SWIMMING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 21, 25 January 1913, Page 18

SWIMMING

(By "Header.") CARNIVAL DATES. Thorndon Clvb — 18th January. Swifts Club— 2sth January. Wellington Club^-22nd February. Old Boys' Club— Bth March. Now Zealancl Championships (Wanganui) —3rd to 10th Febru&ry. Wairarapa Club (Masterton)— 22nd January. Worser Bay Club— 22nd January. „ It may now be truly said that tho Wellington season is in full swing, but taken all round tho weather has been very inconsistent, ahd has interfered considerably with the sport. Only on one or two occasions this year has the water been really warm, and list Saturday afternoon was not one of them. The Thorndon Club was particularly unfortunate in striking such a day for its annual carnival, but the spirits of the club officials wilted not, ahd they made .the best of things. The result was a very enjoyable carnival— from a social point of . view. A visitor from Australia is reported to have said, " I have been to many swimming carnivals, but never before to one that was such a success from a social point of view." That may be alright. " Header " would not doubt it for a minute. Some of tho officials, however, were inclined to pay more attention to tho social side than to the business side. Hence the complaints in regard to poor management. The carnival was not one of the best managed, as the writer knows perhaps better than anyone else. It must bo remembered, on the other hand, that tho club did a great deal to provide for the t comfort of its patrons^-more than it is usually given credit for. Tho older officials of the club, who were plainly there for work, and who realise that they must work if tho carnival is to bo a success, did their part well, and deserve sincere thanks. Of tho racing at tho carnival much has already been written in The Post. The Walter and Hall race was the ' star" attraction, .and it Was just about as exciting as was predicted for it when the teams were made known. Thorndoh had a runaway victory, and there was a great finish for the other places. Wellington swam into second place by the narrowest of margins, and Swifts had all their Work out out to beat Old Boys. The latter surprised even themselves, for they oxpeoted to be " miles out of it "— vido Captain Blundell. All the Thorndon men held their own comfortably, with the exception of Watson,' who .was easily caught by Murrell (Wellington). It was well planned that Brioe should go next for Thorndon, and he soon recovered lost ground, and mado his team very safe. The men in the other teams swam pretty well as they were expected to, nobody doing " sehsational " time. The comments which have been passed regarding Brice and his chances of winning the 100 yds championship , to-day were hardly justified, for last Saturday there was a nasty jobble on the water, wjjich must have interfered with his time' Under the circumstances 64sec Was not bad. At the time of writing (Thursday) Stranger was tho only man likely to trouble him in the hundred. It looked as though Brico would just about get there first after an exciting struggle. St"anger promised well at Masterton last Wednesday. Seeing that Splomons's gold medal is tho principal topic of conversation among swimmers, the matter canriot be allowed to pass without somo comment. In the first place, quite apart from the nature of the award made, one is at a loss to understand why Solomons and Hay were singled out. From a concise report of tho attempted rescue, which was printed in this column a few weeks ago, it appeared quite plain that the Australians had done no more to warrant such magnificent recognition thah any member of the Welllin'gtdn teata which assisted;' 'Again-, tho 'society nla'de a gravo mistake when it granted such high awards. Hay,* who is at present in Christchurch,, was more than surprised on learning tho news of his award. In an mtcrview, ho assured a represontativo of the Canterbury Tjmes that ho did not earn it. Hay and Solomons have both saved large numbers of lives on the Sydney beaches, but so far as Hay is cfonecrhed he has never received an award before, and ho has saved lives in worso sea and under more adverse conditions than those experienced at Sumncr. Tho main point is that Solomons and Hay are both trained men, and tho attempt at Sutnnor was only an ordinary happening. The Now Zealand Championships at Wanganui are to be held in the evenings of 3rd, sth, 7th, and 10th February at the High School Baths. The bridge-to-bridgo race, which is a distance of 2| miles, will bo swum on Saturday afternoon, Bth February. So Longworth has been getting some of his own back in Sydney, as Cecil Healy puts it in the Referee. Wo heard it from several this season that Long worth has been neglecting his training, and that ho would most assuredly bo boaten in all distances. Tho only difference of opinion was in regard to who would do tho van» quishtng. Longworth put a stop to arguments by showing his superiority over all distances. He annexed tho hundred in 6? in sseo> I?P J . n 2 ,' mn 31 I*Sse1 * Ssec > - 440 in s » in 40sec, 880 m llmin 68 l-ssec, and mile in 25mm 6 l-feco. E. WickKam won the 220 breast-stroke in 3min 19 ?-ssec. There has been a doubt expressed ns to the result pf the hundred, and many are inclmed to the opinion that it was secured by Wickham. In his notes in the Referee, Healy makes some pointed remarks about tho dearth of distanco swimmers nowadays. Ho would have splendid cause for euch remarks in Wellington just now. The Wellington Club has suddenly discovered that there are three Thorndon men oh tho executive, and this (according to the secretary) i 8i 8 the club's reason for desiring that swimmers' affairs should in future be run by a full centre, on tho one'club-ohe-delegate principle. What reason tho Wellington Club has for complaint "Header" has .been Unable to discover, uhless it is in regard to the carnival date. Owing to their bad luck in previous years, the club asked for exceptional troatmeht this yaar. They were in the ballot with tho rest, and drew the third date. To suggest that the Thorndon Club men woro responsible in any way for this would be ridieulouß. For the information of the Wellington Club the names of the executive, and. tho club they represent, are appended:— Messrs. At-, kins (Master Jam Ladies), Blick (Wairarapa), Smith (Thorndoh), Somervillo Woodvillc), Healy (Wairarapa), Blair Wellington), Wilton (Swifts), Kirkwood Dannevirke), Ronayne (Victoria- Colege), Levy (Old Boys). Tho suggestion put forward 'by the Wellihgtonians is not likely to overcome the complaint now made, for it will still be possiblo for one club to be very well represented on the contrii. Again, each club sending along one' representative would make the number on the centre 18— far too unwicldly. It was to overcome this that tho executive idea wa» | originated. It should be remembered that it is the duty of members of tho executive to attend to tho interests of swimming generally, and the writer, who _ has attended various executive' ' meetings, t has not yet found one delogato who does not fully appreciate this point. The executive is doing well. Let well alone. Ted Levy and a few more enthusiasts are anxious to arrange a relay race on a large scale. The distance is set down at a mild, the number in each team . lit eighteen, and the competitors, tho Old Boys' Club and the Rest of Wellington. Each man would need to swim 100 yards with tho exception of the last, who would go only 60 yards. At first it is •lifficult to see where tho men aro coming from. The following would, no •loubt, be drawn up to represent thft club:— Levy, Capper, Smith. Fordham, Nelson, Freeth, Wise, Hopkirk, Blundoll, Jenkinson, Newman, Morpeth, Uampboll, Patersoh, Turnbull, FraSeN Bridge, and Wigginß. The team tft represent the Rest does not look quitfc bo good on paper. It would probably be:— A. W. Smith, Brice, Roberts, Stranger, Bullard, Watson, M'Nab, King, Robertson, Wilkmeou, Bruce,

Higgie, Fell, M'Carlio, Murretl, Wilton, Russell, and Blick. It is not suggested that the best team available has been named fop "tho Rest," but tho telechon may help to arouse enthusiasm for an excellent, idea. If arrangements can bo made the race wJH> be decided on Saturday afternoon, 15th February. It is expected that about thirty swimmers from Cluistchurch will go to the championships at Wanganui. The majority will arrive here by tho Mararoa on the previous Saturday, and will leave th© same day for Wanganui.