SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 53, 25 November 1922, Page 15

SWIMMING.

(By

“Crawl.”)

The chief interest in swimming c r cles to-day is the carnival in honour of Miss Gwitha Shand, whose Hono lulu success may stimulate Wellington lady swimmers to again seriously take up competitive swimming. I’ r0 P 18 l"S juniors who have dropped out in the last few years should again enter training. The hardy physical tone induced by lour climate should enable ladies to swim in all weathers without detrfr merit. Lady swimmens will compete with Miss Shand to-day, so that it a record is established it may be officially recorded, which would not be permissible in a mixed race. A full programme of inter-club and open races has been prepared, and all swimmers should be present, especially ladies, as tips in regard to style ana stroke from such a champion are not to be had every day. Miss Shand s time for the 440 yards at Honolulu was 6min..14 2-ssec. Miss Fanny Durack (Australia) , and Miss .Hilda. James (England) both took fimin. 16 2-ssec. for tho distance at their best. Mliss Ederle, America’s 15-yoar-old champion, is 'credited with the distance in smin. 54 3-seec. The evening races held at the Te Arc Baths are arousing keen interest, and will no doubt prove to be the m’ost popular gatherings held during the swimming season. Owing to tho good handicapping some very keen races and splendid finishes were witnessed last week. The form shown was decidedly good, in. view of the fact that the weather has allowed very little opportunity for training so far. In the final, Fletcher, wh<x flew over the oOlyards in 28 3-ssec., swam a great race. With the proper training and instruction i this boy' will probably develop into one of our best junior swimmers. He is also taking up the work of life-saving with the Maranui Club. A. Glaridge has not yet settled down to training. He is one .of our best breast-stroke exponents, and his regular attendance at the baths will be welcome.

The Wellington Swimming Centre are obtaining the views of the various clubs on the question of raising a centre touring fund by any of the following methods: —(1) A levy on club members, (2) a levy on clubs, (3) donajtiolaq by clubs, (4) donations by supporters. The first three methods could well be done without, and it is very unlikely that any club, which already.j>?ys the high affiliation fees to the centre will be prepared to impose a further levy on its club members. I am also informed that several of the clubs are not in the position to make a donation for the purpose. The .Wellington Centre has a substantial balance to its,credit, and an amount could be put aside at once to form the nucleus of the fund, and a certain percentage of every carnival controlled by the centre could be paid into it. The Wellington Centre should well be able to provide a touring fund without passing the burden on the already over-taxed clubs, especially when it reserves the right of choice of championship fixtures for its own meetings, and the clubs have to take what is left.

Worspr Bay in a blustering northerly is one of the most sheltered beaches round Wellington, and the opening there last Saturdav was well patronised. With th§ new -.starting platform now in course of erection the' club should increase its membership, as it caters well for the social side, has a brisk, sturdy team of lifesavgrs, and does, not forget the importance. of competitive swimming. No times of Saturday’s events were taken, but the '5O-yard heats wej-o briskly swum. The wipner of the 50 yards ladies’ race, Miss O. Warring, a member of the club, showed a clean, free stroke, and overhauled 'the leader easily in the last few. yards. , The assurance of His Worship, the Mayor upon opening the Worser Bav season that the City Council was always rpady to do all in its power to encourage swimming, probably did not refer to the promised tepid salt watir baths in the city. In that matter the City Council appears to be powerless to interpret itself. The Olympia Club, which will be represented at to-day’s Shand Carnival by four teams of three swimmers each, was .auspiciously launched last .week. Lady membership is excluded, but any other person in the Wellington district is eligible for membership. In order, however, to assure a body of members with the homogenity requisite to successful foundation members of tho Lyall Bay Life-Saving Club will be admitted at 2s. fid. subscription, as against the ss. for other members. It was pointed out at the inaugural meeting that members would graduate from the Swimming dub to tho Life-Saving Club, and not vice versa, thus there was no hint of drawing membership from the older club. The evident determination of the Olympians to devote' themselves to the interests of straight-out competitive swimming is welcome. "With Air. P. N. Rundle as president, a live executive and an experienced secretary, tho Olympia Club promises to attract a swimming membership whoso active competition will do much to bring out Wellington swimmers. The coming of W. W. Harris, .the Honolulu star sprinter, who was to have visitg<i the Dominion before the New Year, has now been postponed until early in March, as the clash between such an attraction here and

the Christmas Day and Boxing Day fixtures would have been inadvisable. , E. G. L. Paterson, the holder of the local 100 yards record of 60 secs., IS starting swimming again. A constant attendant at the baths emphasises the urgent need for swimmers to settle down to active training. At tho present time thoro is a tendency for tho majority to merely play around in the water, without taking much trouble to improve their form. Mollier and Gillot havo made vast improvement on last year’s form. C. Glaridge seems to be in need of someone to correct his stroke.

