SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 12

SWIMMING.

(Br Splash.) , / . .'• CAEN.IVAL DATES. ■". ■.'""' Y.M.C.A. Club-January 8.:, Swifts Club—February'l2. ; • Thor'ndon Club—February 26'. ...-'■'.'.' , The weather: experienced throughout , the week has given a decided fillip to swimming both at the/baths and all round the harbour. Energetic; club.officials:,who'.devoted, a/ little time to canvassing for.new.members just now, should not have much difficulty in increasing their membership roll, but none of the clubs appear to look for members at this time-of the year unless, the man ; in question; is ■ a swimmer of repute.' : ; -!'"'.'•. .-'.iv"'.' The Boys' Institute race, held, at Te Aro on■■, Wednesday, showed : that /clubs.;:have not got the whole of even the active'swimmers. It will not,bo surprising to seo the Institute Club develop into a strong, combination if it is in ■; hand by ah enthusiast. Although only half: a. dozen starters appeared for Wednesday's race, the field would have been bigger but for the fact that the Boys' BisleyatTreuthani claimed some of the lads. . : '

'lhe centra has lost a hard-working, and enthusiastic/secretary by tho retirement of.Mr! G. S. Hill; whose business prevents'him, from holding the.office any longer. His successor, Mr. B. CFreyberg, has proved himself expert on the active side of the sport, and it is to be hoped his clerical efforts will be as satisfactory. ■■ ;.-.... - - -. The relations between the Thorndon ■ Club and _ their/ delegate, Mr. ,L. .W. Ludwig, are strained ,at present—so much' : so indeed that Mr. Ludwig has handed in his resignation. lhe now water chuto at the To Aro Baths has been in use during the past-few days, but the chuting" has been , poor owing •to tho water 'connection not having been fitted; Tho chute is not the success that was anticipated! In. the first place, it is too high, from' the water at anything: but full tide,'- and,' secondly, it has been placed in' oho ,of the: worst- spots possible. The middle of tho Oriental Bay end of the bath is one of the'most r used-pieces of water in the bath,' whereas the outer end of tho same/wall is hardly used, at all,, and' would have made an excellent site for tho chute, without interfering with swimming./ '-,■' '' .Swimming is ; oh, I .the boom in tho/.Hawke's Bay since, the, opening of tho now, baths at .Napier.' Th/creareVhow eleven clubs .'affiliated to the Centre; as against four last year. ■'/ ,;The' Swifts Club "has made "application through .the; Centre" for permission to hold a ladies' race 'at To'Aro Baths during the present season;, < -':''.

■'• The following programme' has, been drawn up for the Y.SI.C.A.. carnivnlj "whichis to bo/ held at the Te Aro;Baths oiv January 8:— 50 ynrds Y.M.C.A. Handicap, 50 yards Y.M.C.A. Boys' and Schools' Handicap, 50 yards Ladies' Bace, 50 yards President's Handicap; 100 yards Handicap,:diving competition, life-saving,com-' ■petition, 200. yards.Kei.rnn'Memorial, Handicap, burlesque ,on ' Burus-Johnsoii fight, Naval Battle and polo exhibition. In the. naval battle two -miniature warships, about: 7ft.,,10ng will engage.;::;- -'"/ . ■..'■■.. : ../i '".-,-;-;■'."..>::.- •The 100 yds. provincial championship of.Auck-' land,' to bo decided at the Waiteriiata, Club's, Carnival on December 37, : .wi1l probably attract six ' entries. The probable starters, are;; M. E; Champion, A. O'Hare, and E. Marett, of Wai- ; temata Club,' and E. H. Eonayne, L. Weston, I arid L.Pristrom, of Ponsonby Club. There; are I not likely'to be any outsiders, competing. V ! Rob Derbyshire has. shown,/that he is; still I the:greatest of tho English sprinters'(says the London "Sportsman"); and that if, he had turned out in this year's 100 Yards—of course, duo allowances must be made /for fitness—ho would: havo beaten the winner; In the 150 Yards Northern Championship he., scored his twolfth:victory in the .wonderful timo of lmin; 37 2-ssec. That is, the- fastest time in which the , race has ..ever been, won.- Derbyshire is now all but a veteran,. and. altogether it 'was ia startling'.eye-opener to the /onlookers. Tyldcsley, who finished second,- was inside lmiri: 38sec. for the distance, which shows .that he has.improved.: ■'■'"'. '.'':/ "'Monty'.Holbein has, recently been taking lessons in the overarm stroke from Brickett. He has:greatly improved, and is v now, many seconds:faster over 100 yards. '•Holbein, in his .Channel attempts, has invariably used tho back stroke. A'few..years ago: he tried tho side stroke;:but after a trial in the Thames gave ■it: up' as a:failure.: On this occasion ho .appears, to: havo been moro' successful. : J have alway3,been of, opinion (says the , "Sportsmans swimming writer) that Holbein would do much better in the Channel: if ho. could change his stylo. Lying on his,backhand with the face at, times completely : immersed, : it stands to reason that, even-although the lips are kept,tight for tho.greater part' of the time, an amount of salt water must be swallowed. Water is taken in by all the Channel' swimmors, no matter whether they are on the breast or swimming .overarm or side,, but the back stroke .offers greater chances to-the salty element,' and to that I attribute tho illness /that has attaoked: Holbein in all his recent attempts to swim; Monty,has the best wishes of,everybody.: -.' ;.'•;';-■'•■-/ ■■■■■:.. . •■ ;

: Wolffe has had a disappointing season, writes; "Leander". in . the London "Sportsman," for, although in splendid form—Brighton Pier to AVorthing Pier and back in 10 hours 4 minutes,and 20 miles in Portslade. Canal,in 12 hours 10 minutes proved that—he has had only two opportunities of making his Channel attempt. However, he is keen and confident, and will go again next year. He informs.ma that his next nttempt will be fromßroadstairs. who has won'five English, championships this year—makes no secret of the fact that he attributes his improved speed to a change in his leg stroke, adopted during the time he'.was in London for the Olympic Games; under the care -of Walter Brickett. Writing of "Briskett"—as ho is popularly known—it is not without interest to mention that his lady pupils have been wonderfully successful this seasou. ' He ascribes that to the winter classes held last year, at which there were 657 attendances.

Apropos of the question which has been raised as to whether a player .or an official participating in Northern Union football, under the auspices of clubs affiliated, with tho Northern," Union League. (England), an admittedly/professional body, is eligible to compete or hold office in ''amateur swimming, the rules of the association .state:—"That, an ama-teur-swimmer is one who has not taught or pursued any athletic exercise as a pecuniary .gain, or who ,has not knowingly taken part in any athletic competition or exhibition with anyone who is hot an amateur." 'The ■''exceptions'.'- to the: rules embody the following i "Amateurs shall not lose their status by competing with, or against professionals in friot-; bair matches or' tournaments.",;: Opinions are divided as to the interpretation of the exemption clause of the New Zcnland A.S.A, rules. It Was the intention of the council, when adopting these rules, to provide against tho professional footballers being.-allowed to compete as amateur .swimmers.. The New Zealand Rugby Union rules do not permit; of profes; sional footballers playing; and as'the spirit of.amateurship |)ermeates swimmingrl am of tho .opinion, says the'"Canterbury Times" 'swimming contributor, (-.hat the council will decide in tho negative, and that a professional footballer cannot compcte,,or hold .'office, in amateur. swimming, :. '