SWIMMING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 38, 15 February 1937, Page 14

SWIMMING.

OTAHUHU RIVER SWIM. LEN DALTON WINNER. j Bi-B BCCHAXAX FASTEST TIME. I.pii nn!t..n (ilimi. of tlie Otalniliu Clnl). ! was the winner of ihe one mi!., jui.l a half river swim held yesterday morning at Stringer's Point mi tin- Tniiinkl River sit Dtaliiihu. ami he received ;i splendid ova- ' Hon from the liig crowd of spectators as he ! crossed tin- finishing line. A gr<'at ti-lit , 1..1W.-.H M..ii;i L.yilcn Hun jm.l A..1, I Bin li.i ii.i n i <ir i t',>r second plac- resulted ' in tin- latter gaining the ileeKion hv two ' yards. Barely .-ire such heavy weather con- I ilti-Mis :i< i.litained yesterday experienced ..ii the sheltered reaches ..f the Tamaki | Kiver. and the ten competitors who cm- i pleted the full distance put Up a verv merit..riiius performance. The lirst secii.ui ..r the race was t.> a mark h.iat a ml,..red three quarters of a mile down the river. I and a strong outgoing tide, backed up h.v a wind, of gale force at times, worked up • a hig sea. particularly at the junction of j the Taimiki River and (ioodfellow's I'reek. ' which sorely tried the stamina of the '- swimmers. The return trip was made . asrainst a tiig tide rip anil a stinsinir '■ spray, which slowed up the pace of all. ; Miss !>>wis Crey was the lirst to round ' the b..at, and then followed Dalton. Me- I

Chenney, Stevens, Miss Ley-don and Buchanan, the latter pair baring picked up a big part of their handicaps. Whilst much credit is due to Dalton for his fine | swim, particularly as he has not done any j distance swimming since he obtained second fastest time in the Kellerpian ' Cup at l.yttelton four years ago, the effort I of Bob Buchanan gaining fastest time (his I ; second in this race) stamps him as the out- j standing open water swimmer of Auckland. , Miss Mona I>>ydon, with a minute start. Just lost second place through an error of judgment at tbe finish and p.ut up a sterling effort for a woman. Credit is due to the club officials, assisted by Auckland Centre members, for tbe conduct of the race under such trying conditions. Quite an Innovation was the system whereby spectators were advised of tbe progress of the swimmers. The official in the mark boat, as each swimmer turned for home, hoisted his or her number, which was picked up by telescope and announced. The handicapping came in for most favourable comment, the first six swimmers finishing within fire minutes. The placings were :— Len Dalton (Otahnhii). 0m 1 C. R. Buchanan (Waitemata), ser .... 2 Miss Mona I-eydon (Ponsouhy). lm .... 3 I. McChesney (Eastern Suburbs), sm, 4: Miss Lewis Cirey i < italiulm i. 15m, 5: W. J. Stevens (Waitemata), 4m, 6: W. Breed (Otahnhu), 6m. 7: R. C. Whittome (Ponsonby). Cm, 8: P. I'nderwood (Waitemata), 11m, 9; Max Hannah (Parnelll, Bm, 10;. Times : C. R. Buchanan 38.47, Miss Mona Leydon 39.49, I-en Dalton 43.13. I. McChesney 44.35, W. J. Stevens. 40.29. W. Breed 55.55, R. C. Whittome 56.10. Miss Lewis Grey 5«.22, P. Underwood 58.20. Max Hannah 61.55. Fourteen competitors started.