SWIMMING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 23, 27 January 1912, Page 20

SWIMMING.

(By "Breast-stroke.") As uEual, the annual carnival of the Wairarapa Swimming Club, held at Masterton on Monday last, was a decided success. The weather was perfect, and tho thirty events in the programme were got off with commendable promptitude. In the 100 yd» Provincial Championship, there were only two entries, and although Brioe and Healy, the two who made^ up the "field," swam a close race, the event lacked a great deal of the interest of former years. Thoae who' professed to know, thought that Brioe would have an easy victory, but the race showed several things. Brice was not ill the form he ought to have been in; of this there is no doubt. Of course, there are endless reasons for a man' 6 being out of training, but surely, allowing for everything, .ho should be registering better times. Although Healy swam well, it was evident that it wa6 not bo much this fact brought about the close finish — by a touch, indeed — as that the other man was lacking condition. , It behoves the champion to get in as much solid work aB possible before the coming championship meeting at Christchurch next month. It would be a pity to see -the Thorndon champion bereft of his title, but this is by no means improbable if he doe 6 not do better in the interim. He . should certainly bo doing a time nearer 60sec than 67 by now. If my memory is right it was 63 see that be took at the New Zealand championships at Te Aro'last year, and there were visions, not too remote, of his taking threo seconds off that. F. Seymour, in the 440 yds handicap, put up a splendid performance from* scratch, namely, 6m in 39aeo, and seemed to be swimming easily. Sit ia to be hoped that he will be seen at the championship meeting. There is talk in the Thorndon Club of sending a team to Napier for Easter. Swimmers of other clubs ,aro, of course, invited to go, and there* ' should not be much difficulty about tho excursion. The weekly races of tho Victoria Collego Club have been poorly patronised, and the officers are making an appeal for larger entries. It would bo 'a pity to Bee this club, after its excellent start last year, in a decline. To-morrow a picnic is being held at the Maori Bank, Upper Hutt, and, judging by previous attendances, should afford some encouragement. Those affairs have always been enjoyable, jfnd* it is doubtful whether there is anywhere else suoh an ideal spot for a swimming picnic. _ In dealing with the now departed Eng- ! lish swimming Eeason, the London Sportsman, just to hand, says: — "In so far as English swimming is concerned there was no sign of deterioration. Indeed, from a survey of the season's work it would appear that there has boon general improvement in the times. This state of affairs is largely tho result of tho adoption of the orawl stroke. There are also a number of young swimmers who aro making such excellent progress that, provided they continue, there need bo no fear that the places to be vacated in the ordinary course of events by Battersby and Taylor will not be well filled. Our defeats in tho championship ovents require no explanation, anu wero solely caused by tho fact that the Australians, for some reasons that we have not yet discovered, managed to produce men who can and do swim faster. Whether tho colonial climate or conditions are an improvement on ours it is difficult to tell, but as this has been going on for corns years vow, mention of tho names at C&vill, Lane, I\>eran, Beaurepaire, Healy, Springfield, and champion Hardwiels _ aro sufficient. It appears that Australia is moro happily, placed for tho training and production of fast swimmers. <■ if that is so there can be no remedy for tho present state of affairs " . . On Saturday last tho members of the Maranui Life Saving Club christened the reel presonted to them by Mr. H. Woods. Tho reel is for the uso of the ladies of tho club. Tht» Mtiranui body has .now two full teams holding, bronzo .medallions, and another in training. "Merman," in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, has something to ,say about Long- 1 worth. "Longworth has shown himself to be a poor exponent of the art of turning, whilo Hardwick^ who will bo his chief adversary in distances from 220 yds upwards, is fairly export in kicking oft. The 440 yds and other distance championships should therefore provide much closer contests than here. Hard wick rau him so closo m tho 100 yds championship in Sydney that ho would soem to liave a good chance of defoating tho phenomenon with the additional advantage of a turn. Healy is a slow turner, yet he is, if anything, more export than Longworui. Longwocth is a swimmer, and no lapend acrobat. Hence his performances in tho long Domainßaths stand out amongst tho greatest achievement!* tho swimming world has record of. The fetituro of Longworth's performances is that he does no training beyond swimming at every possible opportunity, lie does not diet himself, but eats what he feeJ6 inclined. Outside swimming ho takes little or no exoroiso in the summer, chough in the winter months he is an enthusiastic devotee of the art of skating. 'Billy' believes in having plenty of flash, and fosters fat in preference to muscular dovelopment. lid will' train for a 100 yds race by swimming over the bet^ part of tho mile. He has'

' no method, but swims as far or as little an he fouls inclined. Of course he will burst over the distance lie is out to win over occasionally to te3t his speed, but ho does not worry, for insionoe, if he is to swim a mile race by g<>ing over the wholo distance. _ The 'quarter' and a splash laro'ind might bo his day's vork."