SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 69, 15 December 1923, Page 21

SWIMMING

The Wellington Swimming Centre has received a circular from the Auckland Centre advocating the formation of a North Island council. Auckland is dissatisfied with tho ruling of the New Zealand Council, and apparently thinks every other centre should be of tho same mind. Auckland may have its differences, but I do not think all the other centres intend to sympathise to tho extent of breaking away from the present governifig body. In fact “Crawl” has learnt on very good authority that Auckland will not have Wellington at its back when any question of dissociation comes up. To Aro Baths will be tho scene of an ambitious carnival under the auspices of tho Wellington Centre this afternoon. There is to be a fine programme of swimming events, fancy diving, and a polo match, and given a fine afternoon there should be a largo attendance at tho baths. The principal event will be the 100 yards provincial championship. There will be at least six starters in this race. Paterson will make his reappearance at Wellington as a competitor. This swimmer has been doing very well this season, and judges think that he will break tho 60sec. record before tho summer is over. Dl Murrell, S. Claridge, and Fletcher will also compete. The--100 yards breast-stroke event should prove an attraction. It is fully anticipated that A. Claridge will come out of his shell and establish a New Zealand record There are lour entrants for tho fancy diving event. This afternoon’s programme is to commence at 2.30. There is to be an aquatic carnival at Eastbourne on December 27. There will be men’s and ladies’ racing events and life-saving competitions. The Worser Bay Amateur Saiihming and Life-Saving Club is to be comiffiniented for introducing a ladder tor competitive swimming. Last Saturday afternoon there was a ll.'O yards senior race, and tins was a x ladder event. The now concrete stalling platform made it possible to start the eleven competitors at the same time, and from the spring off it was a great go all the way. The eight men on the ladder finished in the following order: —L. Williams, 1; S. J. Lavelle, 2; AV. Henry, 3; AV. E. Lavelle, 4; V. L Allan, 5; R. Leslie, <5; L. G. Grimstone, 7 ; V. Heathy 8. ’tho first distance llowntree Cup (25yds. breaststroke and 25yds. backstroke) resulted in a win for L. G. Grimstone (scr.), V. L. Allan (scr.), and C. Young (Isec.) coming second and third. Other races were: —50 yards junior boys (Atkins Cup): G. Warring (osec.), 1; D. Bell (ocr.), 2; F. .Barnmgliam (2osec.), 3. 50 yards ladies’ race: Miss M. Morgan (scr.), 1, and Miss J. Shilling (4sec.), 2: Two remarkable performances were established by AV. Herald at the Ryde Amateur Swimming Club’s carnival at Sydney last week. Herald covered the 66 yards and 100 yards in the fastest time ever registered by an Australian in full costume. He commenced by finishing first in his heat of the 66 yards inter-club handicap in 32 3-ssec., beating Albert Barry’s unofficial Australian record of 34 l-ssec., established in 1912. Herald followed up this performance by winning his heat in the 100 yards first-class handicap in 55 3-ssec., also breaking Albert Barry’s Australian record of 56 3-ssec., put .up in 1913. It is doubtful whether his performance will be officially recognised, as no notice was. given, of his attempt to lower the record. At the last Qljnipic Games at Antwerp in 192(J AV Herald was just beaten .out of third place by . AV, Harris (U.S.A.).' m tho 100 .metres championship of tue world, and, judging by his present form, Herald may do better- at Paris next -year..

The breaststroke in swimming is rather looked, down, upon these days by the experts who do tho modern crawl. Some of the experts received a shock at Feilding recently, however, says an exchange. It was in a 200 yards handicap race, and on scratch was (J. Boulton,’ the 220 yards New Zealand breaststroke champion. Instead of swimming free-style, as the other competitors did, he covered the distance on the breaststroke, his object being to get some practice for the next Dominion championships. To the surprise of tho spectators and perhaps himself, he overhauled swimmer after swimmer, and struggled in front, winning in the smart time of 2min. 53sec. Boulton is swimming right up to form, but, all the same, he will need to improve on his latest performance, to stem th© challenge 'which will be macle .this season by (J. Herd, Of Christchurch. Herd could improve considerably on 2min. 53sec. for 200 yards.