A SURPRISE PACKET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3071, 16 December 1908, Page 5

A SURPRISE PACKET.

WEBB DEFEATED.

THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

ARNST WINS BY SEVEN LENGTHS. LEADS FROM START TO FINISH. CHALLENGER ROWS A POWERFUL RACE. WEBB OUTCLASSED. By Telegraph—Press Association. WANGANUT, December 15. The great event is over, and Wanganui no longer retains the championship, and Webb's supporters are sad to-night. There was nothing like the enthusiasm at the finish of the race as on previous occasions—in fact many hardly realise that the champion was defeated, and no long pronounced cheering greeted the challenger as he passed the winning post. The population of Wanganui was early afloat to-day, and the early trains poured forth strong contingents into the town. Every con - ceivable vehicle, from milk carts upwards, had been pressed into requisition, and all the morning a steady stream of people thronged up each side of the river. The steamers and motor launches were also in great demand. The majority of the local citizens were sanguine that the local champion would still retain the honour, and were quite willing to speculate upon the result, Consequently, up6ii the previous evening a good deal of foreign capital found ready investment, the odds of course not being very extended, except in. a few minor instances.

Along the coast it may safely be said the interest was equally as keen as on the occasion of the WebbTressider match, but enthuiasts state that there was not so large an influx of distant visitors. This was probably accounted for by the approaching festive season. The steamers set out for the starting post at 2.15, light rain commencing to fall. On arrival, Arnst and his trainer were found located under the shelter of large willow trees. Neanng the appointed time for starting Webb pulled up the river, being greeted with cheers.

Both men looked in splendid condition, and little did Webb's Wanganui supporters dream that the challenger had such a "surprise packet" in store for them. The speotators lined the banks from the finishing point to the mile post. Many followed the race home.

Webb won the toss and elected to take_ the inside running. He wore his usual colours (light blue), and scaled Hat 51b. Arnst, attired in. black, scaled 13st 31b. The start was by mutual consent, and after a short interval the great race had started at 4.5. From the steam ars it was hard to obtain a good view at the commencement of the race, but when dome of the gap had beer, made up it was plainly evident that the challenger had a good lead. For the first minute Arnst rowed 34 and Webb 33. Both were rowing excellently in a business-ljke fashion, and showing plenty of weight. A clearer view could be obtained at the bend about a quarter of a mile from the start, showing Arnst to have a lead of nearly half a length. At the half-mil:: Arnst had increased the distance to over a length. .Nothing eventful happened in the remainder of the race to the mile post, although it was plainly evident that Arnst was still increasing the distance.

Webb turned round to locate his position, but apparently he showed no inclination to reduce the gap. Arnst maintained a powerful stroke, keeping in the centre of the stream, while Webb pursued nearly the same course as in the race against Tressider.

At one and a-half miles Arnst had a lead of three lengths, and at two and a-half miles he had gained another length. When the gun announced the finish, the challenger had about seven lengths to his credit. At the quarter-mile both rowed twenty-six strokes, and a similar number at the half-mile. At the finish Webb was rowing thirty and Arnst twenty-four. The official time is given as fol lows:—First mile, smin 45sec; second mile, smin 48sec; total time, 19min 52sec.

Webb admitted that Arnst gained half a length in the first six strokes, but that did not trouble him, as he was never in it from the jump. He appeared to have had enough at the termination of the race, which was finished in pouring rain.

WHELCH INTERVIEWED. RESULT OF RACE A SHOCK TO HIM. WANGANUI, December 15. Whelch, the well-known sculler, interviewed, said that the result of the race came as'a shock to him. He thought Webb must win on the form shown in the training of the two contestants. He was of opinion that Webb seemed tired or under-trained, as he did not seem to be himself

when opening the race, nor did his spurt seem to have any power in it. Even had he been well, to his mind he could not have won. Any fault

previously found in Arnst's sculling disappeared to-day. Arnst, if pushed, could in his opinion have knocked a few seconds off Stanbury's time—l9min 47sec.

