New Scheme For Club Swimming

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29070, 5 December 1959, Page 5

New Scheme For Club Swimming

rpHE new scheme of the Canterbury Swimming Centre for inter-club swimming carnivals — dividing the juniors and seniors into two separate carnivals —had a most- successful inauguration last Saturday. The primary carnival, held at Spreydon in the morning, relieved the congestion at the senior inter-club carnival in the afternoon and made for a much smoother running programme. Until this season, the centre tried valiantly to cater for all comers at the Saturday afternoon carnivals. Last season the situation became quite out of hand, and carnivals starting at 1.30 p.m. were sometimes still in progress after 5 p.m. More than 300 swimmers were entering the events, and officials had a worrying time trying to get all the races over in reasonable time.

Many Heats The situation sometimes arose where there were as many as 20 heats in a popular event, and the entries ranged from tiny children recently taught to swim to seniors over 20 years of age. The division of the carnivals has brought much-needed relief to officials and at’ the same time placed the competitors in realistic age groups.

The Spreydon primary carnival was a great success, and the children themselves benefited from the greater opportunities for interclub competition. (In previous years, they were lucky if they had one swim at an afternoon carnival because of the pressure of entries.

The afternoon carnival, held at Linwood, also showed the benefit of the system. The swimmers and official* were able to enjoy the

carnival more because there was not the same rush, and again, more events could be catered for. The carnival finished at about 4 p.m.—a finishing time often dreamed about by swimming carnival officials but until now never a possibility. The two-carnival system will be continued throughout the season, and judging by last week-end’s results, it will probably remain a permanent arrangement in the future.