New Zealand Sculling Championship
Encyclopedia
The Professional Single Sculls Championship of New Zealand - Record of Racing
March 1881
Albert White of Mercury Bay offered to scull any person in New Zealand for the professional Championship of the country. He wanted to row for either £100 or £200. Apparently, this was the first time anybody had wanted to race for the Title, even though the NZ Amateur Championship did not commence until 1888. A Mr PH Duncan of Christchurch was having some thoughts of taking him up. Additionally William Hearn (rower)
of Wellington also wanted a chance but could not raise the £100 and so offered £50. He suggested that the three of them put up £50 each and have the races in Wellington as it was the most central, with the winner taking the lot.
Towards the end of the month it was reported that White and Duncan were to row at Taurauga for a £100 a side. White would allow £25 in expenses from the stake in the event of Duncan losing. The race was run early May 1881 with White the winner.
9 July 1881.
The match between Hearn and White took place on Port Nicholson Harbour (Wellington.) Hearn easily won the match and crossed the line eight lengths ahead. The time was 27m.29s and the course was stated to be about three and a half miles long.
26 March 1882
Another race was held at Wellington for the Championship with Hearn rowing Charles A. Messenger
from Victoria for a £100 a side. National titles were not necessarily held by citizens of the country concerned. Hearn was in the lead the whole time and won by about twenty lengths in a time of 24m.29s which was a New Zealand record.
1 January 1885
Hearn and Harrington raced for the Championship; this time at Riverton. A considerable amount of betting took place with the Champion being more favoured. The course was a straightaway and again over the distance of three and a half miles. The stake was also again for a £100 a side. Harrington rowed close to the shore and struck an underwater snag, which punctured his boat and caused him to retire. Hearn continued in leisurely manner and won in a time of thirty minutes.
12 April 1887
This race was a bit different from most other championship races. Normally a match race was run, i.e. a race between two men. This championship was held as part of the Riverton Regatta and there were five starters. Hearn won by two lengths in 23m.30s. The course was stated to be about three and a quarter miles long.
5 February 1890
Charles Stephenson (rower)
, of Auckland, who had recently defeated Joseph Kemp on the Parramatta River challenged Hearn in September 1889 to a championship match. The race was run on Wellington Harbour for £100 a side. Stephenson won by three lengths in a time of 22m.22.75s. Hearn had been sick with boils the week before the race which may have had an impact on the result. He was by this time nearly forty years old and retired after this match.
11 May 1891
Stephenson rowed Tom Sullivan (oarsman), another New Zealander, on the Parramatta River for the Title. Stephenson started well and got a good lead but then he somewhat collapsed. Sullivan took his chance and passed the opposition and stayed in front to the end easily winning by six lengths and in a time of 23m.33s. Sullivan later headed to the United States and England. He won the Championship of England but he does not seem to have ever defended his New Zealand title.
26 December 1906
William Webb (rower)
beat Jim Stanbury of Australia, the ex-world champion, on the Whanganui River. In August 1907 Webb wins the World Sculling Championship and as World Champion he declines any challenges for the New Zealand Title as he did not wish to risk a loss for a lesser title. George Whelch
challenged but is declined so assumes the Title by forfeit. In December 1908. Webb loses World Title.
13 April 1909
Whelch races William Fogwell, of Australia, on the Akaroa
Harbour. The stake this time was £200 a side. Whelch won by about twenty lengths in a time of approximately twenty and a half minutes. Whelch later challenged Richard Arnst
for the World Title.
17 April 1911
Welch and Fogwell had a re-match again at Akaroa. The challenger performed much better than in the previous encounter and Fogwell crossed the line two lengths to the good in a time of 20m.01s. National titles were not necessarily held by citizens of the country concerned.
March 1914
A Title match had been arranged between Fogwell and New Zealander Pat Hannan
which was to be rowed in Sydney. For unknown reasons the match was declared off and that Fogwell said he would hand the Title over to Hannan who then claimed to be Champion. This was apparently disputed by Webb.
April 1915
Hannan said that he was willing to row William Webb for the Title and for £200 a side. The race was run in September on the Whanganui River with Webb the winner.
