SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 455, 13 March 1909, Page 12

SWIMMING.

(Bv Splash.) CARNIVAL DATES. March 20.—Centre Carnival. Tho Thorndon Club has reason to bo satisfied with the result of its carnival last Saturday, but the success was no moro than tho club deserved, for considering the amount of work that must havo been put into tho gathering. The general opinion after tho sports was that they were tho best held in 'Wellington for many years,- and as I mentioned on Monday tho only thing that could bo said against the carnival was that it gave too much and mado the sports finish rather late. The racing was good, the two principal events falling to aTe Aro man—C. Ward— and the handicapping throughout was excellent. A number of tho Te Aro swimmers predicted that they would not be given a look in by the Thorndon handicapper, but Ward's two wins gave the lie direct to these uncharitable suggestions. Tho racing in tho President's Handicap— 50 yards—was interesting right through. W. Hill, who won his heat in 34sec, is a now swimmer who has recently given up cricket for tho water, and just beforo Christmas he could barely, negotiate tho length of the hatha. What ho needs now is a respectable, starting plunge, his present plunge being a fearful and wonderful creation. Tho most interestinglieat was the ono in which Roberts, Bonayno, and Poivnall wero associated. Roberts swam a fino race, and just beat Pownall, whom ho allowed 2sec, by a touch. Ronayne finished well, but could not reach loaders. Tho final fell to Bruce, and was well earned by a hard training powerful swimmer. Good handicapping was noticeable in the 400 lards Handicap, in which the backmarkers were Healy and Freyberg, the latter having 6sec. olf the champion. Before the journey was two-thirds completed Healy had Freyberg well beaten, but ho could not overtake some of tho other men with starts, although he made a good effort. Ward, O'Neill, and Brice wero all going remarkably well on entering the last stretch, and 25yds. from home tho race looked to belong to any of tho three. O'Neill made a great effort nearing tho line, but Ward and Brico followed him, and a great raco homo saw Ward gain a popular win, with Brice close up second, and O'Neill an excellent third. Ward surprised his strongest supporters by his excellent performance. O'Neill had a bad passage, which must have lost him several fnet besides preventing him fromsettling down to solid going. This swimmer has an unattractive style, but gets through tho water at a good rate, and has staying power.

Tho 100 yards handicap was another good race, which brought out some of the best. At tho end of tho first 50 yards of the final, Bruco and Allan turned first, with Ward close up. With only 25 yards to cover, the positions wero Ward, Allan, Bruce, and Healy, and a great finish saw Ward beat Bruco by a touch, Healy being third and Allan, right on him, next. Ashford, who had put up a fino performance in his heat, retired at 75 yards. Tho diving competition brought out tho best divers in the city, and tho judges had a hard task in separating tho first halfdozen mon to the satisfaction of the spectators. First prize was awarded to C. A. Macdonald, but many disagreed witli tho award. Macdonald's flight was easily the best of the lot, but his entry was not tho best. Nelson dived splendidly, and the same remark can bo applied to Hanna, whilst.C. Moore, Picot, Wiggins, and T. Bonayno also dived well.'

Two specially good novelties were introduced, tho first being the musical lifebuoys, a form of musical chairs played in tho water. The swimmers numbered ono more than tho buoys, and the competitors had to swim round tho buoys to music, and when the music stopped everyono had to divo and como up with his head through a buoy. Each divo meant that ono.man could not sectirc a buoy, and ho would havo to leavo the Water. As each man left tho water a buoy would bo removed, this going on until only ono, buoy and two. competitors woro left. Theso two compote for the final buoy. In Saturday's competition Bonayno was the winner.

>_ Iho other novelty was a 25 yards submarine race, in which the competitors had to swim under water with a bladder attached to thorn by tape, tho bladder floating above tho competitor as ho swam along. B. Nelson won this event.

Tho final distanco for tho Wellington Club's President's Cup—lso' yards—was decided at To Aro en Monday, aiid was won by J. Mawby, with C. Ward second, and H. Ashford third. Ashford has wpn j the cup for the season,' Ward being second, ono point behind. These two' young swimmers should develop into something above tho average in tho next year or so. In fact, thero aro not two more promising boys in tho citv. Ward will do best at distances,' whilst Ashford, if ho takes training a. bit moro seriously, will develop into a brilliant sprint man.

