SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 13 February 1926, Page 25

SWIMMING.

WAITEMATA CLUB'S

CARNIVAL,

The Waitemata Swimming Club added another successful carnival to its list when it presented the fourth of the season at the Tepid Baths on Tuesday night. This was also a farewell to the lady champions on the eve of their departure for Australia, and drew a big crowd of people. Just a word to the officials of the club. At every carnival the Press table is not placed in position until right on time, and so far there has been nothing to complain of as a space has been marked "reserved" and that kept clear for the Press representatives. Last Tuesday, however, much inconvenience was occasioned the pressmen present. The table was not put in position until some minutes after 8 p.m., and when it was it was with the utmost difficulty that one pressman squeezed into a seat. Another pressman was less fortunate, and did not get a seat. The public are not to be blamed for taking the seats, it is up to the club officials to place the table in position early in the night and mark off the space to be reserved. It is to be hoped that there will not be a repetition of this neglect. The swimming events were of a high standard, and some close and interesting j finishes were witnessed. In the Tiny Tots Handicap mention must be made of E. Bell, who won her heat and also the final. This girl shows distinct promise and possesses a style of her own. She swims with excellent judgment and within a few years will take her place among the foremost lady swimmers. The 100 yards club handicap was not distinguished by exceptionally fast times, but it provided a good race. In the first heat Parker, on Ss set a solid pace, and Adamson, on scratch, had a lot of leeway to make up. Meikle was swimming well and he took the lead with Adamson challenging. In a great finish Meikle raced for home with Adamson at his heels and Parker in third place. Meikle won by a touch. The second heat was well contested, and Fairgray was in good form and got second to Bassett after a great race. Cunnold. swam well in the third heaJb. but Keane on Bs, established the lead and won by a good margin. Cunnold and Wilson fought out a good finish for second place, the former getting the decision by a touch. The final was done in faster time than the heats. The pace was hot from the start, but it really evolved into a race between Fairgray, Adamson and Bassett. The latter led nearly all the way, but over the last 50 yards Fairgray went out with Adamson at his heels. The former got the verdict by a yard. In tie 100 yards ladies' handicap, Miss Bell showed great form. The first heat saw Miss Magee get well away, but Miss Grant was not long in reducing the distance,, with Miss Stockley. coming up: fast. The latter won by a yard from Miss Grant, with Miss Page close up, . third. Miss Bell won the second .heat after a great race. She swam consistently all the way and slowed up to win comfortably from Miss Coutts, with Miss Harvey third. The final proved too much for Miss Stockley, who gave away 9s. She swam up to form, but Miss Bell went to the. front at an early stage and Won from Miss Grant, with Miss Stockley third. Misses Bell and Grant showed excellent form and are certainly making rapid strides. They b«th possess a good stroke and style, and are yet to be heard more of. In the 220 yards club handicap, Brids.on, who swam into eecond place from Beattie, was in great form. For part of the distance this young champion was swimming behind Fairgray, and then he began to forge ahead and steadily wore down the latter, who, however, swam into third! place. Beattie had 26s off Bridson and he established a lead that looked impossible of reduction. Bridson, however, came up in his inimitable style and was only beaten by four yards, Fairgray being about the same distance back, third. The Ponsonby Schools' swimming championships will be held in the Shelly Beach baths' on Saturday, February 27. This is an annual affair, but owing to the infantile paralysis epidemic this will be the first carnival for two years. The championships are run under the jurisdiction of the Ponsonby Swimming Club, and is confined to the four schools in the district; This will be an opportunity to see what good work the club is doing in its teaching .of the children in the department which is its special care. The events are so chosen that every child gets a chance of taking part. There will be events of a width to 100 yds, and medals comprise the trophies to be presented. A feature oi the carnival will be- the competition for the Dr. T. W. Leys silver memorial cup. The conditions are that each competitor, either a boy or girl, will swim a hundred yards. Competitors may enter from any of the city schools, which are about 42 in number.. The school will hold the cup for four months, after which it will be closeted in the Leys Institute. The entries for this carnival are expected to greatly exceed those of previous years, and some good swimming is anticipated. It is the intention of the Ponsonby Swimming Club to shortly hold its annual harbour swimming race. The date has not yet been decided upon. The Grammar Swimming Club Will' hold a carnival at the Tepid Baths on Tuesday evening next, for which a comprehensive programme has been set ou:. It was stated in these notes last week that Misses Stockley and Page had left for Sydney to take part in the Australian championships, bat advice was received too late to the effect that the lady champion swimmers had postponed their departure, and a correction could riot be made. However, the ladies in . question have now gone, and it will not 'be long before some news of their efforts will be received in Auckland. Says the Melbourne "Herald" of Blunt "One New Zealander stood right Out from the others against Victoria. K. C. Blunt is of medium height and slim physique, but he is a batsman. As he hit the Victorian bowling about in the second innings of the visitors, one could not help regretting that his home is not here, for his batting was not surpassed in the match even by that of Hendry. He has no mannerisms at the wicket, is after run* all the time, and has all the strokes in his repertoire. 'An international wasted' is the way one veteran put it. Blunt is also a good slow bowler-and an-excellent fieldsman.'*