SWIMMING PLANS Games Body Appointed

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32367, 5 August 1970, Page 14

SWIMMING PLANS Games Body Appointed

Because it faced some of the greatest problems confronting any of the sports which will be included in the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, swimming would have to set the example as far as immediate and full cooperation with the organising body was concerned.

This was the unanimous opinion of the New Zealand Swimming Council at its meeting last evening, when a sub-committee of five was appointed to study the facilities which will be needed.

“With only three years and a half to go, swimming has the greatest problems because the largest expenditure will be involved in ensuring facilities are up to standard,” Mr J. Johnson said. “We must ensure that we have the best possible people officiating. I might be sticking my neck out, but in addition to our examinations, we may even have to introduce a grading system,” he said. “I am positive that if we had the necessary timing equipment and pool facilities, we could run swimming if the Games were in six months’ time,” the chairman (Mr A. J. Donaldson) said. A subcommittee of Messrs

D. Caine, F. Tomlinson, C. Harrow, Johnson and Donaldson was appointed to investigate the necessary facilities. State Team's Tour The itinerary of the New South Wales team, which will make a tour of the South Island during August and September, was completed. The team will arrive on August 26, swim at carnivals in Christchurch on August 28 and 29, in Invercargill on September 1 and 2, in Dunedin on September 4 and 5, and return to Australia on September 6. The secretary (Mr A. W. Barrett) reported on his recent visit to Australia. He said that Victoria was interested in receiving the Canadian and American team of 10 swimmers after it has completed its New Zealand tour in February. However, because of the conflicting dates of such a tour and its own state championships, it appeared unlikely that New South Wales would participate in the scheme.

National Coaching It was decided to invite Messrs V. T. Parkhouse, J. J. Pattison, and D. Inkster to attend a future coaching committee meeting to discuss methods of obtaining national acceptance of the concept of competitive training schools, in the light of their experience and observation of the recent Edinburgh Games squad school in Christchurch.

“I’d like to see something like this become an annual event from now on, instead of thinking about it six months before a Commonwealth Games or other international competition,” Mr M. Duckmanton said. “I think we should let the discussion of this subject coincide with the return of the New Zealand team,” Mr Donaldson said. “In spite of comments from some quarters, this has been a highly successful team.

“The swimmers themselves wiy have realised the inadequacy of their background of swimming before the six weeks of intensive training." “The Australian team averaged a total of 550 miles during training before the Games,” Mr R. Smith said “And here in New Zealand there was criticism for training totals of 25 miles a week just before the Games,” Mr Cain added.

The committee decided to proceed with the scheme of compiling national ranking lists, after its genera) acceptance at the half-yearly meeting.

Teleprinter Series. The venues for the 1970-71 regional Teleprinter series will be Morrinsville (northern region*. Palmerston North (central) and Christchurch (southern). Mr A. J. Donaldson said that Christchurch had been chosen because of the technical difficulties encountered with toll - links further south.