SWIMMING Canterbury Wins Three Titles At N.Z. Meeting

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 8

SWIMMING Canterbury Wins Three Titles At N.Z. Meeting

(From Our Oum Reporter)

WELLINGTON, February 11.

1 Two eleventh-hour wins in the springboard diving championships by Miss H. Hutton and R. L. Hodge and a resounding victory in the junior girls’ 110 yards butterfly by Miss L. Cox restored much lost prestige for Canterbury on the final day of the New Zealand swimming championships at the Naenae Olympic Pool on Saturday. These were the team’s only successes of the meeting, but if Canterbury’s moment of glory was brief it at least atoned for the frustrations of the preceding days.

The weekAong, meeting culminated in a dazzling display of aquatics before Wellington’s biggest swimming crowd of about 4400 on Saturday night. Spectators were captivated by a diving display in which Hodge and Miss Hutton were the principal performers; their skill and daring from the .fivemetre board were acclaimed unreservedly. s , / There was much in the pool, too, for the crowd to appreciate. Four national records were beaten-bringing the total for the meeting to 15 broken and two equalled—and in four of the remaining five individual events the winner was less than I.ssec off the New Zealand mark. Broke Four Records

If there had been a popularity race on the programme the undoubted winner would have been R. Walker, the cheery 14-year-old Wellington schoolboy, whose every appearance on the blocks was the signal for a frenzied burst of enthusiasm from the public galleries. Walker certainly justified these receptions, for in four starts he won four titles and smashed the New Zealand record in each one. As a member of Wellington’s four-man flying squadron he shared in a fifth title as well.

Walker was a popular winner of the Harold Pettit Trophy for the swimmer gaining most points at the meeting. Last year’s trophy, winner, R. J. Taylor (Auckland), was the previous holder of the titles and records secured by Walker. The powerful Auckland ‘earn retained the Freyberg Shield, for most points in all events, the Yaldhurst Shield for most wins ih the senior section, and the War Memorial Shield, for most wins in the junior events. Another outstanding competitor on Saturday was Miss

V. Haddon CManawatu), who broke the national record twice in winning the Women’s 110 yards breaststroke. The 16-year-old Palmerston North girl, who bears a striking resemblance to the champion woman golfer, Miss N. Campbell, was in a class of her own and her winning margin for a two-length breaststroke race was unbelievably wide. Canterbury’s finalist in the event. Miss C. Hopper, proved her fighting qualities by gaining third place behind Miss R. Dunlop (Otago).

Miss Haddon’s feat in breaking a record in both heat and final was matched by Miss A. McMillan (Waikato) in the junior girls’ 110 yards freestyle. Miss McMillan had previously won the 220 yards freestyle and

established a new record for the event before the championships. The victory by Miss Cox in the girls’ butterfly event was clear-cut. the Canterbury champion leading all the way to win by 10 yards. She covered the first length in the fast time of 34.35ec and her winning time of Imin 22.45ec was the same as her Canterbury record and only I.4sec outside the required time for a national record. Close Finish One of the most exciting races of the meeting was the men's 220 yards freestyle, in which P. Hatch (Wellington), the 110 vards champion, crossed swords with the 440 yards winner. T C. Dalton (Auckland). The duel between them was close and keen but so intent were they on beating one another that B. Crowder (Wellington) closed on them almost unnoticed. Hatch’s speed over the last few yards was the decisive factor. Dalton just shading Crowder for third place. Hatch was only three-tenths of a second outside his own recentlyestablished New Zealand record. Canterbury had a strong representation of five in this event, but of these swimmers only G. Dann reached the final. Broke Record by Ssec The brilliance of the youthful Walker was emphasised yet again in the winning of the 440 vards freestyle. He covered the first 200 yards In 2min 17sec —more than a second faster for the old national record for the distance—and drew steadily away from his only real rival, J. Palmer (Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay) to set his startling new mark of 4min 47.55ec. This broke Taylor’s national record by fully nine seconds. His performance moved Mr H. B. Ive. president of the Amateur Swimming Union of Australia, to say: “In young Walker you have a potential which I have not seen tor some time and I am sorry that he will not be in Australia to test our boys of 13 and 14 in the nationals."

