SWIMMING AT TIMARU

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 27, 1 February 1923, Page 10

SWIMMING AT TIMARU

PLUCKY EFFORT BY MISS WALROND

MURRELL'S GOOD HALF-MILE.

(ii nusiupß.—ipecui, n m post.) TIMARU, This Day. The weather conditions were ideal when the third day's racing for the New Zealand National Swimming Championships took place yesterday. Again, the baths were packed. There was some great racing, and the spectators witnessed one of the finest carnival programmes yet run off. The two outstanding events were the ladies' 440 yards championship and the men's half-mile. Although beaten in the 440 yards, the honours were with Miss Walroud, who was known to be indisposed, but gallantly contested the event. On her brilliant showing she is very little inferior, if at all, to any woman swimmer in the Dominion, and her return to form is wonderful. The ether meritorious performance was Mnrrell's geat second to Hill in the 880 yards, and, on that showing, he should be extremely difficult 'to dispose of on Friday in the quarter-mile. The heats of the 100 yards intermediate girls, 100 yards intermediate boys' breaststroke, and the 100 yards junior girls were got off in the morning, and Wellington had representatives in each of them. C. Claridge surprised most people by qualifying for the final of the second mentioned event, as aJso did Evatt. Miss Imandt failed to gain a place in her heat, and Breen did not start. . . .■ ,

THE JUNIOR QUARTER. The first event at night .was the 440 yards junior boys' championship, in which five started. At the 100 yards mark Bridson, Ryland, and Murphy were together, and this order was maintained to the 200 mark, where Bridson had a two yards' lead, and Camei'on had come up to the others. Bridson maintained this lead over the next 100 yards, and, racing to the 400 yards, he had increased his lead to 8 yards, and wa3 not extended to win hy the same distance, ■with Ryland three yards away third. The 220 yards breaststroke was next, and again there were five starters. From a good start Claridpie took the lead and, led at the fifty from Bolton and Atkin-' son. At 100 yards they were all level, Atkinson gaining at the turn. Racing to the 150 yards mark Bolton and Atkinson were on even ttrms, and Claridge stopped. From hereon a great contest ensued betwesn the two, and, after a pruelhng struggle Bolton prevailed over his older rival, by two feet. Claridge started again and secured third place: Both the .first '.wo place-getters reached the ftandard. . Miss Page retained the gfrls' intermediate championship, winning fairly ■ comfortably, but there was a great Taca for second place, and if Miss Welsh had made her finishing sprint' earlier she may have gained it, but as it was Miss Walrond and Mies Stockley finished in front of her, the former beating her club rival by a touch. „ MISS SHAND'S CLOSE CALL. After Miss V. Walrond's sensational win in the ladias' 100 yards, excitement was intense when the four starters lined up for the quarter-mile. At the first fifty Miss Walrond was a little jn front of Miss Shand and Miss ' Hoeft, and at the hundred, which took 75 2-ssec, all thr.ee . turned together. On the next stretch' Miss Shand gained a slight lead from Miss Walrond, and Miss Hoeft was dropping back. Racing to the 220 yards Miss Shand was two yards in front of Miss Walrond. This portion of 'the journey had taken 3min 1 4-ssec, It was now seen that it was going to be a keen struggle' between the two leaders,' and so it proved to be. . Miss Shand could not get away from her little opponent, though making strenuous efforts, and with 350 yards gone the gruelling struggle had the spectators on their iee\ Nearing the end Miss .Walrond was gaining gradually on Miss Shand, and,, as the last stretch of 40 yards" was entered, both -were straining every nerve. Miss Walrond sprinted brilliantly and crept up by inches; but Miss Shand responded, and eventually reached the rope a foot to the good.'ll;was a grpelling race. Miss Walrond finished fresher. Both gained standards.'

MURRELL 1 S GREAT FIGHT. The half-mile entrants got away t» an even start, and at thb first 200 yards . Murrell turned two yards in front of the remainder of the field;- who were all together. This order was maintained to the 350 yards mark, where Hill had drawn level with Murrell, Batchelor be-' ing two yards behind- With half the distance gone these three competitors were still together, Welson being well back, and Enwright having dropped out. Approaching the 650 mark Murrell was sticking well to Hill and going well. Batchelor, too, was swimming well. With 700 yards gone the contest became exciting: It was seen that Murrell was making a desperate effort to reduce the slight lead of his opponents, swimming strongly. He had reduced Hill's lead at the 800 yards mark by a.slight margin, and exhorted, by Ms followers, he sprinted finely. Ovef the last 30 yards he travelled very fast, .hut just failed to reach Hill, who was first home by a foot. After Herd's record-breaking swim m the heat of the 100 yards intermediate-breast-stroke, it was not expected he could be beaten in the final, and.so it proved to be. His was an easy win, and the two Wellington representatives had a tussle for second place, C. Clandge, to his own surprise, and also to the surprise of others, beating Evatt for that position. In fairness to Evatt, it must be said that he could not produce his best, as he had been indisposed for two or three days. LOCAL POLO BACKS WEAK. The polo final proved an easy win for Canterbury. Wellington did not appear to reveal any form at all. lhe backs were weak,, and the forwards got very little chance to show their worth. Right at the commencement Canterbury put on a goal from a piece of bad play on Wellington's part, and this seemed to disorganise the team. . Certainly the artificial light was all against t«e Northern men,- .as was also the shallow water, but it is doubtful if they could have ' won. under different conditions. The game did not go to the full time, being concluded when Murrell had to be assisted from the water. He had been playing a fine game, bX his severe exertions earlier in the evening told their tale, '■ and he is an unlikely starter in the Kellerman Cup to-day. Moipeth and Blakney, of Wellington, are fctith starters .in'the three-mile swim. They are on the I8m:n mark, and the former is expected to be well in th» picture at the finish, though Hill and Enwright are popular picks. Details of the results are:— 440 Yards Ladies' Championship.— Miss G. Shand (Canterbury), 1; Miss V. Walrond (Auckland), 2; Miss P. Hoeft (Auckland), 3. , Time. 6min 29 2-ssec. 880 Yards National Championship.— L. Hill (Canterbury), 1, D- Murrol! (Wellington), 2; N. .Batchelor (Canterbury), 3. Time, 12min 13 2-Ssec.

220 Yards National Breast-stroke Championship.—Bolton (Wanganui), 1; Atkinson (Canterbury), .2; Claridge (Wellington), 3. Time, 3min 29sec. 100 Yards Intermediate Boys' Breaststroke.—Herd (Canterbury), 1; Claridge (Wellington), 2; Evatt (Wellington), 3. Tims, 78\l-3sec.

100 Yards Junior Girls' Championship. —D. Magee (Auckland), 1; L. Copplestone (Canterbury),- 2; M. Jepson (Otago), 3. Time, lmin 23 3-ssec. 440 Yards Junior Boys' Championship.—H. Bridson (Wellington), 1; E. Ryland (Wanganui), 2; W. Cameron (Canterbury), 3. Time, 7min 13 l-ssec. 100 Yards Intermediate Girls' Championship.—P. Page (Auckland), 1; B. Walrond (Auckland), 2; E. Stookloy (Auckland, 3. Time, lmin 11 3-ssec. Water Polo Championship Final.— Canterbury defeated Wellington, 6-0.