Swimming.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue LXVII, 30 January 1904, Page 14

Swimming.

[Br SIDK-STMOKK.] Not for many years has thero boon such an amount of swimming done in Welling ton as has bcci tho case during the past couple of week?. Go to the city baths and it is almost impossible lo get a room. A trip to any of tho outlying beaches, and ono will hee them coveted Avith bwimiuoi.i. At Lyell Bay on tho tAvo last days of the past week there must huvo been some hundreds of people in the Avatci. Retelling to tho 100 yds Invitation Scratch Race at tho Enterpriso (Sydney) Club's sports, at Avhich Cavill and Wickham distinguished themselves, the Referee gives the following details of the race: — "Both swimmers left tho platform at tho fame time. C.ivill's plunge was tho better calculated one ; he got further than his coloured adversary, with the result that his head rose cle.<r of Wickhain's ; but tho latter bi ought all he had iv him to bear, and strained every muscle so elfectively, that amidst a perfect storm of applause the two swimmeis Avero neck-and-neek eio thoy had covered many yards of Avivtei-. und then u neither deafening out-

bin hi cigna-lifccd the fact (hat Iho South Se.i Islander wan moving away liom his dioughty Avhito rival, but Cavill, retaining his form, plouglieu along hlrongly, only to lind lnnw j lt two yards in tho riar at tho liist tuin (45 yaius), accomplished iv 23sec — faster by sccondu than Bishop's once-considered gieut perfotmunce, Avbich stood ao long, and speedier than ouc length of the l.unous old Domain convincing place has ever before thrown behind. Tho WickhamitcK cheered contiiiuuu.sh, and tho Cavill section, though feaiing the Avoi6t, for it looked impo>Mble to budge the. gap Avith only 55yds to go, vented a counterblast. Thu scene Avas a most exciting one. Slowly but f-mely Cavill got nearer and nearer the coloured boy, and put all tho power possible into the eifoit. Twenty yards from tho finish Wickhaiu wns head and shoulders aiieud of tho Avorld's champion, and already hundicds of onlookers proclaimed him the wiuuci, but five yards closer to the goal Cavill held Iho lead. Then en&ucd a neck-and-ncck struggle to bo remembered. At b0 yauls (51 3-ssec) the pair seiued to turn together, but appearances were" deceptive, the white lad held the advantage, and tho end — ten yards further off — shay him Avin a full yard to tho good. Both SAvimmers Avere loudly and continuously cheered, and Avhen it Avas announced that -vill's time (58sec), avos 3-sscc faster than his wond s lecord (iho creation oi Avhich mado all swimmers in England staro), tho cheering became louder tvtill. Wickham Avas clocked to do 59sec — an .achievement that a few years ago a\ouUl luiA-e been conadeied marvellous, und now is only overshadowed by Cavill's phenomonal feab." A Sydney paper giA-cs the folloAving account of the 500 yds Championship of New South Wales, for A\hich Cavill, Craig, and Baker were the competitors : — "Craig took the lead from a beautiful send-oif, and made play till the end of tho fourth lap— lßoyds— Avhen he left the Avater. Here Cavill Avas several yards in front of Baker, and the further they Avent tho moro pronounced did Cavill's adA'untago become, till tho finish Eaw him touch close on forty yards ahead, in 6mm 31sec — a new Australasian record. The previous best/ also Cavill's, Avas 6min 36 4-ssec, put up afc Helling's Btiths Woolloouiooloo liay, 12th April, 1902. The bath is 45yds lft long, and the lap times Avere as follows :— 28sec, lmin, lmin 23 4-sseu, 2min 10 S^ec, 2min 47 4-ssec, 3min 24 3-ssec, 4min 2 3-ssec, 4min 42 l-ssec, smin 19 2-ssec, smin 57 2-ssec, and for the last stretch (the necessary distance to complete tlio swim) 6mili 31 SCC.