It is gratifying to see the number of young boys who are entering the evening races, and who are anxious to improve their stylo and enter seriously into competitive swimming. So far the Wellington Centro has apparently done nothing with regard to providing a coach at tho baths. This is obviously one of the most important matters. and should be t remedied as soon as possible. There are probably dozens of first-class swimmers who lack merely that little correction and instruction which will place them amongst the first rankers. WITH THE SURFERS AND LIFE-SAVERS

The life-saving clubs took advantage of the moderate week-end to continue their training, in view of tho rapidly approaching competitions. A very noticeable and pleasing feature is the standardised costume worn by all lifesavers on the beaches, and by which they are readily distinguishable'. This style of costume, which is a plain single piece woollen costume, with a coloured band round the chest, was recommended by the Royal Life-Saving Society, and adopted by all the clubs. On the occasions of displays and competitions, which are generally preceded ’ by a march past of all the teams with reels, the uniform\costume will add greatly to tlio display. It is hoped that.in the near future all life-saving gear will be standardised, tip that many unpleasant features of past competitions will be avoided. Tho colours of the various clubs are as follow: — Maranui Ljfe-Savipg Club, blue costume, red Band; Lyall Bay Lifo-Saving Club, white costume, blue band; Island Bay Life-Saving Club, black costume, white band; Otaki Life-Saving Club, black costume, green band; I’aekakariki Life-Saving Club, black costume, gold band; Evans Bay LifoSaving Club, black costume, blue band ; Worser Bay Life-Saving Club, blue costume, light blue band. The annual report of the Royal LifeSaving Society has now been issued, and shows a creditable season passed and The prospect of a busy season 'ahead. Special attention has been paid to life-saving clubs, and seven competitions have been arranged, which should greatly stimulate the interest in the society. Special thanks are passed to the trustees of tho I. G. Macarthy Estate for the grant of £oo, which has enabled the society to launch out on several new schemes. The financial position is satisfactory, the society having in the bank at July 31 the sum of £79 14s. Id. This amount is now practically used up, and the society is in urgent need of funds with which to carry out the big programme for the next season. . The urgent need for the new tepid baths is also stressed, and it is pointed out tho work of the society is greatly hampered by the lack of proper facilities to. teach life saving. The annual meeting of the society will be held on November 2s at the Y.M.O.A. The Island' Bay Club is to be congratulated oij the ambitious programme For its opening day. This club,'winch has during tho last season spared no effort to bring itself well to the Trent, is deserving of the sympathy and support of the local residents. A keen working squad is busy lining the premisos. The Lyall Bay Club is still in the course of transfer to its new Quarters, and several of tho keen. members are busy making the place ship-shape. This club should now beteble to cater more fully for its membbrs, as its trouble has always been lack of accommodation. The Maranui Club is making preparations to have a boathouse built for its surf boat, and also several alterations and improvements to the clubhouse This ,olub has obtained about 40 new* keen members in the last few months. It is expected that the surf boat will be under way soon. . Tho Royal Life Saving Society has decided tb co-operate with the Wellington Swimming Centre in forwardin <r a team for the Nelson and Wigram Shields, the cost to be adjusted between tho bodies. Negotiations will be made to ensure that men representative of every branch of the sport will be selected. The Wellington Centre have now the opportunity of repaying tho Royal Life Saving Society for the assistance rendered in previous years with regard to sending Wellington s swimmers to the championships, and it hoped that they will co-operate in sending tho team away. . The Public Trustee, administering the estate of the late Mr. L. W. Ludwig, who will be remembered as a keen supporter of other sports besides swimming, announces a bequest of £2O to the Roval Life Saving Society. The Pahiatua Swimming Club is doing useful work in teaching children the natatorial art. A writer to tho

Pahiatua “Herald.” appreciating the club’s efforts in this direction; points out that between 1909 and 1918 1634 persons met their death by drowningin tho Dominion, a deplorable total that would have b G 2n_ minimised had every club tackled tho question of the tuition of children. Mr. George Ashbridge, the Pahiatua instructor, last year issued 50 proficiency certificates (nine lengths of the baths) , and taught 30 young children to swim at least the width of the baths. It is surprising what young children can be made mto perfect swimmers.