The girls’ 110 yards freestyle was essentially a battle between the two Waikato girls. Misses A McMillan and G- Dennis. The blonde Miss McMillan proved her superiority as a spmiter by winning handsomely and breaking the record in both heat and final. But there was much to admire in the steady swimming of Miss W. Dale (Canterbury) who overcame, among others, the Auckland prodigy. Miss S. Woonton, to gain third place. Miss Dale swam with commendable spirit in all her races, qualifying each time and gaining three thirds and a fourth in the finals. Backstroke Final

Speculation on a possible world record was rife in some quarters before the women’s 220 yards backstroke final, in which Miss M. Macrae (Auckland) was the centre of attraction. Her recently - established national record of 2min 39sec had brought her to within I.Bsec of the world mark, held by Miss M. Wilson (Australia). Swimming in solitary splendour in the outside lane, however, she drifted away from the world figure and eventually finished a second outside the national record. But she won clearly enough and thus deprived the stylish Miss L. Norman (Auckland) of her second backstroke title.

Miss S. Pitama (Canterbury), the provincial champion, produced a time faster than Miss □ale's Canterbury record in the backstroke final to gain fourth place. It was a meritorious effort to such illustrious company. The worthy winner of the two junior girls’ backstroke titles. Miss J. Kennedy (Southland). lost nothing in comparison with Miss Macrae over 55 yards in a North v. South Stalag Shield relay and in the men’s relay, W. Williamson (Canterbury) held the national champion. B. Robertson (Auckland) over a similar distance.

Canterbury supporters watched in disbelief when M. J. M. Hay. the provincial champion and former New Zeeland repreeentattve, tailed to qualify]®

the 220 yards men’s breaststroke, while his less fancied teammate, G. Johnson, gained a place among the finalists. Johnson, however, occupied a glace among the rearguard tn le final, which was won, impressively. by the sparsely-built H. W. Graham, the accomplished swimmer-skier from Taumarunui. It was his second breaststroke title of the meeting and although he did not reach the required times for national records, his improved efforts at each appearance stamped him as a likely candidate for success In this direction in the fU ßesults of finals on Saturday W Abbreviations: Ashburton (An.). Auckland (A.). Bay of Plenty (8.P.), Canterbury (C.). Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay (H.8.-P.8.), Manawatu (M.). Nelson Marlborough (N.M.), Otago (O). South Canterbury (S.C.), Southland (S.), Taranaki (T.), Waikato (Wk ). Walrarapa (Wp.). Wanganui (Wg.), Wellington (W.), West Coast (W.C.). 220 Yards Breaststroke.—H. Graham (Wk.). 2:51,5. 1: G. Wakeley (A.), 2:55.3, 2; M. Webb (8.P.), 2:57.8. 3. 220 Yards Freestyle.—P. Hatch (W.). 2:13.7. 1: T. Dalton (A.), 2:14.5. 2; B. Crowder (W.». 2:15.2. 3.

440 Yards Stalag Shield Relay.—North Island. 4:13.8, 1; South Island. 4:27.7, 2.

110 Yards Breaststroke.—C. Haddon (M.). 1:22.5. 1: R. Dunlop (O), 1:29.4. 2: C. Hooper (C.). 1:31.2, 3. (New Zealand record).

220 Yards Backstroke.—M. Macrae (A.). 2:40.3, 1: L. Norman (A.). 2:50.4, 2; G. Brown (O ). 2:55.8. 3.

440 Yards Stalag Shield Relay.—North Island, 4:43.0, 1; South Island. 4:58.1, 2.

Boys 440 Yards Freestyle.—R. Walker (W.), 4:47.5, 1; J. Palmer (H.8.-P.8.). 4:58.3. 2; L. Michalski (Wg.). 5:11.9, 3. (New Zealand record.)

220 Yards Medley.—R. Walker (W.), 2:38. 1; M. Kirby (Wk ), 2:50. 2; G. Ruzio-Saban (A.). 2:53.5. 3. (New Zealand record).

440 Yards Girls And Boys Stalag Shield Relay.—North Island, 4:41.4, 1; South Island, 4:55.6, 2.

110 Yards Butterfly.—L. Cox (C.). 1:22.4. 1; O. Kirby (M.>. 1:31.6, 2: K. Hale (H.8.-P.8.). 1:34.2, 3.

110 Yards Freestyle.—A. McMillan (Wk ), 1:8.5, 1; G. Dennis (Wk.), 1:10.1. 2: W. Dale (C). 1:12.4. 3. (New Zealand record ) 220 Yards Backstroke.—J. Kennedy (S.). 2:49.4, 1; J. Dare (A.), 2:52.5. 2: M. Miles (A.). 3:0.9. 3.