LIFE-SAVING COMPETITION

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 151, 23 March 1925, Page 11

LIFE-SAVING COMPETITION

' SURF RESCUES. There was a very large crowd of spectators on the Lyall Bay beach, when life-saving competitions were held under the rules of the Royal life Saving Society for a cup and shield presented by Mr. Byron Brown, of. Otaki. These competitions should have been helfl at Otaki, but. owing to the prejudice of some residents at Otaki against attracting crowds of young folk during - the epidemic, Lyall ' Bay, by consent, was agreed to. The idea of the competition' is to train teams in efficient practice -f life-saving, and it is considered that there is nothing better than trials between different clubs, so that they could pick up the good points in each other’s work, while the judges afterwards point out to the teams any mistakes which have been made and where improvements in methods could be introduced. The surf ’reel competition comprises the rescue of a patient who swims about 200 yards out, where the second man swinis out to support him, and the fhird man follows with a belt attached by a rope to the reel. When the latter reaches the patient and his support, the signal is given, and the remainder of the team haul the line in. stopping when the rescue party signals so that they should not be dragged through a heavy roller. When the patient is carried ashore he is laid on a canvas mat and apnroved methods of resuscitation are applied. In tXe Otaki Cup land competition, the practice is carried out on the beach, art comprises methods of dealing with a drowning man, the safest way _of holding him. how to release a patient who is grabbing his rescuer, etc., and methods of resuscitation.. The weather was very favourable for the tests, very little wind being in evidence, and the events being carried out promptly and efficiently, each team being cheered by the lookers-on as the test was concluded. The judges were Messra. .T. A. Duffy, R. Smith, and .1. Williams: time-keepers, Messrs. .T. McNie and V. Allen. Mr. W. H. Marshall was secretary in charge of the competitions. The results were as follow :—

Surf Ree 1 Competition.—Maranui /Sleeman. McHardy. Alexander. Eversleirti, Pletcher. Whisker. Claridge, and Hughes, cant.). 881-3 points, 1: Lyall Bay (Molitor. Canham, Claridge, Thomas. Mueller, Ryan, Winstan’ey. and Campbell, capt.l. 85 1-3 noints, 2. Maranni was the winner last year.

■ Otaki Land Drill Cup.—Maranui (McHardy. Alexander, Twersleigh. Ftotcitor. Whisker. Claridge, Hughes, cnnt ), 73 2-3 points. 1- Wnr'c.r Bnv (Wil’iams, Kennedy. Hull, Young. Latchford, Rracklev. and Lavelle capt.). 83 2-3 points. 2: T.vall Rar (Molitor. Canham. Claridge, Thomas, Muel’er, Winstanley, Campbell, cart.). 66 points. 3. Novice Oiin. for men who hold the bronze medallion, but have never included in the personnel of a. winning team.—T.vall Bnv. 65 points, 1; Worsor Bnv. 63 j-3 points. 2. At the conclusion of the competitions. Mr. Byron nrr|entod the trophies won and complimented the teams on their capital work.