SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 120, 14 February 1935, Page 15

SWIMMING

Handicapping Protest

COMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Wellington’s Chances

(By

Trudge.)

Keen disappointment respecting the handicaps allotted in the Peck Shield harbour swimming race last Saturday, was voiced by the majority of the competitors. It is alleged the handicapper was unable to settle down to the handicaps issued for publication, and made several alterations prior to the race. If such was the case, then it is time the centre stepped in and stopped these weak methods or risk the loss of the interest, of swimmers in respect of this now. popular annual harbour race. Several letters are to hand protesting against last Saturday’s handicapping. “Splash” writes in the following strain : — “I would like to lodge a pro’test, through the medium of your valuable column, against the ridiculous handicapping in the Peck Shield harbour race. Of the many instances of weak handicapping, I cannot help but point out that of file veteran of the race, E. MacPherson. who was placed back on the 71 minute mark, being asked to give away starts of from two minutes to 10 minutes to men who could easily give him such starts and beat him. Surely the handicapper had last year’s times to guide him. It seems to me that the handicaps were placed in one hat. the competitors’ names in another, nnd then drawn out.”

Other letters by “R.J.D..” “Disappointed,” “Discouraged,” and “Handica n ’ier,” all covering the same point, are acknowledged.

New Zealand Championships. The New Zealand senior swimming championships will open in the tepid salt water baths. Auckland, on Saturday. Heats will be decided in the morning, while the finals are to be held in the evening. The championships will be continued on Monday and finalised on Wednesday. On the Tuesday the Annette Kellerman harbour race will be swum, and while this event is in progress the men’s and women’s diving championships will be decided from a mint on the harbour.

Wellington’s Chances. Wellington’s representatives at the championships are K. Spry (220 yards breaststroke), A. Somervell (100 yards free-style), and Miss Peggy Price" (defending her women’s diving title). Spry holds reasonably good prospects of defeating Len Smith, the present holder, in the breaststroke championship, for he is swimming at the top of his form. Smith is reported from Wanganui to be in forward! condition and doing good times, but “is obviouslj’ not the same Smith of last year.”

Somervell should go well in the 100 yards, but the class to contend with will prove his masters.

Miss Price will certainly find her work cut out to hold her title this year as there are two contenders from Otago and Auckland who are diving up to best championship standard. However, if Miss Price repeats her last year's performance she should go very close to, if not retain the honour. Auckland’s Fears.

Times registered at Canterbury, Otago and Southland championships forcibly demonstrated that each of these centres has swimmers capable of undermining Auckland’s supremacy. There is no evading the fact that W. J. Jarvis, of Dunedin, and D. 11. Symes, of Christchurch, will make a bold bid for the 100yds. men’s national championship, and that the Queen City’s women champions are in danger of defeat by Canterbury’s new star. Miss Ngalre Hughes, and Miss Nancy Basstian, of Invercargill. Christchurch enthusiasts are optimistic that Symes will be the new sprint champion, and those in Dunedin feel as confident about Jarvis.

Northern critics state that Frankham, not Crump, the present holder, has a much better chance of overcoming Jarvis's challenge In the 100yds. and 220yds. titles. Doubts exist as to whether Crump will regain his lost prestige, except to those who are convinced that his progress has ceased, ami that he will not fulfil his early promise. Mathieson’s Great Achievements. What has come as a surprise to some Wellington swimmers is the performance of the Otago backstroke champion and harbour swimmer. Peter Mathieson, in breaking two Dominion backstroke records within a week. Mathieson must certainly have improved rapidly in his style of swimming. , Being alwqys a backstroke exponent, his stiff style gave the impression of hampering him. To many he. seemed to be a swimmer who could go 100 yards on his back and no further. His performance in breaking Len Moorhouse s Australian and New Zealand record for 400 metres by tlie substantial margin of 27 seconds lias settled that argument. The Otago man then followed this up by reducing G. Low’s Dominion time for the 150yds. by two-fifths ot a second. Mathieson owes his success to the outstanding ability of his father as. a backstroke coach,. So vast has been his improvement this season, that Moorhouse, Low, and Whareaitu will need to be right up to their best to hold Otago’s aspirant for Dominion honours at Auckland this week. Invercargill’s Hope. Miss N. Basstfan. Invercargill’s champion woman iree-style swimmer over 100yds. and 220yds. has improved out of all sigh! this season, and has repeatedly broken the New Zealand standard times for both distances in trials. In the 100yds. recently she broke her own record, covering the distance in 08 3-5; while in the 220yds. she reduced her previous record by ISsee.. her time being 2.55. Miss Basstian, who swam sx> well at the last Dominion championships, is sure to trouble both Auckland and Canterbury aspirants for the Dominion 100yds. and 220yds. free-style New Zealand championships, opening at Auckland on Saturday. Have you bought your “Speedo” racing or surf swim suit?—Advt.