The First World War then put any Title matches on hold. Webb retired as the undefeated New Zealand Champion. A match between Fogwell and Hannan was held on the 20th of November 1920 on the Wairau River, near Blenheim. Fogwell was stated to be the holder of the Championship but it was not clear how he obtained it.
Hannan won but in a return match scheduled the following month he had to forfeit because of injury and Fogwell became the holder.
In October 1922 Pat Hannan beat Fred "Jumbo" Wells on the Wairau River for the NZ Championship.
The next match appears to have been between Pat Hannan and James Mason and was held on the Whanganui River on 27 November 1926. Hannan won by four lengths. In July 1930 Hannan retired but shortly before had handed over his NZ title to J Mason. It is unclear if the Title was ever competed for again. Professional rowing in general had declined after the war although it was still an important sport. The Depression further eroded any professional interest and eventually it was replaced by the amateur code.
References, newspapers
Wanganui Herald 4 Mar 1881, 9 Jly 1881, 14 Jly 1881, 27 Mar 1882, 27 Aug 1891,
West Coast Times 23 Mar 1881, 31 Dec 1884,
Evening Post 28 Jun 1881, 21 Oct 1884, 12 Apr 1887, 28 Jan 1890, 12 Mar 1890, 13 Apr 1909, 15 &18 Apr 1911, 22 Nov 1926.
Te Aroha News 17 Jan 1885,
Otago Witness 6 Feb 1890,
North Otago Times 12 May 1891,
Marlborough Express 4 Feb 1890.
March 1881
Albert White of Mercury Bay offered to scull any person in New Zealand for the professional Championship of the country. He wanted to row for either £100 or £200. Apparently, this was the first time anybody had wanted to race for the Title, even though the NZ Amateur Championship did not commence until 1888. A Mr PH Duncan of Christchurch was having some thoughts of taking him up. Additionally William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn was a champion professional sculler of New Zealand, who emigrated to Victoria when a little boy. He came to New Zealand in 1862, and had been a resident in Wellington since January, 1876, nearly all the time having been in the employ of Messrs Greenfield and Stewart, timber merchants...
of Wellington also wanted a chance but could not raise the £100 and so offered £50. He suggested that the three of them put up £50 each and have the races in Wellington as it was the most central, with the winner taking the lot.
Towards the end of the month it was reported that White and Duncan were to row at Taurauga for a £100 a side. White would allow £25 in expenses from the stake in the event of Duncan losing. The race was run early May 1881 with White the winner.
9 July 1881.
The match between Hearn and White took place on Port Nicholson Harbour (Wellington.) Hearn easily won the match and crossed the line eight lengths ahead. The time was 27m.29s and the course was stated to be about three and a half miles long.
26 March 1882
Another race was held at Wellington for the Championship with Hearn rowing Charles A. Messenger
Charles A. Messenger
Charles A. Messenger, a professional sculler, was born ca. 1855 in London where his family was well known in aquatic circles. His father James was a noted sculler and boat builder who in 1854 won the World Sculling Championship from Tom Cole...
from Victoria for a £100 a side. National titles were not necessarily held by citizens of the country concerned. Hearn was in the lead the whole time and won by about twenty lengths in a time of 24m.29s which was a New Zealand record.
1 January 1885
Hearn and Harrington raced for the Championship; this time at Riverton. A considerable amount of betting took place with the Champion being more favoured. The course was a straightaway and again over the distance of three and a half miles. The stake was also again for a £100 a side. Harrington rowed close to the shore and struck an underwater snag, which punctured his boat and caused him to retire. Hearn continued in leisurely manner and won in a time of thirty minutes.
12 April 1887
This race was a bit different from most other championship races. Normally a match race was run, i.e. a race between two men. This championship was held as part of the Riverton Regatta and there were five starters. Hearn won by two lengths in 23m.30s. The course was stated to be about three and a quarter miles long.
5 February 1890
Charles Stephenson (rower)
Charles Stephenson (rower)
Charles Stephenson was a New Zealand rower. He was born in Hobson Street, Auckland. He passed most of his boyhood at the Thames, and after leaving school went to the Northern Wairoa district, where he took to a bushman's life. His work in the kauri bushes was varied by an occasional spell as a...
