SURF NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 24

SURF NOTES

Wellington Provincial Championships NATIONAL PROSPECTS (By Subfee.) On Sunday last at Lyall Bay beach the public were treated to some excellent performances by the Wellington clubs in the art of rescue and resuscitation of the apparently drowned, the occasion being the Wellington provincial surf championships. The Surf Association was fortunate on the day chosen for the championships, it being one of the very few tine Sundays we have had this summer. Undoubtedly the weather assisted mater, ially in bringing out such a large number of spectators to Lyall Bay beach, and the public were not slow to show tbeir appreciation of the excellent performances during the day. A very full programme of events was got through fairly satisfactorily, although most of the day the programme was well behind schedule, due i \ acipally to teams failing to be on hand wnen required for a particular event. This is a very important point, and clubs must make every endeavour to assist the officials at the New Zealand surf championships, otherwise the programme will be seriously disorganised, or some teams will arrive too late for their particular event. One of the causes of delay last Sunday was due to the clubs entering the same men for too many events. This is a very important point, and one which clubs should guard against at the New Zealand surf championships. The programme of events should be closely scrutinized to see the same men are not called upon to make too many swims in heats, and so rob them of a possible win in a certain event.

Lyall Bay Successes. The Lyall Bay club had a day out last Sunday, securing a win in every teams event on the programme. The wins in the main were well-merited, although they were victorious by a very narrow margin only in one or two of them. The first event on the programme to be decided was the beltman’s championship. In the morning four heats were swum, R. Pelham, W. Bell, and J. Williams (Lyall Bay) ,and J. Clark (Maranui), being the finalists. Pelham and Bell’s swims in the morning were particularly fine achievements, the full tide, making the swim a much harder proposition than in the afternoon, when the final was swum. In the Anal of this event, however, a surprise was sprung by J. Clark (Maranui) touching the buoy seven seconds ahead of the next man, J. Williams. Clark’s effort for a comparatively young and Inexperienced surf swimmer was an excellent one, and he is deserving of the heartiest congratulations. In fairness to the finalists in this event, it must be stated that each of them had already had three or four hard swims that day, and in consequence the form displayed in the final was not their best. Clark, however, is one of our most promising surfers, and in a year or so will be able to more than hold his own with any beltman in New Zealand. The beltman’s teams event went to Lyall Bay, Maranui club being the only contenders for this important trophy. Maranui threw away their chances, and rosy chances, too, when they failed to find a fourth man to make up their team and back up the first-class performances of J. Clark, D. Evans, and C. E. Claridge. The novice cup was won by Lyall Bay, with Maranui second, and Island Bay third. Taken all round the teams competing in this event gave very creditable performances, both Maranui and Island Bay running Lyall Bay very close. First-class Displays.

The Wahlen Cup, four-men event, provided some first-class displays and the winners of the various heats as well, as the winner of the final was very difficult to pick. Worser Bay gave a very sound display both in their heat and final, and this team, although defeated by Lyall Bay on Sunday, is quite capable, of turning the tables and, indeed, winning a national event. They will, however, require to do a little more training than they did for the Wahler Cup. One of the most interesting events last Sunday was the junior cup, for which the following teams competed:—Lyall Bay, Island Bay. and Maranui. After a very close contest and a display quite a credit to their respective clubs,. Lyall Buy were adjudged the winners, with Island Bay a close second. Maranui were unfortunate in being disqualified for fouling another team’s line, as up to that incident they were performing very well indeed. The issue of this competition was very much in doubt right to the judge’s announcement, opinion being very evenly divided between Lyall Bay and Island Bay. It is very pleasing to note that clubs are taking a keen interest in the juniors, and I feel sure the interest evinced in them will be amply repaid in the future. .So far as my memory serves.this is the first occasion in the history of the Lyall Bay club that a junior team has been entered, for a competition, and the members of the team so entered last. Sunday have the distinction of being in the first junior and winning surf team in the history of the club. The Lyall Bay team appeared to be much younger than the Maranui or Island Bay teams, and as the average age of this particular team is 16, this club should be well served for surfers for quite a few seasons ahead. Jenkins and O’Neill, of the Island -Bay club, swam well for their team, while Scooneand Stoddart performed equally as well for the Lyall Bay team.

Championship Final. The highlight of the afternoon, however, was the final of the silver reel, or Wellington provincial surf championship. Two teams competed in this event in the final —namely, Maranui B and Lyall Bay A. In the heats held earlier in the day 1 Maranui A and Lyall Bay A fought out a close battle, Lyall Bay gaining the victory by a very narrow margin, while tn the other heat Maranui B gave a rattling good performance to beat Lyall Bay B and Island Bay B. ’The final saw two splendid performances by Lyall Bay and Marauui, the exhibition of Lyall Bay in particular being of a very high standard. Such a performance as given in the final of the silver reel competition was well worth a New Zealand title. Lyall Bay therefore can again call themselves the Wellington provincial surf champions. The exhibitions given by the two A teams from the Maranui and Lyall Bay clubs in the New Zealand championships will be watched with keen interest, and either club is capable of a national win. d was rather disappointed that no entries were received, other than from the Island Bay club, for the land drill championship. It appears evident that there is a decided lack of interest in this competition, and Island Bay. club is to be congratulated ou once again competing m this event and preventing it from lapsing for want of interest and entries. In iny opinion this competition is a very important one. Each club member is required to know the laud drill as embodied in this championship, and it appears to me that if a little active interest was taken by other clubs in this particular competition, it could be made a very spectacular event, and one, moreover, which the public would like and appreciate. It is also a very instructive competition, and I for one am sorry to see it alienated from the New Zealand R. and R. championships (Nelson Shield). While admitting swimming ability must take precedence in surf competitions, I hold that land drill work plays a very important part in surf work and should accordingly be encouraged. March Past Championship. Sixteen teams have been entered for the march past competition, to be held at the New Zealand surf championships at Lyall Bay. These teams marching with their respective flags flying will present a great sight, and one well worth travelling many miles to sec. In conversation with many persons who have attended surf championship meetings, I have invariably found that one of the most impressive features of the meeting has been the march past display. This, display has the uncanny power to thrill you through and through. When all the

teams wheel aud march toward the dais or platform, the stamping of the hundreds of feet has been likened to that of a thundering herd. This event is the one most calculated to catch the eye of all present at the championships, and should not be missed.

There is not much wrong at present with the fitnesa of the members of the Lyall Bay team to compete at the Now Zealand surf championships. R. Pelham, J. Williams, G. Williams, and W. Bell last Sunday all bad four or five hard swims to the buoy, and other members of the A or B teams, two to three swims. The bay team should therefore lack nothing on the score of physical fitness when the championships are decided.