SWIMMING Australian University Team In Christchurch

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27563, 21 January 1955, Page 3

SWIMMING Australian University Team In Christchurch

Most of the best swimmers from universities in Australia and New Zealand will meet in the second test between the two teams at the Centennial pool on Saturday evening. The Australians, who have put up excellent performances in the North Island, winning the first test at Wellington by 47 points to 40, arrived in Christchurch yesterday morning and later attended a Mayoral reception.

Apart from its good performances, the team has in one way been unlucky for it was depleted by injuries in the early stages of the tour. Leaving Sydney with 12 members, it suffered its first loss when the vice-captain of the water polo team, W. Ford, injured an arm on board the Monowai. The arm was still in plaster yesterday. His main job now is to give commentaries on water-polo matches. J. Dutton, who also arrived at Auckland with a bandage after slioping on the deck, has now recovered, but A. Foster injured a wrist at Hamilton and returned to Auckland. The team, therefore, is competing with only 10 of its original selection.

But the records of the swimmers and their win in Wellington show that the team is a force to be reckoned with. The captain, J. Foster, of Melbourne University, towered above his teammates at the reception yesterday. A 1952 Australian water polo representative at the Olympic Games and a former Victorian freestyle champion, he is 6ft 4Jin tall. He is considered by many to be the third best water polo centre-back in the world. His mastery of timing and flotation enabled him to score 10 of his side’s 11 points in the match during the Wellington test.

One of the stars of the team is 22-year-old Robin Heming. from the University of Technology in Sydney, who Is one of the fastest sprinters to tour New Zealand. He holds the Australian Universities 100-metre and 200metre freestyle championships, fourth position for New South Wales in the 110 yards freestyle, and holds a similar position in the State surf race. The third-place getter in the Empire Games 110 yards freestyle and 110 yards backstroke. C. J. Weld was unable to tour because of examinatipns at the University of Queensland, but Heming beat Weld in the Australian University championships. Heming is one of 10 Australians to have broken 60sec for th* s 110 yards freestyle. Born in New Guinea, he began his swimming, diving from copra boats that called at the coconut plantation his father managed. He. later began his competitive career under the unorthodox Australian coach, Tom Penny, who also coached Barry Dark. More than 6ft tall, he wears glasses with contact lenses in the water, enabling him to see the turning boards and time his lap endings. Another outstanding member of the team is 21-year-old E. D. Holdaway. of Melbourne, who is the present 200 yards titleholder of Victoria. He beat Weld at the last inter-university competitions, and his time for the quarter-mile is smin 20sec. The New Zealand team is also a formidable one. most prominent being the captain. T. Eagle, of Auckland, who established a New Zealand record of 2min 59.45ec for the 220 yards breastroke in the Wellington test; and 18-yei_--old J. Hamilton, of Wellington, who won the 440 yards freestyle frnm Holdaway.

Foster said that although, unlike the New Zealanders, they could not make any changes in their team they would do their best again. He said that Eagle, who was travelling with them, knew the Australian swimmers’ form, but the Australians were going to m**et some New Zea&nders in this tpst who as yet they knew nothing about. He also expressed surprise at the lack of interest in the butterfly I

stroke in New Zealand, even although b e ?n made official. Welcoming the Australians, who looked very impressive in their green ri!? 26 ?? yellow ties, the Mayor ’Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) said he was always pleased to meet sporting teams from Australia because of its close link with New Zealand. The interchange of sports visits served to make that link stronger. “I think that perhaps there are not enough of such visits between nations.” Mr Macfarlane said that the universities had always made a fine contribution to sport in Australia and New Zealand, producing many fine sportsmen. Replying, Mr Foster said that although swimming was the real reason lor the tour, they had begun to have doubts because of the overwhelming hospitality. He presented the Mayor with a lapel badge which he pinned on. Mr D. Carson-Parker replied on behalf of the New Zealand team.

N.Z. CHAMPIONSHIPS

CANTERBURY TEAM ANNOUNCED

♦u following have been selected by the Canterbury Swimming Centre to represent Canterbury at the national swimming championships next month. The senior championships at Wellington will be held from February 23 to February 2 r *h e junior events will be held at Nelson from February 9-13:— Senior.—Men—Freestyle: J. Snoep, O. Snoep. P Garratt. Breaststroke: G. Pratley. A. Peters, I. MacDonald. Backstroke: D. O. McGiffen, G. McFadden. Flying squadron team: J. Snoep, O. Snoep, P. Garratt, D. McGiffen, G. McFadden. Women—Freestyle: Miss I. Milne. Backstroke: Miss B. Breward. Manager: Mr A. Lee.

Junior.—Boys—Diving: R. L. Hodge. Breaststroke: G. Johnson and B. Tierney. Backstroke: G. McFadden and C. McFadden. Freestyle: J. Watson and D. Graham. Medley: P. W. Stentiford. Girls— Diving: Raelene Hall. Breaststroke: Pamela Breward and Marie Hunter.

Manager, Mr H. McFadden: chaperon, Mrs F. Hall.

GIRL SETS NEW 220 YD BACKSTROKE RECORD (New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, January 20. In a special attempt last evening on the New Zealand girls’ under 14 220 yards breaststroke record. Miss V. E. Coakley, of the Wanganui East Swimming Club, swam the distance in 3min 25.25ec. This clipped 10.9 sec off the record set by Miss L. Orbell, of Southland, in 1953. Miss Coakley will be one of Wanganui’s eight representatives at the forthcoming New Zealand championships. Her time last night is subject to confirmation by the New Zealand Swimming Association.