Facelift mooted

Press, 27 February 1980, Page 28

Facelift mooted

Demanding sessions at the Canterbury swimming championships last month have prompted the Canterbury centre to take the initiative to change the format for future championships. Under the present system the championships cater for seven age groups — senior, junior. (14 and

15-year olds), 13, 12, 11, 10, and nine years and under.

The centre wants to alter the format so that the championships will be split into two carnivals. The major one in January would cater for six agegroups — senior, 16, 15, 14. 13 and 12 years and under. The second carnival in early March would be for the younger swimmers — 11, 10 and nine-year-olds.

The proposal, which, if accepted by club delegates and coaches, will be presented as a notice of motion at the next annual meeting of the centre. Over all the new system would mean one less agegroup, fewer events, at the major carnival and probably no more fivehour sessions, which occurred on the first night of the championships last month.

A change of format to engender more interest in the. South Island championships has also been proposed. The new scheme proposed by Canterbury calls for each event to be open to the seven fastest swimmers in the South Island. Swimmers will be restricted to three events and and must remain in their

age-groupings — senior, junior and 13 years and under.