SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 306, 27 December 1929, Page 13

SWIMMING.

THE WEEKLY LOOK-ROUND.

AN INVITATION TO BRIBSON. AUSTRALIANS- TO RETURN NORTH. FIXTURES. January 9. —Auckland championships. January 14, —Waitemata Club's carnival. January 10. —Mount Eden Club's carnival. January 23. —Start of New Zealand championships at Greymouth. As far as competitive swimming is concerned, the sport is in the doldrums of the holidays. The Waitemata Club were to have -held their postponed carnival on Christmas Day, but a hitch arose and the officials had to postpone it until January 14. Chief interest is now centred in the Auckland Centre championships, to be held on January 9.

Highly suceessrul was the international water polo carnival held at Budapest recently. Good sportsmanship was a feature of the seven-day carnival, and the management committee was not called upon to consider a single protest. Hungary went through unbeaten, to win a keen struggle. Sweden were in second place, largely through the wonderful generalship of Arne Borg, who delighted Aucklanders when he swam at the Tepid Baths twelve months or so Matches under the auspices of the Auckland Water Polo Control Board will be resumed on Monday, January G. It is likely that some of the teams wul be below strength, as the date is almost on top of the holidays. Many members of the legal profession, for instance, will be out of town. The view has been expressed, that a postponement of a week would be popular, but the knows its own business best.

The Ponsonby Club's policy of holding club races at Shelly Beach eve."}" Saturday afternoon is proving very popular. The 50yds race last Saturday attracted seventeen competitors —about all who were at the baths —and the finish was close enough to worry the judges, P. Worden getting home by a few inches from E. 31idgeley, with E. Ke-uie and S. Brooking together in third place." Points for the aggregate cup will be suspended until after the holidays, but an unofficial race will be held to-morrow if there are sufficient competitors to ir.nke a race of it:

A COMPLIMENT. So convincing were the. victories scored over Noel' Ryan by Gordon Brid,son that it is not surprising that the New South Wales Swimming Association are anxious that the Australian Union should invite the Aucklander to take a trip across the Tasman. Ryan's must have come as a big shock to his admirers in Sydney, even though allowance be made for the fact that he ; was below his best form. Bridson'fi appearance in Australia would be a big draw, but it is not at all certain that the New Zealand champion is anxious to make the trip, as it would mean that he would miss the Dominion championships.' However, whether he goes or not, Bfidson has been paid a nice compliment.

AMERICAN TITLE WINNERS. Winners of American national titles this year were as follows:—Women: 110 yds free style, Miss Eleanor. Garrat:: (California); 440 yds free style, M".» 3 Josephine McKim (Balboa); 880 yds free style, Miss Josephine McKim;_ one mile free style, Miss Josephine McKim; 220 yds backstroke, Miss Eleanor Holm (New York); 330 yds medley, Miss Elaanor Holm; 220 yds breaststroue, Miss Agnes Geraghty, N.Y.; fancy diving Miss Georgia Coleman (Los Angeles). Men: 110 yds free style, Walter Spence (Philadelphia); 440 yds free style, Clarence Crabbe (Honolulu); WOyda tree style, Clarence Crabbe; one mile free style, Clarence Crabbe; 330 yds nedley, Clarer.ce Crabbe; 220 yds backstroke, Frank Walton (Hollywood);* 040 yds,, breaststroke, Walter Spence; fancy diving, Mickey Eiley (Los Angeles). It will be seen that the champion # allrbunders for the year are Miss Josephine McKim and Clarence Crabbe. CAMERON'S DEPARTURE. The early arrival in Australia of W. Cameron, the New Zealand sprint champion, is a subject of topical interest over in the Commonwealth. The Wellmgtonian will not be eligible to compete in State championships 'because of lack oi residential qualifications, but if he lands in Sydney by January a he will be able to represent the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association at the Australian championship events in Tasmania, though he could not hold titles in this connection. The East Sydney Swimming Cluß, . with which Cameron intends to throw in his lot is evincing unusual interest in the N. e w Zealand champion and, it is stated, has even offered to pay his ■ expenses to Hobart. It is likely

that an endeavour will be made to induce Reg. Grier, of Queensland, the speediest sprinter in Australia, to measure strokes with Cameron in New South Wales. Cameron, who is taking a position with t a sports outfitting firm in Sydney, holds the New Zealand record of 55 4-os for the 100 yds, while it is also recorded that he covered 50yds in 23 3-os.

GOOD NEWS.

It is good news that the Australian touring pair, Noel Ryan and Owen Griffiths, are to return to Auckland for another appearance in this city, and the Mount Eden Club are to be congratulated upon their enterprise. s Twas a happy thought that prompted the subur■ban club to make an endeavour to get the tourists to come north again. The Australians were originally scheduled to leave Wellington for Sydney on January 10, but under the new arrangements they will come direct to Auckland after their Wellington appearance on January 9. The main object of extending the tour is to bring Ryan and Gordon Bridson together again, and in vfesv of the : improved form that is now being shown i by the Australians a big attendance of the public should reward the Mount Edeu Club's enterprise. 'At Wellington last Saturday Ryan was a lot too good for the opposition in the 440 yds ' race, although his time, 5m 31s, was still a long way below his beet. Griffiths was in fine form, and in the 220 yds race won in 2m 2S 1-os, a time 4-os better than ihu New Zealand record. The visitors were again successful at Ghristchurch on Monday, Griffiths returning the splexii did time of 2m 27 l-5s for the 220 yds I and Ryan outclassing his opponents.