WHELCH 'INTERVIEWED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2373, 14 December 1908, Page 7

WHELCH 'INTERVIEWED.

BEATEN, BUT NOT SATISFIED.

THINKS WEBB WILL , BEAT ARNST.

Mr. George Whelclr, of Akaroa, who lias achieved distinction in the world of sculling, returned from Sydney by the Manama recently. On Saturday, November 21, the New Zealander met Ben Thoroughgood, of Newcastle, and was beaten for the championship of w- Australia. VERY DISSATISFIED. Speaking of the race to a ‘ ‘Dominion’ ’ reporter, Mr. Whelch expressed dissatisfaction at the result. He said that it was rowed against the tide, and further that never before had a race taken place on the Hunter River course against the tide. It had been agreed between - the two scullers that the race was to finish at Raymond Terrace, and it was owing to this condition that Thoroughgood received such support at the Terrace. A couple of days before the race, Mr. Whelch was not definitely informed which way the race was to be rowed. There was thus a great deal of doubt about the direction and the course, and, shortly before the appointed day, the judge remarked to the Akaroa man, “I hear one of you is going to row down the river and the other up. It will be rather difficult for me to deterinine the winner!” Mr. Whelch points out that he had no say whatever in the choosing of the course' or the direction in which the race was to be rowed. “The articles,” he said, “under which the race was rowed, were so vague that it was impossible for mo to do anything. Had it been at all possible,, I should certainly have objected to the decision of Thoroughgood. It is not fair to either man to row a race against the tide. The man who gets ahead at first gets all the advantage, because the other must row in. his wash or keep further out in the rfver, where the effect of the tide is greater. Both men have equal advantage if the tide is -with them.” THE TRICKS OF RIVER ROWING. M “I never raced against the tide in my life,” continued Mr. Whelch, “and this was my first experience on the river. I am convinced there are •a lot of tricks to be learned in river rowing, although the Hunter River is a good sheet of water, it has its peculiarities. We, amateurs who. go into professional rowing have a great deal to learn. Although I have been beaten in Australia, the trip has taught me many valuable lessons. There are points in professional rowing which are never thought of by amateurs. I have learned that the boat in which I rowed against j Thoroughgood was too narrow. A boat buries herself in the water when she is too narrow. When next I row a race the articles will be drawn up as fine as possible, and there will be no doubt as to the direction the race is to take. The articles governing my race with Thoroughgood were so loose that although my opponent rowed in my water, I could not lodge an appeal.” • Continuing, Mr. Whelch said that the correct time of the recent race was 19min. 3osec., not 20min. 21sec., as reported. He himself had done the V course in shorter time, and was only two lengths behind Thoroughgood at the finish. “I was not a bit frightened of Thoroughgood, big as- he was. Provided I beat the next man I row against I shall take on Thoroughgood , again. I am not satisfied with the r ‘®*" last race, nor am I satisfied as to what sort of a- sculler he is.” TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA.

Away from the cool to which he had been accustomed in New Zealand, Mr. AVhelch found that training took a good deal out of him. He was not nearly so fit in Australia as when rowing within the Dominion. “When we came to smell New Zealand on the trip across there was a different feeling in me. Over there the heat semed to take all the ‘go out of meon one occasion we had 106 degrees in the shade. During only two rows I lost as much as 3i 1 b in one day. While training it Avas my regular custom to rise at 6 in the morning, .walk four miles before breakfast, and do a row six miles in the forenoon. After lunch I used to take another walk, and at a quarter to four get into the boat again. Dinner at 6 Avas followed by a short Avalk round, and I turned in at- 9 o’clock. I kept this up as' regularly as clockwork, until the heat so told on me that I had to give. it up and go in for less strenuous training.” Mr. AVhelch is looking as fresh as ever, but lie says he feels it wilL be good for him to have a spell. He had only nine Aveeks to train for the race with Thoroughgood after the Napier Regatta. This Avas too short an interval, considering that Thoroughgood had been training for four or five months. Mr. AVhelch states that * in Australia the perspiration would pour from liis face after a half-mile pull, whereas in Akaroa he Avas able to row three miles Avithout turning a hair. Before race Mr. AVhelch expects to learn one or. ttvo things from Towns— hoAV a man should rig his boat and how a man should be boated. FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS. Asked as to the contests in Avhich he Avas likely to engage within the next few months, Mr. AVhelch said that he might rOAV against Fog well, Arnst s ~ pacer. The race would not be until March or April. The greater part of the stake money had' been offered to him on the night of his defeat by Thoroughgood, on condition that the race should take place at Raymond Terrace. Most likely this race would be rowed at Parramatta There, was also a possibility that he would be rowing against Fred Ford, a Richmond River sculler, well-known on the other side, or against Jack Mitchell, another Richmond River sculler, and Thoroughgood’s trainer, but there was i nothing definite arranged m regard to ■these contests. 4 THE ARNST-AVEBB RAGE. “It is my intention,’ said Mr. AVhelch, “to go to Wanganui, to «ee the big race there on the 15th. i _ fancy Webb for the race. * as many people m Sydney who favor our Arnst as there are in Now Zealand supporting Webb. Arnst is th favorite in Sydney. Three men came, over in the boat AVith mo to back limi.” Mr. AVhelch concluded that he m..tended to keep in light training, ancl 'X after seeing Hie -AV/anganm race would return to his home in Akaroa, to prepare for Avhatever contests he anight subsequently arrange to take part in, ..