SCULLING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3062, 5 December 1908, Page 7

SCULLING.

THE WOKLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP. ARNST v. WEBB. The Sydney "Daily Telegraph" says:—"The fact that the New Zealand, suppurters of Webb, the world's sculling champion,'refuse to lay odds on their man shows plainly what their feelings are with regard to Arnst's sculling powers. No doubt there is very little Arnst money in New Zealand at present, but there should be plenty of it from Australia before the race comes off. Arnst is thought a great deal of by Sydneyites, and very few enthusiasts entertain an idea that he will loose. Practically every oarsman and sculler in Sydney is a firm supporter of Arnst." Commenting on the above paragraph, Victor, in the "Wangaiiui Herald." remarks: —"The fact "chat Webb's friends refuse to lay odds on his abilty to win, does not necessarily mean that they think Arnst has as much chance of winning as Webb. Since, however, it is admitted that every oarsman and sculler in Sydney is a firm believer in Arnst, and Sydney people claim to be the greatest authorites on sculling in the world, can it be expected that we here are going to lay odds on cur man, who is regarded by sv many Australians as sure to be beaten? Just .here I might say that my own opinion is that Webb is not going to meet his Waterloo on the 15th December. I may be wrong, but I have certainly not yet seen Arnit do anything to cause me to think he can beat Webb. Of course, it may be that a revelation is in store for us on Tuesday week next, but I feel confident that the championship is safe m Webb's keeping, bar accidents. I am well , aware that many fancy that Arnst has not shown his best form here yet, and that on the day we are in for a big surprise. This may be so, but until I have ocular demonstration of the big fellow's ability to beat Webb I intend to pin my faith to the Wanganui oars::>an. We are told that it is going to be another Hanlan-Beach race, that Arnst will keep driving Webb-along at such a pace that the i latter will eventually be rowed to a standstill and the cyclist will then go on, and pick up that £I,OOO and the championship title. Good luck to him 'if he can do so. I'll believe it when I see it, but until then 1 am content to let Webb carry my money, though- I am looking forward to seeing a most exciting struggle. It is good to know that Arnst is now down to 13st 51b, and anticipates no trouble in reducing his weight another 31 bs or so by the dav, which means that he expec 8 tdstep into his boat in perfect order. Dick celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday, and the heartiness .of the 'Many, Happy Ketarns of the Day, Dick!" which reached him mint have convinced him that he had a lot of friends here. It is*only natural that the. majority of the local sports hope to See Webb win, but if the latter IS as fit on the day as there is every prospect of him being, and Dick can demonstrate that he is the better man no one will withhold from him all due credit. He will be a worthy champion if he can defeat Webb, even allowing that most of the Australian critics have so far refused to concede that the Wanganui man is fit to rank with the past champions. We are told that if he (Webb) can defeat Arnst then the Sydney writers will be prepared to admit that they have underrated him in the past. They had excuses to make for Stanbury (though Jim made none himself), for Charlie Towns and for Dick Tresidder, and if Arnst succeeds they will probably ..declare that they were justified in i refusing to hail Webb as a sculler, : of the highest class. On the oth<r hand those who know most about the game here do not hesitate to state their conviction that Webb is equally as good as any of the past champions, and if Arnst can defeat him it will simply prove that the latter is in a class by himself—that he is the best the world has yet produced." The champions meet on the 15tn instant, and when the race is over no doubt there will be many who will be able to explain how the result could,not be otherwise than what it was. It is apparent, however, that the contest will be intensely close and exciting.