GRUELLING RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 7, 10 January 1938, Page 15

GRUELLING RACE

ANNETTE KELLERMAN CUP

(By Telegraph—Press Association). NEW PLYMOUTH, January 9,

Fourteen competitors well representative of New Zealand swimming centres today contested the Annette Kellerman Cup race in a choppy sea over a,three-mile course sheltered >■ by the New Plymouth breakwater. F. Clow, New Plymouth finished first, and the previous holder of the cup, C. Robertson, Westport, was third. Among the six competitors to finish the course was- G. Usher,- the one-legged Auckland swimmer* •. •..• ■ i •

It was . a most gruelling race in which'the choppy sea made it most difficult for the back-markers to make up their handicaps. Usher led most of the way, with Wickham, Stratford, second, and Clow fourth. Clow swam steadily and by keeping a good course made up leeway in the third mile-lap. Usher appeared a certain winner at the two and a. quarter-mile post, but tired, being overhauled and left by Clow and Pettigrew, who was gradually- catching. The back-markers, Milne and R. Gayton, both New Plymouth, withdrew after two miles.

Robertson's was a grand effort of stamina and determination. Swimming by himself, he seemed well out of it, but in the last of the three laps forged his way into a place, Clow went well ahead after about two miles and a half, but Pettigrew and Robertson were closing up the gap in the last leg. Results:—

F. Clow, New Plymouth (llmin), .lh 58m ss, 1. -A. Pettigrew, .Stratford (7Jmin), 3h Om ss, 2. ■•;..■■■■ C. Robertson, Westport (3Jmin), lh 53m 30s, 3,