NATIONAL TITLES AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25737, 24 February 1949, Page 3

NATIONAL TITLES AT AUCKLAND

SWIMMING

Miss Forsyth Beaten In 100 Yards

WIN FOR SOUTH CANTERBURY

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, February 23. The New Zealand swimming championship meeting opened to-day with heats this morning and finals to-night in the Olympic Pool, Newmarket. The principal surprise of the finals to-night was the defeat of the women’s 100 yards breaststroke champion. Miss H. Forsyth (Otago), who was beaten out of a place in the event. The women’s 100 yards was a most exciting race between Miss B. Casey, who had won the title in four previous years, and Miss N. Bridson, a young Aucklander. They swam together for the whole distance, and Miss Casey’s margin for her fifth successive victory was not more than an inch. She swam smoothly and well, and her time was exceptional for the pool. Perhaps Miss Bridson was unlucky. Miss Casey was on her blind side from the turn to the finish, and she may not have realised that she was so close. The men’s 100 yards freestyle championship was almost as close and exciting as the women’s, and M. Ballantyne made history by being the first swimmer from South Canterbury to win the title. Ballantyne, P. Borrington, and F. Higginson turned together after the first 55 yards, and Ballantyne was the first to show out in the dash over the final 20 yards. He had a lead of slightly less than a yard with 10 yards to go, but at this stage was rapidly overhauled bv Borrington, who seemed to have the title-winning spurt, until he unaccountably slackened stroke about two yards from the finish. Even so, Ballantyne was ahead by not more than a foot. R. Jolly came fast at the finish, and was just a touch behind Borrington. There were two false starts in the first event of the night, the 100 yards breaststroke finqj, and D. Dowse (Wellington) had to get his starting board adjusted before the field could get away. T. Logan (Taranaki) secured the jbest start, and had a slight lead at the turn, but

within 10 yards of the run to the C. Callan had caught him.. Logan put a tremendous effort into ms dash, but he could make no impression. Dowse was two or three yards away in third place. In the 100 yards 'butterfly breaststroke, it was announced after the race that Logan had been disqualified for a false stroke, but a later announcement was made that the referee, the sole authority, had not made the disqualification, and Logan consequently was adjudged the winner. The mile was a great race between C. Chambers, the titleholder, and R. Lucas, the 17-year-old Aucklander. They swam together for the whole distance, with Chambers finishing more powerfully to win by two fee.t. Detailed Results In. the following results, centres are detailed as follows:—A., Auckland; To., Waikato; T., Taranaki; H. 8., Hawke's Bay; Wn., Wellington; Wan., Wanganui; C., Canterbury; S.C., South Canterbury; 0., Otago; S., Southland:— 100 Yards Butterfly Breaststroke.—Final: T. Logan (T.) 1, D. Dowse (Wn.) 2. Time, 73sec. 100 Yards Breaststroke.—Final: C. Callan (A.) 1, T. Logan (Taranaki) 2, D. Dowse (W.) 3. Time, 75-Bsec. Women’s 100 Yards Freestyle.—Miss B. Casey (W.) 1. Mies N. Bridson (A.) 2, Miss J. Hastings (A.) 3. Time, 64.8 sec. Won by a bare touch. Men’s 440 Yards Backstroke.—P. Mathieson (A.) 1, D. Branch (A)'. 2, W. Pasley <S.) 3. Time. 4min 48.4 sec. Women’s 220 Yards Breaststroke.—Miss M, Sweeney (A.) 1, Miss M. Teagqe (W.) 2, Miss H. Smith (West Coast) 3. Time, 3min 24.65ec. Men’s 100 Yards Freestyle.—M. Ballantyne (S.C.) 1, P. Borrington (A.) 2, R. Jolly (W.) 3. Time, 60.2 sec. One Mile.-'-C. Chambers (C.) 1, R. Lucas (A.) 2, D. Baird (A.) 3. Time, 23min 45.8 sec. Women’s 100 Yards Backstroke.—Miss N. Lane (O.) 1, Miss J. Stewart (O.) 2, Miss M. Holman (W.) 3. Time. 73sec. Water Polo.—First round: Auckland 2, Waikato 2; Otago beat Taranaki by default. Second round: Otago 6, Wellington 2. Yaldhurst Shield points are: Auckland, 3, Wellington, 2; Canterbury, Otago, and South Canterbury. 1 each.

FIRMS’ RECREATIbjf 51 SPORTS

The Spreydon Challenge Cup for the highest team aggregate was won by the National Airways Corporation when the Christchurch Firms’ Recreation Association held its annual swimming sports in the Tepid Baths last evening. Miss N. Vaughan (Post Office) won the cup given by the Disabled Servicemen’s Association for the highest individual score. Finals of events resulted:—

Mannequin Parade.—Miss E. Feuillade (Lane, Walker, Rudkin) 1, Miss D. Shaw (Lane, Walker, Rudkin) 2, .Miss Anne

Dawber (H. C. Urlwinj 3. Men’s 66 2-3 Yards Breaststroke.—D. Burney 1, O. Smith 2, P. D. Fox 3. Time, 50 Yards Women’s Backstroke.—Miss N. Vaughan 1, Miss P. Kelly 2. Time, 41 50 Yards Women’s Freestyle.—Miss N. Everitt 1, Miss N. Vaughan 2, Miss P. Kelly 3. Time, 32 2-ssec. Men’s 66 2-3 Yards Freestyle.—R. K. Woods 1, A. R. Wilson 2, D. J. Franks 3. Time, 38 2-ssec. Women’s Dive.—Miss M. Aldridge 1, Miss S. McFarlane 2, Miss N. Vaughan 3. Men’s Dive.—l. R. McDougall 1, W. Huhne 2. O. Smith 3. Women’s 66 2-3 Yards Breaststroke.— Mrs E. Mustchln 1, Miss N. Vaughan 2, Miss R. Collins 3. Men's Relay.—Paris Tailoring Company 1, National Airways 2, N.Z. Farmers' Cooperative Association 3. Women’s Relay.—Harrod’s Fashion Company 1, Hay’s, Ltd., 2, N.Z. Farmers’ Cooperative Association 3.