KACE OF RECORDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 23

KACE OF RECORDS

CHANGE IN HANDICAPPING?

(By "Header.")

The growing popularity of the annual harbour race for the Peck Shield was exemplified last Saturday, when there was a large attendance of spectators, despite the wet weather which prevailed for most of the contest. Records were established in the number of entries, the number who started, the number who completed the course, and the fastest times recorded. There were 108 swimmers handicapped, 89 started, 74 finished, and Blakeley's time was the best that has yet been established. This testifies to the keenness of the swimmers for this type of event, and indicates that distance-swimming is much in favour. With such a large entry, the handicapping becomes a matter of difficulty. But Mr. Bousfield made a good job of it, and the final figures for the team placings were very close, victory going to the Petone team from Lyall Bay B and Varsity A.

The individual winner, B- Martin, of Lyall Bay, swam very well, moving very strongly over the last 300 yards to eventually win by a good margin, and finishing quite fresh. Miss A. Parr, of Petone, also recorded an excellent performance to gain second place, and Boswell, another Petone entrant, gave his club a good start for the teams competition by being close up in third position. A great tussle took place between Evans and Blakeley for fastest time. They started from the scratch marble, and, swimming together the whole journey with the pace on all the time, engaged in a final burst to ths finish, in which Blakely beat his cp-

[ ponent by a fraction. A feature of the race was the way in which the competitors stood up to the distance, practically the whole field showing little sign of having covered a mile and a half and finishing strongly and fresh. TWO GRADES. The large entry received for the harbour race would seem to call for some alteration in the running of the contest, and it is suggested that the race be divided into two grades, as is done with ordinary competitive racing. Some difficulty may be experienced in deciding the eventual winning team, but* this should not be insurmountable. The idea is one that would certainly make it easier for the handicapper, and should be in favour with the contestants generally. When the competition was first held it was not anticipated it would draw forth such a large number of competitors, and the smaller fields gave most competitors an eveu chance. Today, however, the position is different, and the back-markers would find it very difficult to be in the leading places, whereas if the swimmers were graded each competitor would be more favourably treated, and the best would have a reasonable chance of success.