Important Swimming Gains Made By The Wharenui Club

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 9

Important Swimming Gains Made By The Wharenui Club

IF keenness and eotous--1 iaem count for anything. the swimmers from the Wharenui dub should enjoy another very successful season.

The Coronation pool opened early last month, and immediately the swimmere who bad done a 12week catestoenic course started training, distances of up to three miles a day being achieved. Swimmers who are already showing extreme keenness are Richard Sandom, Mark Hindie, Maria Jones, Alison Mitchell and Sally Brown. The dub has gained several new members,, notably W. G. Andrew and G. R. Stringer, two outstanding freestyle swimmers from the Spreydon dub. Andrew holds three Canterbury freestyle titles and two records; last season he was third equal in the national 22Qyds final. Stringer, after a brilliant junior career during which he broke

New Zealand records, appeared only spasmodically last season but he has the physique and the ability to regain a place among the country’s top sprinters. B. Hocking, toe former national junior backstroke champion, is also back in training. He made a good impression last season in spite of a limited preparation. Coaching is being carried out under the direction of toe chib's professional coach, Mr G. H. McFadden, and two w’ell known amateurs, Mr H. Prtama and Mr D. W. Cain. At a recent meeting the club committee decided to

conduct a special fundraising scheme to send one of toe club’s most promising junior swimmers to a leading Auckland coach for two weeks’ training before the Canterbury championships. The prospect of a coach visiting Wharenui in about 12 months’ time is a distinct possibility. . The important work of teaching has not been forgotten. Discussion groups have been held regularly throughout toe winter and under the guidance of Mr D. Johnson and Mrs E. Mustchin, eight coaches assisted by senior swimmers will conduct learn to swim classes two nights a week and on Saturday mornings.

Last season the chib entered two teams in the centre’s water polo competition but H appears that there will be four teams this year. The top team, entering the senior competition for the first time, will include the club's two New Zealand colts, I Gunthorpe and W. Dunn, and some impressive newcomers: D. Cutting and H. School, both Canterbury representatives, and S. Bradley, a player from Great Britain who bas been capped for the RAF. Two players who ate returning after a year’s absence are B. Wasoti and the New Zeeland Rugby League representative J. Fisher.