SCULLING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9224, 23 June 1909, Page 5

SCULLING.

CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE

WORLD.

A MAGNJFICENT STRUGGLE. ARNST WINS BY THREE LENGTHS. By Telegraph- Press Association. WANGANUI, June 22. The race for the Sculling Championship of the World between R. Arnst, holder, and W. Webb, challenger, was decided to-day in beautiful weather.

Both meti appeared to be in the best of condition. Webb won tLie toss and chose the Kaiwhake side. Both got away well, Webb doing 37 strokes a minute, and Arnst 35. Webb had a slight advantage during the first quarter of a mile, and rowed a fine, clean style. Arnst's superior weight appeared to tell in his favour, and at the mile he closed upon Webb, and gradually out-distanced the challenger. Webb appeared to be tiring. At the two-mile post the champion was still gaining, having two lengths to the good, but Webb made a strenuous effort, and soon decreased the gap, his spurt lasting for fully a quarter of a mile. Arnst kept rowing in a determined style, and threequarters of a mile from home a magnificent struggle took place. Webb made a final effort, and gained at every stroke, but Arnst, straining every nerve, maintained the lead, and shot past the winning post three lengths ahead of the challenger.

Both men were thoroughly exhausted, and received an ovation. The time for the race was 18min 15sec.

Interviewed, Arnst said that he considered Webb rowed the race of his life. Tlie challenger had the best of the start and kept him rowing all the way. He is satisfied that Webb is a great sculler. Arnst was doubtful about the race, as he has not been too well lately. He was extremely pleased with the reception. Arnst could say nothing definite as to his future movements until he had seen his backers.

Webb said it was a hard race. He had done his best, and waa satisfied (that he was not good enough to beat Arnst. He had trained bard, and had the best attention and felt well all through the race except at the mile when he began to feel a weakness in one of his legs, whieli nasaed away. He did not give up hope, but | he could not get up to Arnst at the } finish. Arnst and he went on the I mark good friends, and were I friends still. He wo;.ikl have two i months' spell before ho would row again. It is estimated tnat a crowd of between 6,000 and S.OfiO witnessedthe race. .RECORDS OF THE TWO SOU LLERS. R. ARNST. The champion. Arnst, ia man 1 who simply jumueu into prominence ks a sculler. He is 25 or 26 years

,of age. Practically all of Arnst's sculling has been learned in New South Wales, and that is why his chances were so well liked in Sydney prior to his contest with MVebb, in which he scored a hollow victory. He first caught the publiq eye by pulling' second to Pearce in his Anniversary Handicap of 1905. His first victory was in Rush's Handicap, in which he vanquished S. Kemp (son of the ex-champion, Peter'Kemp). In the big handicap of the McLean Regatta, on the Clarence Kiver, he won his heat, but "outed" himself in the final by tumbling out of his boat. Avnst won his next handicap on the Clarence Rivur, beating Mitchell and Donnelly. At Ulmarra he vanauished Charles Towns, and at Ccraki he won a £SO handicap against S. Kemp. He looked for fighters, but none came at him till he managed to get a match arranged with Harry Pearce for J2200 a side, and the cash went in the New Zealanrier's direction. Arnst's sculling record is a brief but meteoric one. His last win against Webb ori 15th December, at Wanganui, will long be remembered. The timekeeper's record for the race worked out at 19min 51 ?-5 sec for the whole distance, which is only 4 3-ssec slower than the time credited to the record-beater Beach, when, in 1887, he defeated Hanlan for the third time. Had Arnst been pushed be could have cut down this time substantial. There was weight in Arnst's strokes fight to the finish, but his rate diminished to 23. Webb finished with 2.8. Ss

W. WEBB. Webb, the challenger on this occasion, was born in Lyttelton about 31 years ago, but for 13 of" 14 years he has been a resident of Wanganui. Here is his record in brief 1896. —First, Maiden Pairs, at Akaroa; second, Double Sculls, at Akaroa; first, Maiden Pairs, at Little River; unplaced, Youth Pairs and Double Sculls, at Christchurch Regatta. 1987. —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, at Wanganui; second, Junior Fours, at Wanganui; unplaced, Senior Fours, at Wanganui. 1902.—First, Championship* Single Sculls, at Wqnganui; first, Senior Single Sculls, at Wellington. 1904. —First, Senior Single Sculls, at Wellington; first, Senior Fours, at Wellington; Senior Fours, best boats, at Wanganui. 1905. Second, Championship Sculls, at Wellington; first, Championship Double Sculls, at ton; first, Senior Singles, at Wanganui; first, Senior Clinker at Wanganui; first, Senior Fou.s, best lioacs, at Wanganui. 1906.—First. Champion Singles, at Pinton; first, Champion 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 Tow. s for the Championship of the World. 1908. —Defeated R. Tresidrler for the the World. 1908.—Lost the Championship of the World in a race against R. Arnst on the Wanganui River.