KEEN CONTESTS IN BREASTSTROKE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30325, 28 December 1963, Page 9

KEEN CONTESTS IN BREASTSTROKE

'T'HE first phase of the Canterbury swimming

season—lasting a bare two weeks—is over. But in that brief passage of time a series of close and exciting women’s breaststroke contests so fired the imagination of swimming followers that there are few who are not awaiting the resumption of the Canterbury Swimming Centre's programme on January 8 without some impatience.

Intereat in women’s breaststroke last season was merely academic. It was a matter of Christine Hopper swimming against the clock for senior records; Laurel Blackett engaged in a similar pursuit for new junior times.

This season Miss Hopper has yet to find her form of last summer: Miss Blackett, still a junior, has crept up slowly, while a third girl, Maria Jones, has arrived with a rush to tie the standards set by the other two. The result has been a series of splendid races in which the very evenness of the girls has been a guarantee of cut-and-thrust competition and good times.

Miss Blackett, youngest of the trio, beat both her rivals over 220 yards at the Wharenui Coronation pool in the first carnival of the season. She also beat Miss Jones clearly over 110 yards, but the following week Miss Jones reversed the placings with a thrilling half-second win over 100 metres at New Brighton.

The finest contest was at the Linwood club’s carnival, when Miss Hopper, after leading by little more than a fingertip for most of the distance. was beaten into third place in a blanket finish which inspired scenes of wild delight in the public stands. Miss Jones won, but there was only onefifth of a second covering the three contestants. Miss Jones again beat the Spreydon club pair at the Bryce Cup meeting—this time there was a I.2sec breathing space between the first and the third.

Last Saturday all three became South Island titleholders at Greymouth. Miss Jones (100yds) .and Miss Hopper <22oyds) won senior championships, and Miss Blackett was first in the junior 100yds.

The keenest struggles will undoubtedly come in the Canterbury championships next month. One certain winner will be women’s breaststroke, for the standard cannot but improve under the spur of such fierce competition.