Swimming Carnival At Centennial Pool Tonight

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29384, 10 December 1960, Page 5

Swimming Carnival At Centennial Pool Tonight

SUPPORTED by all centres in ° the South Island with the exception of Otago, whose defection has caused some harsh words among local administrators, the inter-centre swimming carnival at the Centennial Pool this evening represents an important step towards gaining more top competition for South Island swimmers. Many New Zealand titleholders will be competing, and New Zealand records are almost certain to be broken.

The Canterbury Swimming Centre’s management committee can take a great deal of credit for the organisation of this first inter-centre carnival, and particularly Messrs J. H. Johnson and C. A. Harrow, who originally planned it. If this year’s meeting has the success it deserves, the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has indicated it will recognise it as a South Island championship meeting in the future. As the originator, Canterbury has taken

over full responsibility fur the first carnival, but in future it will be held in other centres as well. Southland. West Coast, Asli burton. South Canterbury. and Nelson-Marlborough are all represented by teams of varying strength, with Canterbury clearly fielding the strongest team of all.

This is a most important carnival for those nine swimmers from competing centres who have been selected for the national trials in Wellington next week, for good times today will greatly enhance their chances of selection for the New Zealand team to Queensland.

The men’s freestyle events should be dominated by the strong Canterbury trio of G. Dann. C. McFadc’jn. and G. Le Cren. Swimmers from other centres will find them tough imposition. but K. Dixon (West Coast), who was a finalist at last year's national championships. and R. Dodd (South Canterbury), who went to the national coaching school at Hamilton, should be close behind. M. Manderson (Canterbury’) who is now a senior. L. Nolan (West Coast). S. Saunders (South Canterbury) and G. Stringer (Canterbury) have the best records of the remainder of the entry. Good Fields The men’s breaststroke events have drawn excellent fields. The 110 yards will probably be decided between G. Johnson (Canterbury). who was third at last year's national meeting. L. Jones (South Canterbury') and E. Higson (West Coast), both promising juniors. The 220 yards breaststroke could well see the national record broken by M. Hay. who is in his last season as a junior. The backstroke events should be a Canterbury harvest, with W. Williamson. B. Hocking, and J. Elmsley forming a very strong spearhead. Other Canterbury swimmers, P. Jones and A. Harrow, shoulld also do well.

The women’s freestyle races will give Canterbury’s Miss Shirley Nicholson an opportunity of breaking the New Zealand 440 yards record which she has been unofficially bettering for several weeks. Miss J. Ray (West Coast) and Miss L. Harrow (Canterbury), who were third and

fourth respectively at the national championships last season. and who will also compete in the Wellington trials, make up a strong field. Miss W. Dale (Canterbury) and Miss H. Hanham (Ashburton) should also swim well in the 110 yards event. Back Seat Canterbury will probably take a back seat in the women's breaststroke races, for the two Southlanders. Misses L. Baker and N. Chamberlain, have the best records. Miss V. King (West Coast) has a good chance in the 220 yards. A high-class entry will swim in the women’s backstroke events, and here again two Southlanders, both of whom are trailists for the New Zealand team, have things much their own way. They are Misses E. North and J. Kennedy, and their strongest competition should be offered by Miss R. Barn*-tt (Nelson -Ma rlborou gh) and M iss S. Pitama (Canterbury). Two national junior champions from Southland. Pamela Skow and Hilda Mclntosh have a mortgage on the women’s butterfly. with Misses C. McDonald and J. Monk representing Canterbury’s hopes.