SWIMMING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 6 December 1930, Page 22

SWIMMING

ay "HEADER "

CHANGE OF; DATES

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

SOME-OBJECTIONS

: .-The proposed f.hango. of .-tho dates,.of tilt!' National Championships, 'as .suggested :.by the ■ Wangauui .den'tre, who are ;the con trolling body this 'season, "is ' [not .altogether, meeting ~with ~favoiu'. Possibly,the change is not,.so much"ob-1 jected.to .as. the da.tes ou .which, some of the important events, will' be' contested. The alteration provides-'that the:Kolle"rriian Gup race, of three miles, is to. bo contested on Saturday, tho last'day of tho meeting. -This Will be a hardship to some, of the competitors, as the filial programme of events 'includes .such. races as the 4io yards men's .championship, the 50.0 yards flying squadron, and the final of the. . water-polo. There are .a few. competitors who. .will possibly be. contestants iii !at least two of'these.qvents, and who.will also"wish to compete in "the. long:distaiiee, race, but it is extremely doubtful if 'such a heavy day's swimming will be "."undertaken "by any of/them. . In past, years, when "the 'events mentioned havo .'h'ceit: contested on. different dates, sonic ,of tho. first-class performers: have competed in', all of them, : '"witli , conspicuous success,.,and although" the. number .m ay bo 'few, the .national"gathe'ring:'.is';''for champions, and near, cliampions, wlib fire entitled to' the' first consideration., The two local ;iife-sa,ying 'clubs . aire ' also against the alteration in the date of the Nelson Shield. contest,'which'.is',rset. down- for decision oil the Friday.'Tliis will mean' that' teams, will, require: to "lbs'9." three ■'days,..' whereas^'' if ' tfiel^, com-' petition was licTd, oil. Sunday,' as' Ori-^ ginally intended, the trip, could'.'havc been undertaken, without tho ; loss -of any working tinie. . ■"''. While agreeing" that the/ encourage-, ment of Sunday sport is not desirable, and with due respect, to..the.objections that might be .raised, it is contended that a life-saving, contest can,.hardly be described as. a.sport. It has a decided educational "aspect, and the public, as a whole, would, no doubt, appreciate the opportunity of seeing the leading clubs of the. Dominion.in actjon in what is really only a series of demonstrations. In view of the number of games that are played on a Sunday for pleasure alone, the conducting of life-saying tests should not bo objected to,; especially'when it is remembered that,, tho clubs concerned, are. rendering a national service in safe-, guarding the various beaches. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Association was.held'on; Thursday night last. The chicf■ business. was the' discussion of a notice of motion that the';first charge on the, junior,and inter-. mediato championship meeting should be for the.championship medals. This, is one of the results of tho loss'of the Government grant. Formerly the cost of the medals was-a legitimate eharg* on. the edUcatio'riaKfund, and'in eonso 1. quence, the. centre, .controlling these events was not called upon tp meet the expenditure. The additional cost will not bo palatable to the Aslibniton Centre,imder Jwhose control "thel junior and ■intermediateVchampionshipSi..are to be held, and may have the-.ultimate result of other, centres turning-down ;the conduct of the championships in future years. It riiay also' 'mean reverting back to the'old system;of conducting all tho championships at the one meeting, but even then, the additional oxpenso.,,ma.y. prevent some of the less fortunatev.centres from applying for. the right vto, control them. The profit mads from/tlie National championships |:is not always a. large one. In many j cases ,thevbare.:exponses only have been epverOd, and'r£ .is npt.'likely that any ;oi' the.,coiitrolluig oliicialsjwill care to run the big' meeting witli'-'tlie further expenditure now probable. ci,s : . Before these .iiotes-'avoi|ns:print, some-, information may bo kri'bivii' vas to what: action'has been taken by the New ZeS-. land Council in respect to the Government grant. Auckland/ Otago, and. Wellington ha.ye 'expressed concern at the effect the loss will have on eduea--tipnal work in general,, and,, as it has been, announced by tho parent body that all educational efforts ijyill have to: be:'suspended, pen^lihg' the! restoration of the grant, it;; will' be realised' that the position' is serious. ■■ Climatic conditions liavdy,flot improve ed rccentl3 r, with the result* that the baths and beaches are sparsely patronise cd. Very little swimmiDg has been iul--dulged- in, let-alone any training. Thje Worscr. Bay Clubi however, braved thp ele^merits^and ran. off two , events dur-. iiig; the week-end, for which quite goojl fiejds faced- the starter.,,-Hepburn couiluenced.the seaspn well.by,,wjnning the frce-stylo.'.ev(3nt";"iii. good style. Usually a ibr'eaststrffko swimmer, Hepburn possesses a good crawl stroke with a fair"amount of pace, lie should be prominent in both typcs.iof--spaces during the ■season. : ... .■ . .-. ....... : , i ■ ". C. Claridg;e has'beeii putting in somp training when the' opportunity offers, which is not often. He covered a goodmile, recently, and Jias. evidently designs on the'Kellerman Cup again. Provided the handicaps* are not too solid, he should again figure prominently in the decision of the long distance event. ■ H;' Clai-idge, who has been studying in' Auckland, is back in "Wellington for tlie'summer mon.ths/' He will again assist the Maraiiui Cltib.'- " ' J. Blakcloy'is', doing, a few practice swims, but like, other swimmers, is waiting for ivarinor weather .b.eforo settliiig: down./,to /tho serious/ stuff. If he shows a" little further.; improvement during the coining season he -will be taking a prominent part in tho sprint championships; ; ■';■ ' The Ladies Club are. aiming, to make progress; during the season. .In addition to: the ordinary activities,'-special classes are bding formed for thoso who desire to take up life-saving., A 'commencpmont.will bo mado on, Monday evening ne^ly at. tlio Tasman .:. street baths. Quite■jiv/few oi tlie';'members have been training on the':uight available, viid1 it is- hoped that intending members will take the opportunity of attending and joining up with tho club. Tlie first race,w.ili;,be.iheld,'on ;th'e 17th instant, members and■", learners;.•SboiuJ' catered for./ :■ ''•"* :'"■<'.:■ '-. ■■"■ ■■;.,,; ~ ? The Hutt 'Valley Club will/a.pin be to the fore in';.tl)e c :matter--pf. carnivals. It is; the intention-to stage "an iriferclub gathering, just-prior .to/,the."Chris,tmas holidays. if. : vnothing/unfors'ecn;:happen 3, .snd'•• swiinhiers; will no doubf, ; takc tho opportunity,. :of; trying themselves out witli a. view'lo^fuiure engage'in'e^fis. Amongf!tlids,e;;whoi- have;received rocogriition by; thp'/Royal/Humane Society is S.,,Grourise]l,.,6S-schobr-bby,;cham-pion, who is »6w,a T]lcm>,oa' of 4ti.c/-Mnni-nui; Club./; The /presentation., is.'to be made shortly.,,. ,?v-'»: ..:<:..,- ---'i'Jie Evans Bay Club will officially open on Saturday afternoon next. A short-.prograinme'-of -events will be put 'through;--weather- and other conditions permitting. A full gathering of members is expected.