FINDING CHAMPIONS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 24, 29 January 1923, Page 5

FINDING CHAMPIONS

SWIMMING AT TIMARU

SEVERAL CLOSE FINISHES

MISS WALROND BEATS MISS-

HOEFT.

(IT TQLE4RJPH. —SPECIAL TO THE POST.) TIMARU, This Day. The outlook on Friday for a fine day for the commencement of the National Swimming Championships was anything but promising, but on Saturday morning clouds lifted, and, when proceedings commenced, the weather conditions were perfect. The baths were packed and interest was well maintained throughout the afternoon. Competition on the whole was good, and there were several close finishes. The surprise of the day was Miss Violet Walrond's win in- the 100 Yards Ladies' Championship ; her success was well deserved. Two records were lowered, both by girl swimmers, one in' the intermediate and the other in the junior. Wins were fairly evenly divided, and as the programme continues there will be some keen competition for the shields. ENWRIGHT WINS' COMFORTABLY. The swimming in the heats of tijp 100 yards did not 'produce anything startling in the way of time, and the place-getters had little difficulty in defeating the rest of their fields.' Murrell (Wellington) and Atkinson (Canterbury) were the only starters in the first heat, and practically just swam the course. Enwright (Auckland), after making a- false start, easily held Sutherland (Canterbury) in the ] second heat in slow time. The third heat was the best, and the five starters were all in a line at the 50 yards mark. AfteV the turn Batchelor (Canterbury) and Edwards (Wellington) sorted themselves out and were close together, until Batchelor sprinted, and won by a yard. All got away to a good start in the final. Murrell was first up, but Enwright took the lead' straight away, and made the pace a cracker from Murrell and Batchelor, with Edwards and Atkinson mr close attendance. They raced along the first stretch in this order, Enwright increasing his lead, and at the turn, which he reached in ' 27sec, he was four feet in front,' with the others all together. Coming back.it was obvious that the titleholder was not going to lose, and,! despite strong efforts by Murrell and Batchelor, he kept his lead and won comfortably by the same margin, Batchelor beating* Murrell by a touch for second place. The others were bunched. It was a pood effort on the^inner's part. Murrell swam well, but a bad turn did not assist him. ■ Edwards suffered through being jammed across into Enwright's wake, otherwise he would ha,ve been closer up. ( HILL'S GOOD MILE. . The five starters in the mile did not keep together long, Hill (Canterbury) taking the lead at the first hundred, with Murrell (Wellington) and Welson (Auckland) close up. The first part of the distance took 75 2-ssec. At the 300 y^rds mark, Hill wa4 two yards in front of Murrell and Welson, and at the quar-ter-mile he had increased his advantageto fifteen yards, with the other two still together. This had taken 6min lOsec. Continuing on with 'a steady, powerful stroke, Hill increased -his lead every length, and Murrell also put a gap between Welson and himself. Hill reached the half-distance in". 12min 34sec, where he wa* thirty yards in front of Murrell, Welson being a further twenty yards away, Enwright (Auckland) and Moorhouse (Canterbury) having pulled out. There was no further difference except that the champion kept on increasing his lead, lapping Welson and eventually going on to win in easy fashion by 75 yards from Murrell, who was a similar distance in front of Welson. The full time was 25min 49sec, a better swim than last year's and 41sec below standard. CONDITION TELLS. ■ The 100 Yards Ladies' Championship wag a very exciting contest between Miss Violet Walrond (Auckland) and! Miss Hoeft (Auckland), and it • was the superior condition !of the former that enabled her to win. She and Miss Hoeft were first to the fifty, with Miss Shand (Canterbury) two feet away. After turning Miss Hoeft gained a slight lead, and at the 75 yards Miss Shand was making her effort, with Miss Walrond going strongly. Fifteen yards from home Misb Hoeft "looked a winner, but Miss Walrond came at her brilliantly, and, with a fine finishing burst, she gained the decision by. a touch, with Miss Shand a yard away third. The time was not fast compared with last year, and it is evident Miss Hoeft has gone off. Miss Walrond's win was extremely popular. C. Claridge (Wellington) won the 220 yards, intermediate in good style. The heats were swum in the morning, and a local boy, Lindsay, won his heat in convincing style, giving the impression that he would fully extend the Wellingtdn representative. The effort, however 1, must have taken too much out of him, as he could only get third in the final. Claridge set a merry pace from the starti and at »the hundred led from Lindsay knd Wilkinson, cutting it out in 67 4-ssec. He was three yards ahead then, and slightly increased this lead, eventually winning by five yards, with M'Tigue (Canterbury) a foot in front of Lindsay.' The time was 1 2-ssec outside standard. ' OLD POLO RIVALS. Miss Imandt (Wellington) made a creditable Bhowing in the 75 yards intermediate breaststroke, and she did well to gain third place considering the win- | ncr, Miss Eltannan (Canterbury) lowered the previous record. The time was 68 l-ssec. Bridson (Wellington) did not appear to have much chance of a place in the junior boys' 100 yards, but over the last twenty-five yards he cut down three of his opponents in good style and secured third place, W. Cameron (Canterbury) and P.: Murphy (South Canterbury) being ahead of him. He should be prominent in the quarter-mile event. Wellington drew a bye in the polo, and as Canterbury easily defeated Otagp to-day, the final will be between the two old rivals again. The final is expected to be played on Wednesday night, and is already creating a lot of interest, and should be a very strenuous and close game. Detailed results are as follow:— 100 Yards National Championship.— Enwright (Auckland), 1; Batchelor (Canterbury), 2; Edwards (Wellington), 3. Time, 62sec. • . , * Ladies' 100 Yards Championship.— Miss Violet Walrond (Auckland), 1; Miss P. Hoeft (Auckland). 2; Miss G. Shand (Canterbury), 3. Time, 70 4-5 sec. ■ . s Mile Championship.—Hill . (Canterbury), 1; Murrell (Wellington), 2: Welson (Auckland), 3. Time, 25min 49sec. 220 Yards Boys' Intermediate Championship.— C. Ckriclge (Wellington), .1; V. M'Tigue (Canterbury), 2; P. Lindsay (South Canterbury), 3. Time,. 2min 47 3-ssec. 100 Yards Junior Boys' Championship.—W. Cameron (Canterbury), 1; P. Murphy (South Canterbury), 2; H. Pviebga (Wellington),. 3. Tw«. 77 4-5 IK,

75 Yards Intermediate Girls' Breaststroke.—Miss Eltannan (Canterbury), 1; Miss P. Svenson (Wanganui), 2; Miss A. Imandt (Wellington), 3. Time, 68 l-ssec, a record. 50 Yards Junior Girls' Championship.—Miss Jepson, 1; Miss D. M'Gee (Auckland^, 2; Miss B. Cooke (Canterbury), 3. 'Time, 34 4-ssec, equal to record. In her heat Miss Jepson did 34 l-ssec, cutting 3-ssec off Miss E. Walrond's record. 50 Yards Interclub Handicap.—F. G. Raymond (Swifts, Timaru), 6sec, 1; A. Johnston (Old Boys, Timaru), 6sec, 2; D. N. Lawson (Old Boys, Timaru), 6sec, 3. 100 Yards Junior and Intermediate Interclub Handicap.—M. Simes (United, Christchurch), 13sec, 1; J. Hawlces (Old Boys, Timaru),. llsec, 2; P. Murphy (St. Patrick's, Timaru), 16sec, 3. Time, 77 4-ssec. . Diving.—X. Bristed (Canterbury). In the water polo championship Canterbury in the first round beat Otago, 6-0. '