A. B. Kindred a leading figure in national swimming rankings

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32050, 26 July 1969, Page 11

A. B. Kindred a leading figure in national swimming rankings

rrHE freestyle standard rocketed to new heights while the other strokes merely marked time during the 1968-89 swimming season in New Zealand. Faster times by the top swimmers and greater depth in each event were the significant features of the freestyle section of "The Press” national ranking list, which covers a longer period than usual because of the New Zealand team’s winter tour of Canada. In the men’s freestyle events, A. B. Kindred (Canterbury) achieved spectacular success. He maintained his place at the head of the 440 yd and 1650 yd lists by effecting improvements of 13.8 sec and 40.5 sec respectively and he brought his furlong time down by 5.6 sec to jump from seventh place to second. Several younger swimmers led by M. F. Treffers (Southland) followed his example, and established a reservoir of freestyle talent which should help the country make up for its many lost years in the stroke.

In the 1650 yd there were 10 competitors who beat the time of the second-ranked swimmer in 1968. I. J. Curry (Bay of Plenty) pushed the men’s sprint standard to new heights, while five girls broke 65sec for 110 yd freestyle. The previous year only one gained this distinction. Canterbury had a strong hand in girls’ freestyle, with Misses T. K. Shipston, C. J. Whiting and J. A. Wright all figuring prominently. Their most consistent rival was the Manawatu girl, Miss J. J. Uttley. Once again, Miss Shipston was the outstanding individual performer, taking top ranking in seven of the 12 events. She made tremendous strides in both butterfly events and the 440 yd freestyle to add to the glowing reputation she achieved the previous year. While freestyle flourished other strokes, particularly in the men’s section, struggled to maintain the levels of former seasons. Men’s breaststroke was far from

healthy, with H. W. Graham (Auckland) and I. M. Johnstone (Southland) both slower but still at- the top . —and there was no hint of a resurgence round the corner. Backstroke merely held its own, although B. Knowles (Manawatu) and R. P. Ayson (Auckland) offered a glimmering of hope for the future, while a slight improvement in butterfly was chiefly due to the advancement of the leading performer, I. G. Campbell (Waikato). B. Bond (Taranaki) made small but significant steps forward to take top rankings in the medley events, white G. S. Walker (Canterbury) improved in leaps and bounds to become the leading hope for the future. A pleasing result for Canterbury was that the 14-year-old Christchurch boy, Mark Lewis, did well enough to take fifth place over 440 yd. The versatile Auckland girl, Miss B. N. Williams, emerged as Miss Shipston’s greatest rival'in medley and was in the top bracket in

breaststroke,; as well as showing up in butterfly and 880 yd freestyle. The girls’ breaststroke leaders were remarkably even, and this close rivalry! might lead to better times.? at the top next summer, ' Miss Shipston achieved new peak tit ties in butterfly, while Misses Wright and Whiting adiin. made their mark at theJshorter distance. Supremacy /in medley was also retained by Miss Ship* ston, with’ the diminutive Canterbury girl, Susan Hunter, achieving excellent times ini her first major open season. The times achieved by Miss G. 5. Stirling (Auckland) in) girls* backstroke stood ou-t like a beacon. As well as setting national records at both distances, she was an; incredible 7.4aec clear of‘her nearest rival, Miss Huteiter, in the UQyd list. i Canterbury, with 35 rankings in the top five for each event, wns the leading centre, followed by Auckland, with 26. •