, of Auckland, who had recently defeated Joseph Kemp on the Parramatta River challenged Hearn in September 1889 to a championship match. The race was run on Wellington Harbour for £100 a side. Stephenson won by three lengths in a time of 22m.22.75s. Hearn had been sick with boils the week before the race which may have had an impact on the result. He was by this time nearly forty years old and retired after this match.
11 May 1891
Stephenson rowed Tom Sullivan (oarsman), another New Zealander, on the Parramatta River for the Title. Stephenson started well and got a good lead but then he somewhat collapsed. Sullivan took his chance and passed the opposition and stayed in front to the end easily winning by six lengths and in a time of 23m.33s. Sullivan later headed to the United States and England. He won the Championship of England but he does not seem to have ever defended his New Zealand title.
26 December 1906
William Webb (rower)
William Webb (rower)
William Charles Webb was the first New Zealander to hold the Professional World Sculling Championship Title. He was also known as “Bill” or “Billy Webb”.-Early life:...
beat Jim Stanbury of Australia, the ex-world champion, on the Whanganui River. In August 1907 Webb wins the World Sculling Championship and as World Champion he declines any challenges for the New Zealand Title as he did not wish to risk a loss for a lesser title. George Whelch
George Whelch
George Edwin Whelch was one of six New Zealand oarsman who attempted to win the World Professional Single Sculls title. He was born December 1879 near Akaroa where he lived for most of his life. In 1903 he married Sarah Gundy and they had two children. He died in October 1960.-Amateur Record:Whelch...
challenged but is declined so assumes the Title by forfeit. In December 1908. Webb loses World Title.
13 April 1909
Whelch races William Fogwell, of Australia, on the Akaroa
Akaroa
Akaroa is a village on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name—the name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for 'Long Harbour'.- Overview :...
Harbour. The stake this time was £200 a side. Whelch won by about twenty lengths in a time of approximately twenty and a half minutes. Whelch later challenged Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst , born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower, six times Single Sculls World Champion during the early part of the 20th century.-Early life:...
for the World Title.
17 April 1911
Welch and Fogwell had a re-match again at Akaroa. The challenger performed much better than in the previous encounter and Fogwell crossed the line two lengths to the good in a time of 20m.01s. National titles were not necessarily held by citizens of the country concerned.
March 1914
A Title match had been arranged between Fogwell and New Zealander Pat Hannan
Pat Hannan
Pat Hannan was the last of six New Zealand oarsman who attempted to win the World Sculling Championship title.JP Hannan, known as Pat or Paddy, was born in Wellington in 1886 but was later a resident of Blenheim for a number of years...
which was to be rowed in Sydney. For unknown reasons the match was declared off and that Fogwell said he would hand the Title over to Hannan who then claimed to be Champion. This was apparently disputed by Webb.
April 1915
Hannan said that he was willing to row William Webb for the Title and for £200 a side. The race was run in September on the Whanganui River with Webb the winner.
The First World War then put any Title matches on hold. Webb retired as the undefeated New Zealand Champion. A match between Fogwell and Hannan was held on the 20th of November 1920 on the Wairau River, near Blenheim. Fogwell was stated to be the holder of the Championship but it was not clear how he obtained it.
Hannan won but in a return match scheduled the following month he had to forfeit because of injury and Fogwell became the holder.
In October 1922 Pat Hannan beat Fred "Jumbo" Wells on the Wairau River for the NZ Championship.
The next match appears to have been between Pat Hannan and James Mason and was held on the Whanganui River on 27 November 1926. Hannan won by four lengths. In July 1930 Hannan retired but shortly before had handed over his NZ title to J Mason. It is unclear if the Title was ever competed for again. Professional rowing in general had declined after the war although it was still an important sport. The Depression further eroded any professional interest and eventually it was replaced by the amateur code.
References, newspapers
Wanganui Herald 4 Mar 1881, 9 Jly 1881, 14 Jly 1881, 27 Mar 1882, 27 Aug 1891,
West Coast Times 23 Mar 1881, 31 Dec 1884,
Evening Post 28 Jun 1881, 21 Oct 1884, 12 Apr 1887, 28 Jan 1890, 12 Mar 1890, 13 Apr 1909, 15 &18 Apr 1911, 22 Nov 1926.
Te Aroha News 17 Jan 1885,
Otago Witness 6 Feb 1890,
North Otago Times 12 May 1891,
Marlborough Express 4 Feb 1890.