Th 6 judge's official verdict was that the race was won by six lengths, but he was not certain. GRATIFICATION IN SYDNEY. Received December 15, 10.58 p.m. SYDNEY, December 15. The news of Arnst's win was received with much gratification in Sydney, and fulfilled the predictions of many prominent aquatic authorities who never wavered in their faith that Arnst had so improved since Webb's visit to Australia that he would be likely to give the champion a shaking. The only surprise was Webb's failure to make the finish harder. Yesterday's contest was the first in thft history of the Sculling Championship of the World in which the contestants were both New Zealanders. ABOUT ARNST. Arnst was born at Tai Tapu (12 miles |rom Christchurch) in 1883. He is better known as a cyclist than a sculler. During his cycling career he has won 61 races, been second on 72 occasions, and third 82 times. He won the Newj Zealand Wheel Race in 1903, and the Sydney Thousand in 1906. Arnst went to Sydney : in July, 1906, to learn rowing.' During that time, however, he gained much experience, mostly in New South Wales, where he has won numerous races, the most important of which was his victory over Harry Pearce, when Beach who acted as umpire on tnat occasion prophesied that he was the coming man. Arnst has defeated S. Kemp, son of ex-champion P. Kemp, twice; also Charlie Towns, and in August last won a match for £2OO a-side against Harry Pearce. Arnst turns the scale at 13st 31bs. WEBB'S RECORD. The man who sent Wanganui mad last year, and incidentally brought world-wide fame to the river town, was born at Lyttelton in 1880, but during the serious years of his life has lived at Wanganui which town he has adopted as his own. He learnt to scull on the wide reaches of the Wanganui river, in the intervals of hard work in an engineering workshop. Webb is the idea! professional sport who places honour and glory before the commercial side. He is very quiet and modest. He uses his brain both in training and racing, and has won his races by his skill as a sculler rather-cban by actual bodily strength. In the thirteen years of his racing career he has won 21 races out of about 31 starts.

The following is his record: 1896—First Maiden Pa ; rs, at Akaroa; second, Double Sculls, at Akaroa; first Maiden Pairs, at Little River; unplaced, Youth Pairs and Double Sculls, at Cbristchprch Regatta.

1897 —First, Junior Fours, at Wanganui.

1898 —Second, Junior Fours, at Wellington; second Junior Fours, at Picton; second, Senior Fours, at Picton.

1900—First Maiden Double Sculls, atWanganui; second, Junior Fours, at Wanganui; unplaced, Senior Fours, at Wanganui. 1902—First Championship Single Sculls* at Wanganui; first, Senior Single Sculls, at Wellington. 1904—First,' Senior Single Sculls, at Wellington; first, Senior Fours, at Wellington; first Senior Fours (best boats), at Wanganui. 1905 Second, Championship Sculls, at Wellington; first, Championship Double Sculls, at Wellington ; first, Senior Singles, at Wanganui; first, Senior Clinker Fours, at Wanganui; first, Senior Fours (best boats), at Wanganui. 1906—First, Champion Singles, at Picton; first, Championship Doubles at Picton; first, Senior Fours, at Waitara;. first, Senior Singles, at Wanganui; second, Senior Fours, at Wanganui; and defeated James Stanbury for the Championship of New Zealand. 1907—Defeated Charles Towns for the Championship of thee World. 1908— Defeated R. Tressider for the Championship of the World. 1908—Defeated by R. Arnst, for the Championship of the World. PAST ♦CHAMPIONS. The following is a list of previous hulders of the Championship since 1890 :

1890— J. M'Lean beat P. Kemp, Parramatta, 22min 31sec. 1891— J. Stanbury beat J. M'Lean, Parramatta, 22min logsec. 1891— J. Stanburj beat J. M'Lean, Parramatta, 18min 25sec; full course not rowed.

1892—J.'Stanbury beat T. Sullivan, Parramatta, ISmin 26|sec; full course not rowed.

1896 J. Stanbury beat C. Harding, Thames, 21min 51sec.

1896 J. Gaudaur beat J. Stanbury, Thames, 23min Isec. 1889— J. Gaudaur beat R. Johnson, Vancouver, 20min 5 4-ssec. 1901— G. Towns beat J. Gaudaur, Canada, 20min 30sec. 1904 G. Towns beat R. Tressidder, Parrarriatta, 21min 48 4-s&ec. 190f» —Stanbury beat Towns, 19min 47sec.

1906—Towns beat Stanbury, 19min 53sec.

1907—Towns beat Durnan, 22min 27sec.

1907—Webb beat C. Towns, 20min 45sec.

1908 Webb beat Tressider, Wanganai, 20min 28sec. 1908—Arnst beat Webb, Wanganui, 19min 53ecs.