SCULLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 95, 7 September 1912, Page 7

SCULLING.

| HOW AUK ST WAS BEATEN I Sydney, August 28. Accounts of the race on the Thames for the sculling championship of the world were telegraped to both morning papers here to-day from Fremantle on the arrival of the English mail steamer there. The story as told by the representative of the Sydney Morning Herald is as follows.— "Yesterday Arnst was defeated by his challenger, Ernest Barry. There was no doubt about the beating, and Arnst, good sportsman that he is, offered no excuse or explanation. 'I was beaten by a better man,' he said afterwards, 'and Barry has my hearty good wishes. He is a fine sculler.' As a matter of fact, there has never been any r doubt in the minds of those who had seen both men that Barry is much the more finished oarsman, and, as it happened, the day was one on which a man with skill, neatness, and finish ihad all the advantage. To bring himself down from his normal weight to sculling weight 'had been a task far bigger than those who have not seen Arnst can well realise. It is enough to depress any man, and one could see that Arnst was : depressed by it. He had to pull down | his weight by 301b in three months by sheer hard work. Tt was a tremendous job, and I doubt if Arnst was ever very confident about the result. Mr Guy Xickalls, the famous Oxford "blue." and others who saw Arnst- on the Zambesi, all appear to believe that the suddenness with which lie had to reduce 'his weight has been too great a strain. ])ETEKIORATED FORM.

"I do not think," says the correspondent, "there were any good judges- who saw him start yesterday wiio thought he was up to the form he showed on the Zambesi in point of strength, and as for oarmans'hip, the water which lie tan into was such as to put any man's skill to the most searching test, where Barry passed Arnst; but it seemed such another day as that on which the boat in the Cambridge and Oxford race sank last April. Several of us had intended wak'hing the race from Hammersmith Bridge; we crossed the bridge but seeing the white horses and rollers tumbling down Chiswick just above, we went to that point instead. It was clear that if anything happened any of the boats it would be at that point of the course. The river there takes a sweep to the south, and the wind was blowing down, full against the tide. However, the race was- rowed only a little before high water, and as "the tide slackened the water became somewhat smooth. Still it was a problem what would happen to the boats wlien they reached this stretch. The time when tliey were due 'had long since passed, and it turned out afterwards that Barry had come out on, time, but Arnst, who had won the toss, had put back twice to have his oars attended to, as he found them soapy. This delayed the start, for 10 minutes, during which time Barry was waiting in the rain, with a sweater thrown over his shoulders. Arnst was not, however, to < be blamed for this delay, and Barry made j no fuss about it. Arnst those the southern side, where the. shore protected him j for the first half of the course. A start I was made at once by mutual consent,i and eight minutes later there was a stir in the crowd at the beginning of Chiswick reach, aand the boats "shot into our view under Hammersmith Bridge. THE RACE.

"Arnst had led from the start, ami had drawn clear in the first half mile. At the mile he had led by one and a half lengths, and a little further on he had actually been two lengths ahead. But at this point Barry spurted, and Arnst found that he could not shake him off. He said afterwards. "Although I had not had a really hard race to Hammersmith, I found I could not increase my pace as I anticipated.' It was just at this point, when Arnst was leading by about half a length, the boats plunged into rough water in Oheswiek Reach! As the two shells went into it they looked like cruisers going head on into a heavy sea, cutting through the water, pitching and plunging from wave to wave in a manner one had never imagined possible for racing skid's. Although Arnst was leading, the difference between his work and Barry's was most marked. The heavier man's boat rolled considerably, whereas the waves seemed to make little difference to Barry's style. Tie was scullins lightly and neatly. .Although to those Australians who had seen Arnst defeat Pearee, it seemed even here, that the champion must be rowing well within himself. It was clear that Barry was wonderfully undisturbed, and uncomfortable doubts as to (li? lesult beg,lll to make themselves felt. Doubts wer? soon over. A little above thin the river takes a turn and here, for the first time in (lie race, Barry was able to run into smooth water before his opponent. Barry's pace at once showed. Whilst Arnst was still flounder in g in the sea, Barry was ahead, and Arnst. when he followed him into smooth water, was too far behind to make victory possible. By a really splendid spurt he managed to get within two lengths of Barry, and then stop, completely rowed out. Just short of the winning point Barry rowed fast, and then dropped over his oars and hid his face in his hands. A little later Arnst paddled up to 'him and shook him heartily by the arm. Barry was right when lie said afterwards, 'l'met a thorough good sportsman in Arnst, and I shall never forget his magnificent spurt near the finish.'"

Both men were steered by their trainers, who followed them in the bow seats of two nine-oarcd boats, which were rowed for the occasion by seven men.