SWIMMING Exciting Climax To Bryce Cup Race

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30312, 12 December 1963, Page 23

SWIMMING Exciting Climax To Bryce Cup Race

Track-suited swimmers broke ranks, swarmed to all sides of the pool and cheered excitedly as Spreydon beat Wharenui in a dramatic climax to the annual Bryce Cup relay race at the Wharenui Coronation pool last night. The clash between crack teams from the two top clubs produced a magnificent spectacle. Spreydon, 10yds behind after three legs, made good the deficit over the last 220yds to win the five-man event by a touch.

The Wharenui team had the services of Canterbury’s two leading freestyle swimmers, W. G, Andrew and G. R Stringer, who, earlier in the evening, had beaten Spreydon's fastest man, A. McDonald. by 4sec over 110yds. But while Wharenui swam its men in descending order of speed, Spreydon reserved McDonald for the last leg—a placing which had a direct bearing on the results. W. Pearce (Spreydon) gave a game display in conceding only 3yds to Andrew on the first 110yds leg but by the time Stringer and R. Nicholson had swum, Wharenui's lead had grown to 10yds. Then came Spreydon's counter-attack, led by B. Mears, last season’s Canterbury under-14 freestyle champion. He reduced the leeway to syds and McDonald closed the gap over a thrilling last three lengths. Pearce, captain of the Spreydon team, received the Bryce Cup from the president of the Canterbury Swimming Centre (Mr M. R. Duckmanton). The other members of the successful combination were McDonald. A. Harrow, Mears and R. Gennei. Narrow Winner Performances in supporting individual events were in keeping with the high standard set by the feature relay race. Andrew had a keen duel with Stringer over 1110yds freestyle, winning ! narrowly in the good time of |62sec. Stringer's 62.35ec was an improvement on his previous best time this season. B. i Hocking, too. showed marked I improvement over 220yds , backstroke in recording 2min ■47.6 sec. In what was virtually a re-

peat performance of the girls’ breaststroke race at the Linwood pool last Saturday. Miss ' M. Jones 'Wharenui) again] beat the Canterbury senior and junior champions. Misses i C. Hopper and L. Blackett. | Although M. Hay and his 1 brother J. Hay, were leading the field the greatest interest centred on the struggle involving the three outstanding girls. Miss Jones, with a strong finish, won a little more decisively than last week. She was o.9sec faster than Miss Blackett, with Miss Hopper a further o.3sec away, i Abbreviations used in the re- 1 suits are:—E„ Elmwood; R„ Riccarton; W„ Wharenui; S.. Spreydon; F., Fendalton. 110 Yards Freestyle—Section 1: Miss R. Mackenzie (E.) 1. Miss G. Mather lE.) 2. Miss H McDonnell (W.i 3. Time. 1:23.4. Section 2: G. Marshall tW.) 1, A. Kindred (W.) 2, Miss J. Baigent (F.) 3. Time. 1:15.7. Section 3: P. MaJaquin (W.) 1. B. Henderson (W.) 2. Miss T Shipston (E.) 3. Time, 1:11.4. Section 4: G. Adams <S.) 1, H. Armstrong <W.) 2. L. Jeffs (S.) 3. Time. 1:19.7, Section 5: M. Johnston (F.) 1, R. Bliss (S.) 2. R. Rough (E.) 3. Time, 1:11. Section 8: R. Brodie <S.) 1. M. Williams lE.) 2, Miss S. Pitama (W.) 3. Time. 1:12.2. Section 7: W. G. Andrew (W.) 1. G. R I Stringer (W.) 2. A. McDonald (S.i 3. Time. 1:2. I 148 2-3 Yards Medley-Sec-tion 1: R. Bliss (S. > 1. J. Robinson (S.) 2. Time. 2:2.4. Section I 2: W. Pearce (S.) I. Miss S I Pitama (W.i 2. R. Rough (E.i 3. Time. 1:53.4. 110 Yards Breaststroke —Sec-1 t»on 1: Miss T. Jones (W.) I, D , Stutheridge (W.) 2. D. Hurndle (W.) 3. Time. 1:443. Section 2: 'Miss L. Cox (S> 1. Miss P. Whitta (R.) 2. Miss E. Pearce i (S.) 3. Time. 1:39.3. Section 3:i T. Bliss (S.) 1. Miss A MHcheli: i (W.) 2. P Hay E.) 3 Time. 11:34.6. Section 4: M Hay (E.H 1, J. Hay (E.i 2. Miss M. Jones !(W.) 3. Time, 124.9. | Bryce Cup Relay (5 x 110 j «ards freestyle).—Spreydon A 1, (harenui 2. Elmwood 3. Time.' 5:34.4. 220 Yards Backstroke —Section 1: A. Harrow (S.) 1. J. Robinson IS.) 2 Miss W. Dale (S.) 3. Time. 2:52.5. Section 2: B. Hocking (W.) 1. Miss N. Clark (E.) 2. Miss F. Pearce (S.) 3. Time. 2:47.6. 110 Yards Butterfly.—G. R. Stringer (W.). 31sec, 1; Miss L. Ward (W.k go. 2; J. Hay (E.). 30sec, 3. Time, 1:17J). 440 Yards Freestyle.—Section 1: W. Pitama (W.) 1. Mins K. Tallott (W.i 2. Miss J. Baigent (F.i 3. Time. 6:38.1 Section 2: M Hlndel (W.i 1. R. Sandom i (W.) 2. A. Kindred (W.) 3. Time. !5:35. Section 3: W. Pearce <S.) 1 B. Mears (S.) 2. D. Johnston (F.i 3. Time. 5:114 Medley Relay (4 x 73 1-3 yards I Wharenui <B. Hocking. Miss M. Jones. W G. Andrew. G. R. Stringer) 1 Elmwood A 2, Spreydon Girls 3 Time. 3:14.5.