £IOO a-side and the Championship of New Zealand. It is the fourth that has taken place, the last being on January 2, 1885, at Riverton.

THE RACE. AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION. , WON VERY EASILY. Wellington, F#b. 5. The sculling race between Charles Stephenson and William Hearn, for £IOO a-side and the championship of the colony, was rowed over the championship course, miles in length, this morning. The weather was very warm, and the water like a sheet of glass. The referee’s boat, containing the press and others, was crowded, and the road was lined with carriages and equestrians. All other points of vantage, both at the railway and Queen’s Wharves and on the shipping, were literally packed. The course was from the point beyond Ngaruanga to the north end of the Queen s Wharf.. - - ' 1 '7' - """" : Matterson won the toss for Stephenson and took outside position, though there was no advantage in either. As the men were preparing to Btart 10 to 4 was offered on Stephenson without takers. Matterson then offered 3 to 1 and was accommodated several times. The start was by mutual consent, and no time was lost in getting away. Both dashed away with 36 strokes to the minute, and Stephenson was getting more pace out of his boat and soon had a lead of a length. -.- * ■ ■ With the mill left behind Hearn was rowing 31, while Stephenson, with a longer strobe; had little difficulty in keeping in front. Betting now was first five and then six to one on Stephenson. • When passing off Kaiwarra three or four boats’ lengths separated the men, Hearn rowing 30 and Stephenson 27. 1 Here Hearn in response to cheers from his friends in the steamer spurted, but could not reduce the gap, and the race was, bar accidents, a moral for Stephenson. ) • The latter was giving Hearn back wash and rowing well within himself. He passed the judge’s boat three lengths in front amid cheers from the crowds on the wharf. Time, 22min 22 3-sth sec, which is two minutes faster than when Hearn defeated Messenger for the Championship. Dr. Fell was referee and Mr Geo. Fisher, M.H.R., jndge. Hearn’s leg appeared to give him some trouble and he wore a bandage on the cq.lf, and blood could be seen trickling from it. After the race a subscription was started on the boat for the loser and a fair amount was collected.

CHARLES STEPHENSON was born in Hobson-streeb, Auckland, on -the 20th March, 1864, so that he is just a little over a month short of 26 years of age. He is a tall, wiry-looking man, standing 6 feet 2 inches in bis * stockings, and weighing about 11A stone when in condition for a race. His father was the late Mr Charles Stephenson, at one time bookkeeper at the Shortland Saw-mill, Thames. The rower himself spent a’good part of his life at the Thames, and many years at the Northern Wairoa. , While in the Wairoa Stephenson was boatman for the Hon. Mr Mitchelson on the river.' This probably made him think of racing; and he and one J; Wilson had a match with the two Brown Bros., for £SO a-side, owinning pretty easily. He has rowed a number of other races on the same river, and has-been a member of the Northern Wairoa crew at the Anniver-sary-Regattaof 1889. ! ‘ -' ‘ ; Finding that there was little chance of doing much at professional sculling in New Zealand, our Aucklander went over to Sydney. There he was a pupil of Hanlan’s for some time; and when the latter was in Auckland he spoke well of Stephenson’s prospecte. After issuing several challenges Stephenson got.on a match with Joe Kemp, Peter Kemp’s brother, considered a very good second-class man. The match was rowed on, August 30th, and Stephenson won pretty in ,yery good time. ,: A ; few weeks back he rowed : a big racei with 1 McLean,’; who: is; matched to row. Matterson, and who claims to, be in- ; the front ; rank/ ofc Australian; scullers,, and, though, beaten, • did not dis-! grace’.ipmself.. . ; M J ~, Though it was .ex pected. -that Stephenson would,;win the present, race, i ;there were" many who pinned their faith to the older man, who it was considered had never been tried.

WILLIAM HEARN, until to-day holder of the Championship of New Zealand, was born about 1850, and Is, there:ore, about forty years of age. He has held the position of champion since July 9th, 1881, when he defeated Albert. White, of Mercury Bay. His next race was with Messenger, of Australia, who had come to this colony under an assumed name and won some races. Hearn defeated him easily at Wellington on March 25th, 1882. His next struggle was at Riverton on January 2nd, 1885, with Harrington, and again Hearn was successful. Since then he has remained unchallenged till Stephenson called on him. He went to Australia some little time back, but had no great success in the races for which he entered.