INTERMEDIATE TITLES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 24

INTERMEDIATE TITLES

START MADE TODAY

WELLINGTON'S CHANCES

(By "Header.")

A commencement was made today with the junior and intermediate championships, when the best of the various centres' representatives met at Hamilton. For some years past the standard of these championships has been very high, and the indications are

that there will be little or no falling-

off in that respect on this occasion. As is usual, Otago will be strongly repre-

sented, and with performers such as

IS. Jarvis, Chambers, and Eckhold, for ! their respective events in the boys' section and Miss Purdie in the girls' section, most of the titles in the intermediate section may go to that centre. There are other strong contenders, however, in Pascoe and Goldsmith and

Miss Finlayson (Auckland), Miss Symon (Southland), and Miss Gotlieb

(Wellington), and the racing in this grade, as well as that for • the junior classes, where most of the competitors are competing for the first time, is sure to be full of interest.

S. Jarvis has been so prominent a swimmer at championship and other I meetings that it will take an exceptioaally good boy to lower his colours. On present form he should win the three titles again, but he will find Pascoe very hard to beat in the 220 yards. The latter has been returning some excellent times this season and has undoubtedly improved. Wellington will be represented by W. Richards, who may also make a forward showing in the 220 yards, but he can hardly be expected to pace it with the Aucklander and the Otago boy However, Richards is young, and the experience should do him good.

Locally, chief interest will centre on Miss Gotlieb, who is to compete in the 100 yards and 220 yards ladies' intermediate championships. The manner in which she won the centre title at the Hutt Baths last week was very impressive, and both in her heat and final she swam in a way that left little doubt of her being a worthy representative. The time returned has only been bettered on one occasion at a championship meeting, and she has a splendid chance of winning the sprint title, especially if she swims as excellently as she did at the Hutt, where she was obviously not fully extended. Miss Gotlieb is likely to prove the surprise packet at Hamilton, and may even show up prominently in the furlong event, although she has not previously raced over the distance.

Another surprise may also be sprung by the Wellington representative Jn the junlior boys' breaststroke, lan Robinson. This young lad is a swimmer of decided promise, and although his racing experience is very limited, nevertheless he has the ability, as his tinies at the Hutt carnival show. The selectors had no hesitation in selecting him after his two fine performances, and a reproduction of his times will give his opponents something to do to head him off. His time also has only been bettered once, and even the intermediate championship has been won on many occasions in slower time than he recorded for the 100 yards. The distance of the junior event is 75 yards, and he can be expected to improve on what he has already shown. He and Miss Gotlieb are decided prospects.

The small team of those selected to go to Hamilton was depleted by the unfortunate accident to W. Bell, who, after winning the 100 yards intermediate championship at the Hutt, was the victim of a collision when returning to Wellington by car. Happily Bell has not suffered any serious injury and is expected to be ready to swim again in a week or so. D. O'Neill, who would have been the distance representative, was unable to get leave, and missed the trip also. He may not have beaten Jarvis and Pascoe, but would have shaped well over the quarter-mile event.