SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 1 February 1926, Page 5

SWIMMING.

AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES. YALDHURST SHIELD RETAINED. A GREAT RECORD. The Dominion swimming championships over, Auckland's representatives returned from Napier yesterday with tlie coveted Yaldhurst Shield ) and a record of success that Ims never been bettered before. They also brought back with them the War Memorial Shield, which denotes supremacy in the intermediate and junior divisions. With 13 championship titles, 14 seconds, and 10 thirds, and three new records to their credit, the Auckland representatives have more than held their own, and placed Auckland in a class t.f its own as far as swimming is concerned.

The outstanding performers of the meeting were Baird in the senior division, and Bridson in the intermediate division. The former made his' first appearance at championships by winning the 220 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards, and one mile titles. The quarter-mile race he won in .5.30 4-5, or 7 4-5s faster than the New Zealand record of 5.3S 3-5. This was the only race in which the Auckland champion was hard pressed. Lindsay, of Christchurch, swam a great race, and caused Baird to extend himself to the fullest. To give an idea of the brilliance of Baird's effort, it may be mentioned that M. Christie, the Australian distance champion, won the New Suuu. ..ales title last month in 5.33 3-5. Then came Bridson, the boy who is the coming champion of New Zealand over all distances. He broke his own record for the quarter mile, and was only 3-5s outside the 220 yards record. In the 100 yards intermediate boys' championship he was beaten by W. Cameron, of Wellington, the lauer registering the remarkable time of 61s for the distance.

Among the ladies, Miss Piri Page proved herself worthy of having been chosen to represent Auckland. She won the 220 yds and 440 yds in good time, and in being chosen to visit Sydney with Miss E. Stockley, has fully justified her selection. Miss Stockley, as was thought, easily won the 100 yds ladic&' championship, and retained the title she won last year. Miss Jean Bell was a Cdjif.ls.tent swimmer in the ladii-s" events, Tiid swain second in each of then. This young lady is rapidly approaching a stage when she will be very hard to beat. Mjso 15. Hanlou, in tlio junior gi;"l£, won the 50yds and 100 yds championships, and showed that she can do better still.

Fairgjay proved too good for the backstroke contestants, and in lowering his own record, has set a time that will be difficult to better.

Misses Miller and Jepson, Otago, were too good for the intermediate girls, Misses E. Champion and M. Farquhar, •who both secured seconds. General opinion, however, goes to show that in Miss Champion, Auckland has a swimmer who will shortly be the fastest lady over the distances. She swam a wonderful race and made Miss Miller go all out over the 220 yds to win by a touch. Miss Champion will give the contestants ample to think about when the next championships come around.

In the junior girls' division the Auckland representatives, Misses S. Brown and D. Harvey, were well up to the winners, while Miss J. Thompson swam well in the breastroke race.

The Kellerman Cup race saw J. Enwright finish second, after a great race. He did the fastest time over the three mile course. This is the fifth time Enwright has entered for the race, and so far, lias swum first once, and second four times, 'besides doing the fastest time on two o^a^ions.

The manager of the team, Mr. J. Enwright, is of the opinion that next year will bring a number of new winners to the front. Miss Miller, of Otago, will have to be watched over all distances, while Baird will have to improve if ho wants to hold off Lindsay, of Christchurch.

Miss G. Pidgeon, champion breaststroke lady of New Zealand, was in great form, and if she had been allowed to be paced, there is little doubt but that she would have lowered her record.

Adamson was swimming well up to form in the 100 yds championship, and it is a remarkable fact that all who finished in the final, except Enwright, broke the minute, the latter doing it in GOs dead. This is a good indication that the swimmers of New Zealand are getting the time down to something that may bo termed fast times. The course set for the Kellerman Cup race was said to be badly marked off. Apart from that there were a great number of crosscurrents, while at times, the swimmers were moving through little more than two feet of water.

The whole team behaved exceedingly well, and left a good impression, while all enjoyed their stay in sunny Xapier, and speak well of their reception.