HARBOUR SWIM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 118, 12 February 1940, Page 12

HARBOUR SWIM

Kellerman Cup Won By Blakeley

FASTEST TIME ALSO The Annette Kellerman Cup harbour swim, an annual event held in conjunction with the New Zealand swimming championships, took place yesterday afternoon with a smooth sea. The winner was J. G. Blakeley (Wellington). The temperature of the water was 60 degrees, which was cold. Several of the competitors retired with cramp. The course was from the dock wharf to a point off Aotea Quay wharf and back to the starting point, there being three laps of three-quarters of a mile each. The fine weather drew a crowd of more than 3000. The first man off, E. McPherson (Wellington), maintained the lead till replaced by J. Reid (Wellington) about halfway through the first lap, and at the completion of the lap the order was Reid, McPherson, F. Adam (Wellington) and V. Jarvis (Wellington), close together, S. Guppy (Wellington), who completed the course oil breaststroke, Miss A. Parr (Wellington), the only woman competitor, who was swimming strongly. As the scratch man, V. Osmond (Hawke’s Bay), left the mark the leaders were on their second lap. He gave 1.30 start to Blakeley. The back markers, particularly Blakeley, were swimming strongly. Blakeley was improving his time on Osmond and actually gained a minute on him on the completion of the first lap. With the exception of Blakeley and Malthus, who were improving their positions noticeably, there was not much alteration in the second lap, some of the competitors by this time having withdrawn through cramp. Blakeley at the end of this lap had gained 9 minutes on Osmond. The concluding lap saw Malthus and Blakeley making fast headway, and about 250 yards from the finishing point they went to the front. They kept together till 20 yards from the finish, when, with the barracking of the crowd, they used all their energy. Blakeley gradually gamed the ascendancy and. securing a length lead of Malthus held it to win bis first Kellerniun Cup.’ Kidd was -10 yards behind third, with the ex-Welliugtoniaii P. Ryan about three vards behind Kidd iu lout th place. But for a slight attack of cramp Rvan would have been much closer. ‘it was one of the best finishes in the Kellerman Cup since its inecptmn. Blakeley who recorded fastest lime ill Uns c/ent in 193-1 at Lyttelton, and 19-6 at Dunedin, once again recorded fastest tune, covering the three miles m iS.lu. wliieh is considered the fastest time established in the race since its inception. Maltlius

secured second fastest time and Kidd third. Guppy’s time was smart for a breaststroke swimmer. Adjusted times and order in which the competitors finished are :— J. C. Blakeley, Wellington, 78.15 .. 1 P. Malthus, Wellington. 79.19 .... 2 C. Kidd, Otago, 84.26 3 P. Ryan, Hawera, 86.8, 4; V.. Jarvis, Wellington; 105.5. 5; C. Jones, Wellington, 85.17, 6; F. Adam, Wellington, 105.56 7; D. Evans, Wellington, 99.1, 8; G. Usher, Whakatane, 85.17, 9; Miss A. Parr, Wellington, 103.58, 10; C. Watson, Wellington, 96.15, 11; G. Balfour, Wellington, 97.57, 12; D. Sams. Canterbury. 9919 13; V. Osmond. Hawke’s Bay, 89.5,14; L. Dalton, Auckland, 101.51, 15; S. Guppy, Wellington, 128.5, 16.