THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2376, 17 December 1908, Page 5

THE SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

COMPETITORS INTERVIEWED.

CHIVALROUS opponents

[Press Association.]

WANGANUI, Dec. 16

Returning to his oamp Arnst had a most enthusiastic -reception. Round -after round of cheers greeted him, ia<s he pulled l up to his staging. After seeing to the housing of his boat, and igetting -away. from his many admirers, Arnst retired to his tout for a -rub down -and refreshment. THE CHAMPION’S OPINION.

“Well,” said Arnst, in reply to,, a question, “I don’t-know thtt there is anything much to say about it. I had ia jolly hard race over the first mile, land kept moving. I was ahead -at the mile post.” “Did you have a good passage?” was asked by a by-stander. “Oh, yesjl had la -good run, though there wlas a llot of drift wood about, and once I thought my boat was sinking. I went right over the piece. I think I deserve to win. I 'have worked baird enough for it.” “What, did Webb have to say to you?” was -a question which attracted the champion’s attention next. “Billy Webb is a -good sort,” - was his reply. “He.said, ‘Good duck, you’ll win plenty more races; that’s the .last go you’ll have at me.’ ” Reverting to the rtce, Arnst said, “I went over -at the mile, and watched him. I thought the world’s championship was in the balance, and it was all in the game. 1 want you to say how indebted I am to my trainer and assistants, Fog.we.ltl, Nelson, and Floyd. Put in a "special word for the cook,” he continued. Asked about liis future intentions, Arnst -said he would tow wherever the most money was available. He was rawing .to- make money, .and would go wherever it promised best. EX-CHAMPION INTERVIEWED.

Webb, interviewed on arrival at the boatshed at Arlamoho, was by no means downcast over the event, and though lie did not know the lime taken, he considered the iracc a. fast one. He thought Arnst had won -rather easily, and he did not 'appear to.have extended himself much. “Although not pumped at the finish, I had put in the best I was capable of,” said Webb, “and I am satisfied Arnst was too fast for me. He deserves to win after the pace he got on. He -got quickly off the mark, and was hialf-a-length ahead in the first'six strokes. That, however, did not bother me, as I have never won a race from the jump.”

PAYING OVER THE STAKES

MANLY SPEECH BY WEBB

[Press Association.]

WANGANUI Doc. 16

The ceremony of paying over the stakes in connection with tbe world’s sculling championship took place this evening when a largely-attended smoke concert was hold. Mr. R. Coombes editor of the (Sydney “Referee” occupied the chair. Arnst and Webb had great receptions. The proceedings were of a very enthusiastic nature. A number of visiting pressmen and sports expressed the opinion that the Wanganui river was unsurpassed in Now Zealand as a scene of a championship race. Arnst and .Mr. Pi nicer, bis chief supporter, said that when the- next race was trowed tlic claims of Wanganui River woidd receive consideration.

Webb, in responding to the toast of his health, acknowledged that he was fairly beaten, and wished Arnst n lons tenure of the position ho now held.

■Mr. Tuck, who - was Webb’s solo backer, said that he was as proud as ever of his man, avid would be ready •with the necessary money should Webb want to have another “go.”

THE CHAMPION’S STYLE,

AN EXPERT CRITICISM

[Special to “Times.”]

WELLINGTON, Dec. 16. . An expert rowing man who watched the sculling <ruce on behalf of the “Dominion” confirms the statement I made to the effect that Webb showed signs of tiring towards the end of the Webb-T resaidcr race. Referring to yesterday’s race, tho expert mys: “From the two-mile stage Webb showed tlio same symptoms of discomfort that 1 noticed in the closing stages of his match with Tressider. I then said that, in my opinion, ihe was rowed neauly if not completely ‘out,’ and the repetition of these same faints in his work when tiring to-day hears out that contention. His head rolled down to the left on the forward swing in exactly the same manner as I commented on then, and the consequent faulty catch followed as a matter of course. Here, too, his slide commenced to run away, not-consistently, but for several strokes at >a time at short, intervals; and altogether Webb’s ‘form’ compared hadlv with the challenger Arlist’s strolcej 21 per minute, held round th© bend into the one mil© and a-quarter straight, except, foa- once when he stopped altogether for a couple of strokes to enable his right scull] to clear -a brushwood snag, but so hard and true ivas ibis drive, and so crisp his blade.'work except for the ‘flip’ of the water at the catch caused by the suddenness of the recovery from tho feather, that he had increased his lead to quite six lengths, which he held comfortably to the gun fire.” In a further criticism of Arnst’s facing stroke, this writer says, “We were told that among other faults he ‘sliced’ iat the commencement, and had other characteristics, noticeable in his racing stroke only by their absence. The reason for the supposed ‘slicing’ became evident as soon as he got under way, and it is this: Ho curries his feather to the hitter end of his long forward swing, brings the wrists over, and grips the water so suddenly as to appear not to get in square; aiid the splash caused by this action helps the illusion, but. illusion it is. He certainly does not take the water so cleanly, or perhaps as hard as Webb does, but once his blades arc covered the life and leg chive appear abnormally powerful. His slide work is that of a veteran, and is tho more noticeable because of the long reach forward already mentioned. I watched purposely for the alleged 1 ‘burying” of his boat during its “.tub,”

but the fault failed to materialise at any portion of the journey. Another characteristic we were informed he possessed was of sculling in the oldfashioned style of keeping the knees closed. Well, on the present occasion, he opened’ the knees and let his body down between them even more than Webb does, to- which action ho largely owes-'his magnificent control over his slide at the actual moment of striking.

A PROPOSED MATCH ON THE THAMES.

United Press Association, Copyright.

' LONDON, Dec. 15. Blackstaffe has informed the “Sportsman” that if Arnst cares to visit England Barry can be matched to scull him on tiro Thames for the 'championship of the world.