World Professional Sculling Championships
1887 Bill Beach (AUS) retires and, as a formality, forfeits a challenge from Peter Kemp (AUS)
Peter Kemp
This action caused much alarm in the professional sculling community as Kemp was not highly regarded despite having beaten Hanlan on two occasions on the Parramatta River in 1888.
Kemp had been beaten by Searle in the same year and in 1886 had travelled with Beach to England and had been beaten in the curtain raiser events on three occasions.
Hanlan was one of the critics of Kemp's title and Hanlan got on the first ship to Australia to challenge him with a £500 side bet.
1888 Peter Kemp (AUS) defeats Edward Hanlan (CAN) on the Parramatta River—twice
Peter Kemp
5 May 1888
With Beach out of the way, Hanlan challenged Kemp for the title and a £500 side bet. The race was won by Kemp by four lengths.
28 September 1888
After the earlier defeat, Hanlan challenged again for the title and another £500 side bet. This time the margin was 12 lengths. Kemp was at last the undisputed World Champion.
1888 Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) defeats Peter Kemp (AUS)—£1,000 cash purse
Henry Searle
So sure were local backers of Searle, they sought to challenge Kemp for £5,000. The champion was content to make the bet £500.
The race was a walkover with Searle winning by 150 yards.
Henry Searle