. Tho programme drawn up for tho Wellington centre's carnival, which is to be held at tho To Aro Baths on Saturday next, is as follows:—

50yds. Schoolboys' Championship (under 15 years): first prize, gold medal; second prize, silver medal

100 yds. Schoolboys' Championship; First prize, gold medal; second prize, silver medal. 100 yds. Wellington Centre's Championship: First prize, gold medal, value £2 25.; second prize, silver medal, value £1 Is. 440 yds. Wellington Centre's Championship: First prize, gold medal, value £2 25.; second prize, silver medal, value £1 Is. 50yds. Handicap: First prize, trophy, valuo £2 25.; second prize, trophy, value £1 Is.

100 yds. lutcralub Handicap: First prize, trophy, value £2 25.; second prize, trophy, value £1 Is.

Life-saying Race, 50yds. (rescuer to swim clothed in trousers, vest, and shirt, to "drowning man," a distance of 25 yards, and bring him back to starting-point. No. 2 method): First prize, trophy, value £1 Is,; second prize, trophy, value 10s. Gd. Diving Competition (flight, entrance, and recovery); First prize, trophy, valuo £1 Is.; second prize, trophy, value 10s. 6d. In previous years tho four distances for the Schoolboys' Championship have been decided on the same day, but this year only the 50 yards and 100 yards will he got olf at tho carnival, the 25 yards and 75 yards being sot down for March 22 and March 23.

Distance swimming is receiving a fair amount of support in tho schools, particularly in Clydo Quay. Mr. J. Fanning had a contingent of his boys at tho Te Aro

Baths'-on'Tuesday afternoon, and most of theni wero expert enough to cover from half a milo to a mile. Tho best long-dis-tance swimmer of tho school is Dick Rutledge, who covered two miles, and could doubtless havo gone on for somo time, but tho water is now getting cold, and Mr. Fanning did not think it wise to let him go on any longer. L. Beaurepairo (Albert Park S.C.), a brother of tho champion, won the 150 yds. championship of Victoria easily, whilst A. R. Harrower annexed the 880 yds. championship of Queensland by 12yds. from F. W. Springfield in 12min. losec.

L. Solomon, the new 100 yds. flier from North Sydney, is evidently going to bo a very serious obstaclo in tho path of Hardwick and Co. (says the Sydney "Referee"). When tho wonderful reports of his minutebreaking performances were first whispered onO felt inclined to be rather doubtful. However, his performance in a recent race establishes his reputation beyond cavil. Ho actually led Hardwick for 80 yards of the journey, and was only beaten by less than a yard by that brilliant all-round swimmer.

Australasian Champion Frank Beaurepairo added one more to his fine list of successes by appropriating the Southern State's i'urlong Championship, T. W. Mason again being placed second. Beaurepairo had to knock a substantial slico off the Victorian record to win, however, his time (2min. 31 3-uscc) being 2 3-ssec. faster than his own previous best. Mr. Thomas Crouch, watchmaker and ioweller, of Cuba Street, has presented the

y.M.C.A. Club with .1 cup. Tho cup, which is a fine specimen of tho silversmith's art. is being oomrioteil for in thrco rnees, tlm distances being 50, 100, acd 220 j-ards.

Tho 100 yards distance was swum off on Wednesday, and, after a well-contested race, resulted in a win for R. Bakor.

A contributor adds tho notes which follow :—Swimming men who last year advocated the curtailment of sprint events, _ in favour of longer distances, must bo gratified by tho responso mado by swimmers this season. All tho Wellington clubs have been presented with trophies to bo competed for over three, distances, tho clubs donating a prize to the winner of each race. No bettor method could have been devised, as being placed in tho first race, tends to encourage a swimmer to train for tho longer distances. The Swifts Swimming Club got o(E a mile race on Thursday night last, and i 6 was a hojxjful feature to find ton starters in the distance race of tho year. N. Watson, the winner, is a boy who deserves success, for lie is always a trier and trains hard. His win in annexing tho blue ribbon event of the To Aro Baths is therefore just tho tiling. 13. O'Neil. who occupied second place, is a swimmer who has put, up good performances, and is well on the back marks. Although placed, ho has never had a win. On performances, O'Noil should not be so far back. Morpeth, the third man, lias plenty of stamina, but hardly enough pace. Two series races were started during the week—the Missen Cup (Wellington Swimming Club) and tho Crouch Challenge Shield (Y.M.C.A. Swimming Club). Tho first race for tho Missen Cup (220 yards) was won by H. Capper, and It. Baker was successful iii tho first distance (100 yards) of tho Crouch Challenge Shield. Tho Thorndon Swimming Club's 200 yards was won by V. L. Allan. Allan is now lying second for tho Ward Challenge Cup, with 10. points, Roberts leading with 14.