SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 97, 19 January 1924, Page 19

SWIMMING

FIXTURES. | To-day—Two-mile Harbour Swim. I January 22 —-Worser Bay S. L.S. Club Annual Carnival (Worser Bay). January 26 to February I—New1 —New Zealand National Championships (Wanganui). February 2 —Wellington Centre and Wellington Club Combined Carnival, Norden Cup Contest (Te Arc Baths). February 16 (approx.)—Olympia Club Carnival (Te Aro Baths). February 23 (approx.)-—Carterton and Greytown Club’s Carnivals. LIFE-SAVING. Tc-morrow —Displays on Beaches (Welcome Week Carnival). January 22—Wahler Cup (Worser Bay). February 3 —Sanderson Cup (Paekax February 27—School Challenge Shield /Te Aro Baths). The chief topic among local swimmers for the past month has been the New Zealand chimpionships, which are to commence at Wanganui on Saturday next. Recent reports from that centre indicate that entries are pouring in from all over the Dominion, and requests for accommodation have been numerous. The programme includes 20 championships, in all grades, and this year there will be a New Zealand ladies’ diving championship, 220 yards ladies’ breaststroke, and 220 yards ladies’ free stylo. Flying squadron races, water polo, dual relay are also on the schedule, and surfers will be catered for in the contest for the Nelson Shield. The "VVanganui centre is increasing the bath accommodation to seat over 2000 spectators. The Wellington colours should fly high at the meeting. C. Claridge, who is competing in all the free-style events up to tho half-mile, is expected to be seen to particular advantage in the 100 yards., At Wellington lie has covered the distance in 60 4-ssec., and he will do exceptionally wel[ if he can reproduce that form in 25-yard fresh-water baths. Much is expected of Murrell, who is to carry tho pennant in five events, and Albert Claridge, in the breast-stroke contest, may do well. He will have a hard opponent in Hord, of Canterbury, who he met and defeated twice in the intermediate grade. Claridge would do better if he paid, more consistent attention to training. On fo;m, W. Hicks is undoubtedly the best diver in New Zealand, and provided he leaves his nervousness in the dress-* ing shed he will add to his reputation at Wanganui. Watson will represent the centre in the intermediate grade in the 220 and 880 events, and among the competitors he will meet are Dowsett (Wanganui), McTeague (Christchurch), and Lindsay (Tiniaru). Miss Imnndt has been nominated as the senior lady representative, and will compete in' the breast-stroke races. Miss Far veil will appear in the intermediate class, and although a promising performer she is considered to bp still on tho youthful side.' Fitch is regarded as a certain whiner in the junior boys’ class. Misses Breen and Lowe, the two junior girls, are expected to perform usefully, and, at all events, they will gain experience as tho result of their visit to Wanganui. Wellin gtonians would bo confident of success in the poln match if a full team could bo assembled for the contest, but that arrangement could not bo made. A similar position arises over tho flying squadron race. The" team that would give the best account wonkl consist of C’aridge, Murrell. P. Patterson, McHardy, nnd Fletcher, but some of the members are unable to attend every day of the meeting. The following team has been selected to represent Auckland at the Dominion championships to ho held at Wanganui, commencing on January 26. Mr. F. J. Boggs, secretary of the Auckland Swimming Centro, will accompany the team as manager:—Juniors: Misses L. Coutts. D. Magee, Masters G. Bridson. T. Sherer. Intermediate: Misses P. Page, J. Pell. M. Farquhar, E. Grant. Master 4. Barker. Soniors: Messrs. J. Enwright, W. F. Smith. E. V. Cunnold. L. Fairgrav. E. Bradley, N. <l. Stocldev. J. Meikle, C. Farquhar, Misses E. Stocklev, and E. Tilseley, C. Wolson /holder Annette Kellerman Cup), D. Mulvihill. February 2 will bo a big day for the

local association. It is to mark tho bolding of their carnival, which should compare favourably with the championship gathering at Wanganui next Saturday, since t « date allows of the entry of the Canterbury. South Canterbury, and Otago representatives, whp will b< on the way home from the national championships. An event of more than usual interest will bo the contest for the Norden Cup between "Wellington and Canterbury, an annual fixture. An extensive programme is in course of preparation, and given fine weather the centre should do well out of the venture.

Twenty competitors 1 aro entered for the two-mile harbour race to bo held this afternoon in conjunction with the Welcome Week effort. The courses will bo: —Calm water: North end Queen’s Wharf across to Clyde Quay Wharf, thence to Taranaki Street Wharf back to Queen’s, iwo laps. Hough water: North end Queen’s Wharf to Taranaki Street Wharf and back, three laps. During the progress of the race, a diving display will be given by Hicks, Nesbit, and Griffen, and . something new in this direction is promised. Some of the stunts will be performed from a 60ft. platform. Last Saturday’s carnival was a credit to the. centre. A high standard of swimming wag maintained throughout, and few of the spectators who witnessed the tussle between Murrell and C. Claridge in the 440 vards provincial championship will ever forget it. The finisih was one of the closest recorded locally, and a dead beat was the only conclusion. The general arrangements were excellent, with ono exception. Tho programme as printed was unreliable. Wrong names and initials, and various other inaccuracies were noted, and these did rot help tho onlooker who has just started to follow the sport, an<£ who is rot acquainted with the competitors. The defect can be easily remedied. Neither Charlton nor Beaurepaire was in the pink of condition for their recent 440 yards race at Manly (Sydney). Charlton had a heavy cold, and Beaurepaire was palpably short of work. Charlton led throughout, and touched 9sec. to the good in smin. 20 2-ssec. —1’ 2-ssec. worse than Kieran’s New South Wales record, 2 4-ssec. behind Ludy Langer’s Australian record, and 8 3-ssec. slower than Arne Borg’s world’s figures. After a fine display, Paekakariki secured the verdict over Lyall Bay by 87 points to 76} in the Law Rose Bowl surf competition at Paekakariki over the week-end. Owing to the unfavourable weather in the morning no other town teams made the trip,(and the contest, as a consequence. was robbed of a good deal of its interest. The Lyall Bay teain was not up to its usual standard, but the winning team, although novices, gave a creditable exhibition, comparing favourably with the exhibition rescue given by the Lyall Bay championship pennant team nt the conclusion of the competition. The surf was particularl.y heavy, and provided an excellent test for the teams. The judges’ remarks on the showing are interesting. “Paekakariki. —Fall in was smart: position of rttention not good; bolt not well placed; clip good, but should not have been carr'ed dowrt so far; captain’s control good: allowance for ‘sot’ good: linesmen kept in excellent alignment, but there was slack on the drum and between first and second line; spacing bad; captain did not see haul-in signal.. should have taken up position on higher ground; pulling-in action not complete enough; avoidance of breakers good, except for two waves; take-over in too deep water; hut patient appeared to assist : reasonably good; run up beach good, but examination of month and resuscitation could be improved; promotion of warmth fair but not complete ; cantain had excellent control, but could improve word of command.”

“Lyall Bay.—Captain was not good, and exercised little control; team unsteady, and fall-in poor: movements slow; patient did not profit by experience of previous team : captain kept team at attention too. long; getaway slow; reel wanted oiling; support and reelsmnn good, rest of team very poor; spacing bad: alignment bad: beltmnn appeared exhausted: not sufficient allowance, for. set: no haul-in signal given : hauling-in not in time.; take-over slow and fumbled: resusc’tation movement not correct; promotion of warmth good: patient placed too close to tho water.”