CHAMPION SCULLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1921, Page 3

CHAMPION SCULLING.

THE WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP. MATCH BETWEEN ARNST AND HANNAN. There is an imminent possibility of another sculling race for the •championship of the world taking place in New Zealand this year. As soon as Bqrry beat Alf Felton for the world’s 'championship in Sydney last year Arnst challenged the winner—his old rival on the Zambesi—and as the championship rules say that a challenge must be accepted in three months and rowed for within nine, it follows that as Barry has not accepted. Dick Arnst is once more champion sculler of tiie world.* Since, then negotiations have been carried on between Arnst'and Hannan for a match, which took more definite shape when Hannan succeeded in beating Fogwell for the champion-hip of New Zealand, and lost it again nn :• forfeit owing to Hannan’s knee going back on him. LETTER FROM ARNST. Writing on December 9 to Hannan, Dick Arnst says: “I have just received the Referee, and notice that you have put in your challenge, and. of euurs \ ns you are the first in you get first race.” There are also references to <Hle gate and expenses, etc., but all that concerns Hannan and New Zealand is tin? paragraph above quoted, which pledges Arhst to Now Zealand. and as. he is champion of the world (by forfeit) the. interesting situation arises in a contest once more between two Now Zealanders. Hannan, it will he remembered, was beaten by William Webb on the Wanganui River in. 1915, but in November 1; f he heat Fogwell rather easily on the Wai ran. After a long rest Hannan says his knee fools quite well again, and he informed a Dominion reporter on Friday that ho thinks ho will be able to bo fit without risking his knee doing road work. Arnst is seemingly keen to come over, and Hannan has intimated to him that a gate of £5OO is possible if the match is for the championship of the world. THE POSITION REVIEWED. “Argus,” in the Sydney Referee, reviews the position as follows: •’Dick Arnst, an ex-champion of the world, has again become holder of the title as by forfeit from Ernest Barry. The position is set forth in the current Sunday Times, thusly: “ ‘On August 20’ Dick Arnst lodged a deposit of £lo'o with the editor of the Sunday Times to bind a match with the winner of the Felton-Barry match for the world’s championship, which resulted in a win for Ernest Barry. By the rules the holder of the title has three months in, which to accept a challenge. Failing Acceptance within that period a forfeit results. Tl;e three months has elapsed, and, furthermore, Barry has announced his retirement from sculling, thus Arnst becomes again holder of the title. Arnst has been in tuim challenged by J. (Pat) Hannan, ot Blenheim (N.Z.), and to bind a match Hani nan has deposited £25 with Mr. R. P. Furness, proprietor of the Marlborough Express, Blenheim, and Mr. Furness Aas duly notified Arnst of the fact. SFen yesterday (Saturday) Arnst intimated that he would at once accept Hannan’s challenge.

“I will amplify Arnst’s statement by saying that in the course of a chat he made a statement which I understand to be in substance as follows:—‘I am a great believer in a, strict adherence to the rules, and cannotrbe held responsible for what others may say or do., The qable tells us that Barry has definitely retired, and as there is no acceptance to my challenge, made in strict conformity to the rules, in a specified time, I claim that I am now the holder of the title. Hannan is-the first to challenge me and make a deposit, and I shall at once accept same.’ “At this juncture let me endeavor to follow more or less recent happenings in something near to their order of taking place. 'Somewhere about the end of last August it was announced that Arnst was prepared to row dames Paddon, champion of Australia, for big money, and the Australian champion visited Sydney and quickly picked up the gauntlet, Arnst deposited £25 to clinch a match with Paddon, and the last-named deposited £25 for a match with Arnst. However, the deposits were with different papers —Paddon, as holder of the Referee Challenge Cup put up his money with the Referee. And it is still at this office. Then D. W. Ripley, of Hexham, champion of New South Wales, lodged a deposit of £25 at the. Referee office to bind a match with Arnst. Ripley was at Brisbane for the sculling carnival at the time, and lodged his money with the Courier, and it was transferred to this office. No answer has been vouchsafed, to this challenge, and the money is 1 still here. Then J. (Pat) [ Hannan comes into the picture. 8i11,.’ I Fogwell, emerging from a lengthy re- . tir.ement, arranges to meet Hannan for I a subscribed purse on the Wairau River ‘aL Blenheim, and Arnst Cat Brisbane a*

the time) off exp to either join in and | make it a three-cornered contest, or he would row Hannan. Billy Fogwell meets Pat Hannan on the Wairau River for the subscribed purse, and the Blenheim sculler wins. Fogwell asks for a return match on the same terms and conditions as the Fogwell-Hannan match. McDevitt may be cut out of the picture here because no answer to his cabled offer has been vouchsafed. To continue: Hannan agrees to a return match with Fogwell for £2OO on each side and the title of champion of New Zealand, which lie claims to have won from Fogwell, but which apparently is held by Billy Webb. Finally, Hannan posts a £25 deposit to row Arnst for the world's championship, as, according to the rules, Arnst is understood to have won that title by forfeit on the part of Barry. And the very latest, as mentioned above, is that Arnst accepts Hau- | nan’s challenge. “And if Arnst and Hannan meet for the world’s championship, it will not be the first time two New Zealanders have contested the title—Arnst twice beat Webb, and once defeated George Whelch. “But the question at once arises, i where does James Paddon come in? and ■ w’ a mt of Billy Ripley? First and forei most is the case of Paddon. Sentiment i in the form of one Digger to another , Digger prompted A. D. Felton to give j Barry a return match, although James I Paddon was first in with a challenge—result, Paddon for the time being squeezed out. Then Arnst challenges the winner of the return match between Felton and Barry and well before the race is rowed. Result, Paddon still in the cold. Now Hannan challenges Arnst. Result, Paddon still not in the picture. ■ “I am quite prepared to admit that, situated as he is, Arnst must, by adher- ! ence to the rules, take notice of Hani nan's challenge, but the position i don is placed in is intolerable—he is 4jie i champion of Australia, and believed by ; many to be tl>’ world’s best sculler now i that Barry has retired, and yet he ean- ! not get a race, and this despite he has I been challenged to race and has acceptj ed the challenge.” i Speaking recently, Hannan said the match was likely to come off in May, but whether on the Wairail River or at Picton had yet to be do-ud.-’d.