SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 110, 3 February 1938, Page 7

SWIMMING

Prohibition Of Butterfly Breaststroke PECK SHIELD HARBOUR RACE Farewell Carnival For Surf Team

(By

T rudge.)

The prohibiting of the use of t ie butterfly breaststroke in New Zealand, a decision reached at the conference :u New Plymouth, surely denotes au attitude of slavish devotion to English conservatism. By her solitary stand against the use of the stroke, rmgland is more or less making herself a laughing-stuek for the rest ot the world; and the aboUid part of it that "’henever eontmeutal breaststroke swimmers visit Lujan , .ae authorities there have to raise the a •md allow the visitors to use their own i X^ l^ r |t aC< Vh=-l “The Jo The J result that Britain is once more la”"iu" behind the world, and non New Zealainl is following suit. Me are t. ar enough below world-standard, to require us to make full use of any introduced by overseas limit ourselves to English ideas is absurd.

Will Use Stroke At Games. The English exponent of the butterfly breaststroke, .1. G. Davies, intends using this speedy ’stroke in at least portion ot the distance ot the Bmpiad —Ojt . breaslstroke at the. Empire in-*- in Svdnev on Saturday. In a dciuoi 'tration swim at Melbourne he opened .he evea of the awinuning authentic* ‘lure bv proving to them that the butterfly stroke is vastly superior to the ordinary breaststroke. Using ' le t . stl0 1 l ?“ l j'? sneed he flew through the JOOjds., his opponents, utilising the o’ 1 . 61 ? 111 . 1 '? breaststroke, being well lelt belnud. Ills record time for the 100yds. is bo, which is ssee. faster than the Australian record.

Southern Attitude.

In condemning the attitude adopted by the conference at New I’lymouth c “Southland Times’ states that it tm. butterfly breaststroke was permitted at the Olympic Gaines in Berlin. c ' u ielv little New Zealand should not class herself as an authority above those■ who were in agreement in allowing its use on that occasion. Particu arly hard does this edict strike Southland, as New Zealand possesses probably its only rial Exponent in A. V. Osmond He equalled the Southland record ot <8 4-o toi 100 vds., and, left to develop the strode, would no doubt have reduced that time considerably. Quite a number of lota swimmers are able to use the etr o kc " ]t quite good results. . . . Altogether, its prohibition is very unfortunate for us here, and, although many. people are against the stroke—why, it is hard to understand—that is no reason, why we should not move with the times.

Harbour Kaco on Saturday.

The popular annual harbour swim Lur the Peck Shield will be held on haturdjiy afternoon from the Jubilee Dock 'Vliait to Pipitea Point, along the Ihorii-.lon breastwork, and back to the stalling point, a distance of approximately a mile and a half. The raee is .timed to start at 2.45 p.m. Mr. N. N. Oldcrshaw, Wellington centre lion, secretary, reports iir*t-cla«s entries. It is expected the race will be watched by a large crown, the breastwork being an excellent tage point. All competitors must' Ixs medically examined and passed as lit before being permitted to compete. I‘ IC examining doctor will inspect competitors at the dressing shed, near the Dock Wharf, at 2 p.m., and, to ensure the, race starting to time, competitors must be m readiness when called on for examination. Monday’s Farewell Carnival.

As a farewell to the New Zealand surf team which is to tour Australia, a combined centre and surf association carnival will be held nt the Riddiford Baths, Lower Hutt, on Monday night, starting at 7.45. Among events to be decided will be the Wellington centre 50yds. and 220yde. men’s freestyle championships; women’s 100yds. centre freestyle championship; Worser Bay relay banner breaststroke championship for teams or four men; and a ten-a-side relay sc™"; race between the New Zealand surt team and a select side from Wellington, inc water-polo match between the New Zealand surf team and a Wellington representative side should provide a thrilling match, as all the surfers are proficient players. Besides these events there will be A and B grade handicap races women’s freestyle handicap events, and diving. This is one of the largest programmes presented at a carnival this s < lon. The surf team will sail for Australia on Tuesday.

Difference in Backstroke Styles. The difference between the backstroke styles of Miss Hazel Holmes, the bouu African representative, and Miss iat Norton, Australian representative, who are aspirants for the womens Empire backstroke title, to be decided at tlie Games, has been causing much comment among those who have been watching these girls in training in Sydney. A 1”” Holmes is reported to bend her elbows and hands while in action, whereas the Australian girl utilises the straight aim entrv. What f»eem« to be the puzzling point is how Miss Holmes manages iu relax with such an arm entry, but she must do so to get the results she does.

Empiad Swimming Programme. The programme of the Empire Games swimming/events commencing on- Saturday is as/follows, Saturday evening: Womens relay (four 110yds.), final; mens 330 yds. medley relay final; diving display; women’s 220yds. breaststroke final; women’s 110yds. backstroke heats; mens 110yds. backstroke heats. Monday afternoon: Men’s 110yds. treestyle heats; women's 440yds. freestyle Tuesday: Men’s 440yds. freestyle heats; women's 440yds. freestyle heats. Wednesday afternoon: Women s springboard diving final; men's springboard diving final; men’s 110yds. -freestyle final; women's 110yds. freesty.e final. At night: Men’s 440yds. freestyle final; women's 440yds. freestyle final, women’s 110yds. backstroke final; display of diving by the British Empire champions; men’s 880yds. relay (four 220yds.). , . Thursday afternoon: Mens Jbwjds. yds. freestyle heats. Friday night: Men’s 110yds. ba.itstroke final ; men’s 220yds. breaststr.ike final; wonie-’w 330yds. medley relay final; diving display; mens lbwjds. freestyle iiiifll; water polo, Australia. >. Rest of British Empire. Short Splashes.

Wellington swimmers who intend competing at the Masterton club’s carnival, at Masterton on Saturday week, February 12, are reminded that the Wellington centre has arranged for a bus to leave Lower Hutt for Masterion and return to Wellington after the carnival. . ' The Wellington club will'hold its carnival at To Aro Baths on February -b. when the Walker and Hall C U P_„.£ ehampionship and the centre --Oy<is. breaststroke championship will be included on the progrannne. . Results of life-saving examinations held by the Y.M.C.A. Swimming and LiteSaving Club last week, are as totlows: Piu-ved for award of merit (silver), Dr. F. M. Spencer (club president), '»■ Phillips, K. Osborne, S. Gurney; Hon. instructors’ award, T. M. Wilson: bar to bronze, J. K. Thwaites; bronze medallions, D. Le Souef, A. Jenkins, D. Henderson, L. Breach, J. Harrison and J. Feosey. The club will be represented in the Peck Shield harbour swimming race on Saturday by C. Hulston, M. Hines. F. Bishop, P. Aylett, J. K. Thwaites, and W. Phillips.