N.Z. SURF TEAM

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1938, Page 11

N.Z. SURF TEAM

NOTES ON MEMBERS

FIVE WELLINGTON MEN

The following are notes on the members of the New Zealand surf life-sav-ing team which is to tour Australia next month:—

J. C. Blakeley (Lyall Bay), age 31, height sft llln, weight list 121b. He has held several Wellington swimming titles, and has represented the province many times during the last eight years in swimming and water-polo. On more than one occasion he has put up the fastest time in the Annette Kellerman long-distance race. In surf life-saving he has a record extending back over 12 years. In 1930 he won the New Zealand beltman's championship, a feat which he duplicated on Sunday by defeating by half a second A. T. Dalton, the holder. He has also been in three winning Nelson Shield teams, and at any time within the last eight years would have been selected as amongst the first -five of New Zealand's lifesavers. In the trials yesterday he won his heat in the belt against D. H. Symes by about eight seconds. His iwork on the land is of a high standI ard. ■

J. T. Clark (Maranui), age 20, height 6ft, weight 12st. He has been swimming for the Maranui Club for two years, but is an experienced surfman. Last year he was a member of the winning Nelson Shield, New Zealand fourman championship, and New Zealand surf relay teams. He won the Wellington beltman's championship in 1937, and retained it this year by a narrow win over J. C. Blakeley. At New Plymouth he was beaten in the semifinal of the event by A. T. Dalton. He swam a close second to F. Ryan in the individual surf race, and was a member of the winning four-man and surf relay teams. At the Wellington championships he was also a member of the winning beltmen's and senior championship teams. In the trials yesterday he beat J. Williams in the belt by three seconds. His land work is excellent.

D. K. Evans (Maranui),. age 21, height sft UJin, weight 12st 101b. He shares with Clark the distinction of being in three winning New Zealand surf championship teams in 1937. He and Clark are both members of the Maranui A grade water-polo team. At the Wellington championships he was in the winning Silver Reel and beltmen's teams. He also put up fastest time in last year's Peck Shield har- ; bour race, in which he was placed second. At New Brighton last weekend He was, with Clark, a member of the defending Nelson Shield team, and of the-winning four-man and surf relay teams. In the surf relay race, in which he was the first man of his team to leave the beach, he swam in an outstanding manner, and placed his team a good 50 yards ahead. Swimming in the belt in the trials, he was beaten by R. Pelham, J. Young, and F. Penriington. His work on the land is of a high order, and he is an accomplished surfer.

R. Pelham (Lyall Bay), age 36, height'sft 9in, weight list lib. He is the oldest active competitor in lifesaving in New Zealand, and has a championship record extending back to 1925. He has represented Wellington in swimming and water-polo for eight years. In 1925 he won the New Zealand .440 yards championship,-and two < years later was a member of the New Zealand surf champion team. Since then he has been in winning Nelson Shield teams. He plays Rugby still, and was a New Zealand Maori representative in 1926, 1928, and 1930. Two years ago at St. Clair he and Blakeley both defeated W. J. Jarvis in the open surf race. At the championships this year he won his heat in the beltman's , title races, but was beaten by his clubmate Blakeley in a semi-final. In the belt trials he beat J. Young\ and D. Evans. He is sound on land drill. J. Williams (Lyall Bay). Age 25, height sft'll Jin; weight 12st 101b. He is a Wellington water-polo representative, and has held the local 150 yards backstroke title since 1933. For some years he has been in the Lyall Bay A team, which won the Nelson Shield in 1935 and 1936. In, the trials yesterday he was three seconds behind Clark in the belt swim. Dalton and Stokes beat him in the seventh heat of the beltmairs championship. FROM OTHER CENTRES. A. T. Dalton (North Beach, Canterbury), Age 31, height 6ft, weight 13st lolb. He also has a record extending over many years, and put up the Canterbury 50 yards record in 1930 and 1931. He held the New Zealand beltman's championship in 1936 and 1937, and was a member of the representative New. Zealand surf relay team in 1937. Afthis year's .championships he beat Clark to the buoy by one second in the four-man final, and was beaten by Blakeley by half a- second in the final of the beltman's event. He won his heat in the belt trials from F. G. Ryan by about six seconds. His landdrill needs improvement. A. T. F. Stokes (New Brighton, Canterbury). Age 29, height 6ft, weight 13st 21b. He holds most of the Canterbury freestyle championships, and has won several New Zealand swimming titles. On Saturday he was placed third to Ryan and.Clark in the individual surf race. He won -his heat in the trials by about. twenty seconds from C. A. R. Buchanan. His landwork is fair. . . .• ■ E. J. Stevens (Takapuna, Auckland). Age 22, height 6ft lin, weight 13st. He was Auckland water-polo representative- from 1934 to 1937, and provincial belt champion in 1935 and 1936. No record of his performance in comparison with the others is available, as he did not attend the championships or trials. ■ T>. H. Symes (Taylor's Mistake). Age 27, height sft ll£in, weight 14st 51b. He holds the Canterbury "beltman's title, and is a Canterbury and Otago University swimming representative. He was beaten by C. R. Buchanan in a heat of the beltman's title races,, but placed well in the individual surf race. In the trials he was eight seconds behind Blakeley, and, in a second swim, four seconds behind Young and five ahead' of Ryan. He should concentrate on land-drill, as his work on land was not of the best yesterday. J A. Young (Taylor's Mistake). Age 21, height 6ft, weight 14st. He won the Annette Kellerman Cup in 1934, and is well known in swimming and life-saving circles as a keen competitor. In the belt trials he had two swims. He was placed second to Pelham in the first, narrowly beating Evans. In the second, he beat Symes and Ryan by four and nine seconds respectively.