SURFING SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1937, Page 15

SURFING SPORT.

MILFORD CARNIVAL AUSTRALIAN DISPLAY. LESSONS FOR DOMINION. Swimming strongly and carrying out the rescue and line drill with dexterity aiul neatness the members of the Australian surf life-saving team gave an excellent exhibition at Milford Beach on Saturday afternoon. A large crowd had gathered for the carnival arranged by the Auckland Surf Life-saving Association, and with the local teams putting up splendid performances in competition with the visitors, there was entertainment as well a$ educational interest. In an interview during the course of the carnival, Mr. J. Cameron, manager of the Australian team, who is the chief superintendent of examinations for the A.S.L.A., commented on the performances of the New Zealanders in contrast with Australian standards. While he praised their beach work, which he said was quite good, he said that they could learn quite a lot in Bmall points of the sport, which would save them considerable effort and improve their style.

Relax! It would be noticed, he said, that the Australians relaxed fairly considerably in tlieir beach work. The New Zealand teams on the whole were stiff; for instance, they brought their heels down sharply on the hard sand. This wag apt to stiffen the miracles and was liable to cause cramp when they were in the water. He suggested that that work could be taken a little easier. "In Australia," said Mr. Cameron, "we have to depend a lot on our carnivals for financial support and we endeavour to attract the crowd as much as possible by the introduction of the spectacular aspect, and by keeping things moving all the time. For instance, in the rescue and resuscitation contests we march all the teams on at the same time, instructing them by loud speaker. From then on everything is done simultaneously. "We have endeavoured to standardise our system of judging as much as possible, and instead of having only two judges for all the teams we have two for each. Each team draws for places at the same time and thus we get them smartly into the water. We realise that Tor the public there is not a great deal of interest until the teams return to the beach again, so in the meantime we put on beach displays, boat races and other events. With our clubs of 1000 members and more we have specialists in all those departments and they ; can put on a jjood show." Attractive Carnival. The afternoon's carnival was a most attractive one, and there was any amount of the spectacular element to keep the spectators interested. The fine work of the Australians drew constant applause, and «o, too, did that of the Auckland teams. Though they "had only four days In which to qtudy the style of the visiting team, it was apparent that they had learned a considerable amount already, and that they had modified and improved their own surf work accordingly. In addition to the iien's events, a rescue and resuscitation contest for women's teams had interest. The crowd applauded vigorously tfce WaDii team, which had travelled to Auckland at its own expense to give assistance to the carnival. They finished second to the Milford team hi this event, all of them putting up a good performance. Through the teams being summoned to 'assist bathers in distress, the programme of events at Piha. yesterday had to be curtailed, when only the surf teams' race had been decided. In this event the Australians convincingly demonstrated their skill in a heavy surf, all four members of the Australian team reaching the finishing mark, before any of the Auckland surf" men. Their victory was in part due to their adeptness in catching a break well out from the beach and shooting in on it *a if using a surf board. Takapuna gained second place and Piha third. Results :• — Surf Teams Race. —Australia 1, Waitemata 2, Takapuna 3, North Shore 4. Girls'- Rescue and Resuscitation.—Milford. 73J points, 1: Waihi, 73 points; 2; VI alternate, 70S points, 4. Surf Belt Race.—First heat: Australia 2m 31s, 1: Eastern United. 2m 40s, 2; Takapuna. Jfan "Ola, 8; Milford B, 8m 395, 4. Second heat: North Shore B, 2m 555, 1; Milford - A. Bm'4o S-Ss, 2; Takapuna, 3m 68s, 3; North Shore A, 4m Is, 4. Final: Australia, 2m 265, 1; North Shore B, 2m 31s, 2; Eastern United. 2m 465, 3; Milford, 3m 17s, 4. ■*""■ * Intercolonial Rescue and Resuscitation. — Australia 1. Auckland B 2, Auckland A 3.