“Junior Olympics” now a major carnival

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33189, 31 March 1973, Page 16

“Junior Olympics” now a major carnival

Probably the largest club-; organised swimming carnival; in New Zealand, certainly in, the South Island, will begin today. This will be the eleventh: annual Wharenui Junior Olympics and they have grown to the size where they; have to be held over two; week-ends. There will be swimming today in the morning, afternoon and evening, another! period on Sunday morning, and three more next Saturday. Eight age-groups from under eight to under 15 are catered for, and over the three days more than 500 swimmers from Christchurch, Timaru, Hokitika, Greymouth and Westport will be involved. Each of the seven periods of swimming will last between two and a half to three hours, and there will be more than 170 events, many of these having heats. Entries this year are more than 3000 compared to 2500 last year. From its beginning in 1963. when the carnival lasted one day, it has been extended to become one of the most popular on the annual programme of Canterbury swimmers, particu-

larly those in the younger age-groups. The carnival rules ensure that ail swimmers are given chances to take titles. If a swimmer has won a provincial title in any stroke of a medley in the current season, he or she cannot enter that particular event. This year it has meant that two of Canterbury’s promising age-group swimmers, Pau! Rowe and Trudy Garland, cannot compete be cause they won titles in al! four strokes and the medley at the Canterbury championships. They are permitted to swim in relays, but again there are strict rules for these. Except for under 16 and below, relay swimmers must keep to their own age group. An under 11 swimmer cannot swim in an under 12 relay team. Also, swimmers may win only two titles, although they can swim in other finals for the purpose of breaking records. The president of the Wharenui club (Mr D. W Cain) said that the “‘Olympics” had increased to such an extent that the club would have to think seriously of adding a further period of swimming next season to cope with entries