First swim record of new season

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32776, 29 November 1971, Page 16

First swim record of new season

E. Box (Sockburn), who broke more than 20 Canterbury swimming records last season, was the first swimmer this summer to break a Canterbury record when he took part in time trials at the Jellie Park Pool yesterday.

Box who is swimming in the under 13 age group this season, clipped I.9sec off the 100 metres freestyle record which he established in February with a time of Imin 4.4 sec. In only a year he has reduced his best time over this distance by a remarkable s.6sec.

The record yesterday rounded off a successful week-end for Box who on Saturday night swam another excellent race at the Sockbum Park-Wharenui carnival when he won the 400 metres freestyle in 4min 47.5 sec, more than Msec faster than his previous best time over the distance. Box swam under five minutes for the first time. However he was pursued throughout the race by R. Newbum (Wharenui), who finished just over a second behind Box. G. Dinneson won the men’s 400 metres freestyle after an exciting tussle with J. Symon (Sockburn Park), Dinneson winning by a touch in 4min 31.4 sec, .2sec ahead of Symon. R. McCabe (Sockburn Park) did not perform as well as expected and finished third.

The women’s 100 metres

breaststroke provided one of the best finishes with the first five all within 4sec of one another. J. Mills (Sockburn Park) won from the improving E. Archer (New Brighton), with Z. Wilson (Wharenui) third. W. Wakefield (Wharenui), one of the centre’s best breaststrokers could only manage fourth, while J. Tomlinson (Wharenui) in fifth place had the creditable time of Imin 32.25ec.

In the girls’ under 14 100 metres backstroke L. Rowe (Wharenui) was pushed to the limit by R. Baker (Sockbum Park), only half a second separating the two at the finish. G. Ray (Sockbum Park) finished a good third. J. Parkhouse (Wharenui) was several seconds outside the national records in the women’s 200 metres freestyle but this was to be expected after doing her regular training schedule of nine miles during the day, as did the other Wharenui swimmers.

Although none of the swimmers had eased their training for the carnival, several recorded personal best times indicating there will be heavy assaults on Canterbury records later in the season.