▁forty ▁contest ants , ▁the ▁race ▁being ▁decided ▁in ▁he ats . ▁In cluded ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁contest ants ▁were ▁George ▁Town s ▁and ▁James ▁Patrick ▁Hann an . ▁In ▁that ▁contest ▁he ▁row ed ▁off ▁the ▁same ▁mark ▁as ▁Town s ▁ ▁( Ge orge ▁Town s ▁later ▁became ▁his ▁tra iner ). ▁ ▁On ▁Wed nes day ▁ 2 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Hann an ▁defeated ▁Arch ie ▁Pr iddle , ▁the ▁ex - am ateur ▁champion ▁of ▁Australia , ▁over ▁a ▁course ▁of ▁three ▁miles ▁on ▁Lake ▁Albert , ▁near ▁W ag ga ▁. ▁After ▁his ▁victory ▁in ▁Australia ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁during ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁Gro vet own , ▁near ▁Pic ton ▁Pat ▁was ▁so ▁im pressed ▁with ▁the ▁fine ▁stretch ▁of ▁row - able ▁water ▁the ▁W ai ra u ▁River ▁had ▁to ▁offer , ▁that ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁train ▁there ▁for ▁the ▁Web b ▁challenge . ▁Later ▁he ▁set ▁up ▁home ▁in ▁B len heim ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁Best s ▁Gar age ▁( l ater ▁New mans ) ▁and ▁while ▁there , ▁trained ▁for ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁major ▁races . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁he ▁row ed ▁against ▁William ▁Web b ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Sc ull ing ▁Championship . ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁row ed ▁on ▁the ▁Wh ang an ui ▁River ; ▁however ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁covered ▁quarter ▁of ▁a ▁mile , ▁P addy ’