AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 253, 23 October 1909, Page 14

AQUATICS.

SWIMMING. The mile championship at Southport is, of course, the topic of the present, says a recent London " Sportsman. ,, That Battersby won, and beat the record, creattd no surprise, but that David Billington'.sj old figures of 24min. 42 3-ssec. should have been beaten by as much as 41 1 ssec. wa3 altogether unexpected. Truly the development of swimming speed in recent years has been so marvellous that one wonders when finality will be reached. A Manchester authority who was present states that had Battersby steered a straight course he would have reduced the reccrd by eight or ten more seconds. The Southport man 13 an erratic swimmer even in a bath. That Taylor has not deteriorated is proved by his time, 24min. 29£ sec., which is just under 12see. faster than the old record, whilst Foster was only 20 2-osec outside it. As a matter of fact, only twice in the history of the race haa the third man's time been beaten—'by Billragton, in 1903 (24min. 56 2-ssec), "and 1005, when he put up the record just beaten. There was such a rash on the platform the race that the weight broke it down, and a number of people were thrown into the water. BaUorsby deserves hia record, for only a technicality deprived him of it last year, when swimming on after the 1500 metres race at the Stadium had finished, he covered a mile in 24min. 33sec The matter was considered by thfl A.S.A., but as the pord was just two feet shorter than the minimum allowed by the conditions, all tnat could be done was to give the performance a footnote at the end of the records.

YACHTING. A number of the motor boats were away on Saturday and Sunday, 'but the weather was anything but propitious, it setting in wet and cold. The old eteel yacht Thetis, owned by Maselield Broe., Fonsonby, i≤ to be put into commission again after a lengthy idleness on the slip. The yacht has undergone a complete , overhaul and renovation, including the putting in of several new plates in the hull. The 24-footer Sybil was launched last week, and went for her first cruise of the s*ason, the crew having a most enjoyable time. The weather was beautifully tine, with a good breeze, and plenty of tish were caught. Owners of motor-boats were all very busy during last week, taking advantage of the fine weather to get their boats in readiness for the coming season. Last Wednesday being a holiday, many of the owners spent the day in painting and lixing up their boats. £o far as i can learn, after visiting the various yacht builders' yards lately, there is nothing in the way of sailing yachts on Uie stocks, or ordered or thought of. All the builders are busy, however, with motor launches of all sizes, and if they are —as they should be — ready for Uie coining season, there ought to be a larger muster of thid class of boat than duiung the past year or so. The Auckland Amateur flowing Association has definitely decided to have no formal opening of the rowing season again this year, leaving it to the various clubs to open it "'on their own." This, I think, is a great mistake, because a function of this kind, if properly carried out by all the cluUs joining in a pre* cession, induces the generai public to take more interest in ttie sport.

Talking over the prospects of tho coming yachting season with one of its most enthusiastic supportors during last week, he was of the opinion that so far as racing was concerned the season would be a very poor one. After some discussion upon the matter, he assured mc that he based his opinion upon the fact that all of the larger yaclits would be out of commission, and thus cake away from the interest of the regattas and club raoes. Well, I do not altogether agree with my friend, because we have the two Xorfch Shore Yacht Clubs, and the various Sailing Clubs on the Auckland side of the Waitemata to look to, and 1 think that they are capable of providing all the sport, so far as sailing raoes are " concerned, that lovers of the '"white wings" look for. I was very sorry to see such a poor attendance of those interested in aquatic sports at the meeting held in the Leys Institute, Ponsonby, last week to consider the holding of a Ponsonby regatta this 3'ear. As a pure fact, there was not a yacht-owner or a representative of any of the ya-cht clubs present at the meeting. This, surely, is not as it should be, considering the large number of yachts for all classes owned in and around Auckland. It appears to mc that yachtsmen, whilst always looking for good amounts to be allocated for prizemoney, are not prepared to take up their fair share of the work by interesting themselves in the matter of collecting or taking part in the hard work entailed in getting up a regatta. It is always the same old story—leave the work to the few willing enthusiasts. A further meeting on the subject is to be held in the Leys Institute on October 20, when I hope to see a full muster of all yachting, motor, and rowing men present. I hear that it has been definitely decided that Rainbow will not bo put into commission this year, her owner deciding to oftVr the yacht for sale. Now, here is a chance for an enterprising yachtsman to make a nun-.e for himself this year, for with all the larger yachts out of commission Rainbow, if 'dating up to anything like her old form, should repay her purchase money before the end of the season by the amount won in prizes. Mntansi is all ready for the coming yachting season, and will be the largest yacht afloat in the Waitemata this season. Tho fishing boat Victory is being got ready, and will be used for cruising purposes thi« season. Messrs. Whitley's oil lnunch Matarika was put into the water on Sunday. The O-PTiera! Committee of the Pevnnport Yacht Club meet on Friday night next to cnmpletp the programme of fixtures for the coming spnson. The classes, ■which nre held every Tuesdnv evening, nre well nttpnde<l. and con«idprnb!e interest taken in the work. At present the classes are encaged on chart work, with which good progress Is being made.