NEW MILE RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 19, 24 January 1927, Page 11

NEW MILE RECORD

REDUCTION OF A MINUTE

KIX-TKOTT IMPRESSES

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

The annual national swimming championships opened on Saturday afternoon, at the Tepid Taths before a good attendance, which was considerably augmented at the evening carnival, when the baths were packed.- It was anticipated that fast swimming would be witnessed during the meeting, and so it proved to be. ' Four new records were established, and Lindsay's performance' in the mile championship stood out as a brilliant effort. Old's swim in.the junior boys' event was also a great one, and his time will compare with the best in the world in his class. Bridson's new record was expected, and he did not fail. The other record goes to Miss Bydon, of Auckland, who lowered the intermediate girls' 75 yards breaststroke by one second. ■

The. heats of the various events were contested in the, afternoon, leaving the finals, with the exception of the ladies' championship, for the evening. Auckland commenced proceedings in a favourable .manner by recording a win in the 75 yards intermediate girls' breaststroke championship, Miss Eydon winning narrowly from Miss Breward, although the finish seemed to be'a dead heat.

Interest in the 100 yards senior men's .championship was mainly centred on whether a new record would be established. In the first heat there were only "three starters, and they only had to swim the course to qualify/ Naturally, the time was slow. The second heat, however,. was vested with more interest, as the four starters, Lindsay, Enwright, Eix-Trott, and Dowsett all appeared to have reasonable chances of success !in the final. The time (60sec) did not indicate that the pace was'on all the way, but it was a fine race. Lindsay was in front at first length (38 l-3yds) with Bix : Trott last to turn. On the second stretch they raced together with Lindsay still shading the others, who turned together. Over the last lap Lindsay still held his slight advantage, but BixTrott finished in a determined manner, and there was only a fraction between him and the winner, when they reached the post. Dowsett was just in front of Enwright, who now finds that youth will prevail. "

The 100 yards ladies' championship final was the star event of the afternoon, although the time allowed between the heats was less than usual. From a perfect start the sis contestants were separated by little at the first turn, when Miss Stocldey showed slightly out from Misses Jepson and Miller, Farquhar, 8011,, and Page. :At the end of the second stretch Miss Stockley had increased her advantage, and, although closely followed by Miss Jepson, eventually showed her superiority \by winning in good style by a yard. Actually the fight for second place was the feature of the race. After the last turn, Misses Jepson, Millar, and Farquahar were fighting out the decision, but Miss Bell came with a brilliant burst and headed them all, to. reach within a yard of Miss Stockley. It looked as if Miss: Bell would have extended the champion had she cwam with better judgment, but at the same time Miss'Stockley was not all out. ; EXCITING FINAL. The final of the men's 100 yards championship was the star event of the evening, and as the announcer introduced the finalists the excitement was at ..fever, heat.. .They got away to an even start, and as they rose from the initial.plunge Fairgray showed out with a slight lead, closely followed by Adamson and Dowsett. At the first turn the first-mentioned held his lead, with the other two in close attendance. sLindsay, Bix-Trott, and Batchelor were a foot behind.. The position underwent little change, except that Fairgray still led, with Dowsett in second position, . with: Adamson next, from Lindsay, Eix-Trott,- and Batchelor. Eacing to the finish, Dowsett forged ahead of Fairgray, and looked'to be the winner, but Adamson finished very strongly, and just got up to win by a bare margain from Dowsett, who finished a fraction in front of the rest of the field. The winder may .have been a bit luck in receiving the decision, but at the same time his win was merited Dowsett swam finely, ana it was the general opinion prior to the' event that his accident had interrupted his, training sufficiently to prejudice his chances m. the final. Fairgray's early pace really won the Tace for Adamson, and his was a clinking effort, surprising all liis friends. Eix-Trott swam an exceptionally good race, ana in- Ms initial effort m a national championship worthily upheld the reputation'of his centre. His last lap swim was faster than any other in the race, and keen judges were impressed with the morit of his performance. Ho has at this early stage proved that his class is well up to national championship. Batchelor aia not go as well as in his heat, although he was close up to the placed men. Gordon Bridson is a great swimmer and his win in the intermediate 220 yds championship was gained in a comfortable manner. W. Cameron was with him for four laps, but from then "on the ex-Wellington boy paddled away to the front and was not all out to win in record time. Sellars, who finished .close to Cameron, is a good boy, and,.considering his home place (Helensville) is hardly a centre of cracks, his swim was a tribute to his natural ability. He will be a serious opponont to Cameron in the future. , LINDSAY'S GREAT EFFORT. Usually the mile championship is a one-man affair, but the recent improvement of Linclsay added interest. From the start, Lindsay went to the front and after two hundred yards had been traversed he was a yard in front of Baird, with Cunnold lying third, and Stokes and Emvright together,, two yards behind. Just as interest was being worked up, Baird sprung a surprise by retiring at the tenth lap (333 1-3 yards), and from then on the race was a procession. Lindsay lapped his opponents at the 500 yards. Cunnold was then in second position, five yards in front of Enwright and Stokes, with Eyland outdistanced. Enwright retired at 700 yards, and as they went further Lindsay increased his advantage, and at the half-way mark he had already lowered the half-mile record. It was now only a question of what he would win by, together with the fact that the long-standing' record of Malcolm Champion was on its way to being fractured. Cunnold was still second at the 1000 yards, although young Stokes was close ■to him. Their struggle was an eventful one, and, with a quartermile to go, they were neck-and-neek. Meantime Lindsay was moving in a wonderful manner) and his even and effortless stroke, together with ' his superb stamina, saw him increase his lead at every lap. Stokes had now a slight lead over Cunnold,- but the latter drew up,"and with 200 yards to go he

forged to a yard lead over his youth: ful rival, and interest was mainly centred in these two. The finish was now close, and amidst thunderous applauso Lindsay sprinted brilliantly to tho rope to record one of tho most magnificent swims ever recorded at a championship. His time was conclusive, and in clipping Imin 3see off the record he proved that Baird at his best could hardly have lived with him. Cunnold's swim to second, place shows, that he is not a has-been. His effort was.good enough to win in ordinary years, but these are exceptional years now in swimming in New Zealand. Stokes was not disgraced, and young Kyland (of Wanganui) received well-merited applause in completing the course. Canterbury had little difficulty in 1.2- ---£ eating Auckland B in the polo, Atkinson as uaual being a tower of strength to them. Wellington play Auckland A to-night, but will have little chance of success. ■ ■ ..'■"■