Hodge, Miss Hutton Win Diving Titles

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

Hodge, Miss Hutton Win Diving Titles

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Feb. 11. The Wellington swimming public was firmly convinced that Miss H. Hutton and R. L. Hodge were possessed of nerves of steel after the pair had won the national women’s and men's springboard diving championships with their last dives at the Naenae Olympic Pool on Saturday. Hodge, it is true, held a narrow lead before his final dive, but was required to gain almost 15 points for his last effort to beat the strongest of his challengers. R. Hood (Waikato). For her part. Miss Hutton trailed Miss W Harvey (Hawke’s BayPoverty Bay) throughout the women's contest, but snatched the title from her rival’s grasp with her last dive, a superlative reverse one and a half somersault. It was the fifth year in succession that Hodge has won the national senior crown for springboard diving, while Miss Hutton retained the title which she won last year at Te Puke. The two contests were charged with dramatic intensify which, with a refreshing rise In standard. made a thrilling spectacle The men's event in particular was notable for the way the leading competitors lifted the degree of difficulty of their dives and the outcome was the finest contest of recent years Hodge led by about seven points from the next competitor after the compulsory dives last Wednesday, but on Saturday R. Mclntosh (Auckland) Hood A. Swindell (Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay), and W. McCarroll (Wellington), all surpassed the Canterbury champion In points for voluntary dives Hood dived with great aplomb, but Hodge remained unruffled in the tense, final stages to earn good marks with a back one and a half somersault and a reverse one and a half somersault to carry the day. It was typical of Hodge that after the championship contest was over he continued to dive for the benefit of two officials sitting their diving judges' examination.

Even more dramatic than the circumstances surrounding Hodge's win were those in which Miss Hutton retained the women's title. She was behind Miss Harvey until the last dive and by that time Miss L. Cunningham (Auckland) had almost drawn level with her.

Miss Hutton rose magnificently to the occasion, however. Her last dive, a reverse one and a

half somersault, was performed with poise and assurance and earned her 14.87 points, easily the h)ghest marking of the contest. Miss Harvey seemed in an unbeatable position with one dive remaining, but her last effort was' cumbersome in the extreme and. having led from the start to the second last dive, she fell behind both Miss Hutton and Miss Cunningham. The latter two were by far the best in the voluntary section, the Aucklander earning 1 10 points more than Miss Hutton.

The 17-year-old Canterbury girl, a tlrst-year student at Christchurch Teachers’ College, admitted to being nervous in her early dives but. with the aid of her coach, Mr W S. Hodge, "pulled herself together" for her last two dives, which carried the highest degree of difficulty. Miss Harvey earned sympathy for losing after leading for nine of the 10 dives, but it was noticeable that she concentrated on simple dives in the voluntary section whereas Miss Hutton attempted a much harder selection. . . Results pf springboard championship were:— Men—R Hodge (Canterbury), 134.71 pointe. 1: R. Hood (Waikato). 133.28 . 2; R. Mclntosh (Auckland). 128.34 . 3. Women—Miss H. Hutton (Canterbury), 100.33, 1: Miss L. Cunningham (Auckland), 97.05, 2: Miss W. Harvey (Hawkes Bav-Poverty Bay). 96 80, 3. Girls—Miss G Gallagher (Hawke'S Bay-Poverty Bay). 56.92. 1; Miss G Morley (Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay). 54.23. 2: Miss J. Stallard (Nelson- Marlborough I. 53.94 3. Bovs—W. Robertson (Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay). 56.79. 1: B. Furness (Auckland). 49.66. 2: R. Hewlett (Neteon-Mariborough). 42.12, 3