SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 19387, 22 October 1926, Page 12

SWIMMING

; [By Hooker.] FIXTURES. November 16.—Dunedin A.S.C. Carnival. , January 12. Australian lady swimmers at 'Dunedin. The Dunedin Club is talking of recommissioning its water polo team this season. The D.A.S.C. is looking forward to seeing A. Harrod in action again, and it will be able also to call on the services of H. Walker, U. Calder, E. M'Kewan, and other promising players. With the St. Clair and Kiwi Clubs making efforts to be well represented in this sport, it should he possible to institute a good water polo competition in Dunedin. I'here is no reason why Otago should not- once again be represented in the New Zealand water polo championship, and it should bo borne in mind by the powers that be that in Gerard, who is now in Dunedin, there is available one of the finest exponents pf water pi !o the dominion to-day. ater polo is a sport that would be popular with tho public were a properly organised competition to ho conducted, and this is one of the matters that the clubs should instruct their delegates to bring before the centre at an early date. Deprecating the lack of support and appealing for the co-operation -of the various swimming clubs in the Auckland district in the matter of teaching children to swim, Mr L. Brighton, educational officer, at the annual meeting of tho Auckland Swimming Centre last week laid stress on the fact that swimming was a national asset to the country (says tho Auckland Star ). He stated that although the results had not been as favorable as the 192324 season they were quite satisfactory. It seemed to him, however, that apart from the two city clubs none of tho other clubs co-operated in this important department of swimming. He realised that the Ponsonby Club possessed advantages above the other dubs, but even although they could not teach schools they could surely undertake the tuition of some children. Lack of funds, subsidies, and instructors were no doubt obstacles in the way, but an effort on tiro part or the committees would meet with some definite results. _ Although Mount Eden possessed a swimming hath there had been no application for certificates, and it was a. pity that the club’s quota was not forthcoming. During the past season the Ponsonby Club issued club certificates to all children who could swim 25yds, and this proved a great success. Apart from tho 529 association certificates issued, 162 children gained the club’s certificates. Les. Olds, the New Zealand junior boys’ champion, is _ swimming well under the time he registered at Napier last season, so that whatever may be his chances at Auckland at the next championship fixture, it seems reasonable to predict that new junior figures will be established. The writer feels that the_ chairman of the Otago Centre was a little pessimistic at the meeting last week when he expressed his disapproval of tours by women swimmers on the grounds that they did not draw tho public. The Centro agreed finally to an appearance of the Australian lady swimmers, Misses Ettio Robertson and Claire Couldwell, at Dunedin on January 12, and with thorough organisation there is no reason why tho guarantee of £25 should not be trebled by the receipts. There has been some disparagement of the performances of tho Australian ladies, but there is no doubting Miss Couldwell’s ability, particularly over 220yds, in which she defeated the New Zealander Piri Pago last season. In Dunedin the Australian will be matched by two girls who should extend them thoroughly, and if other attractive events are staged there is nothing to prevent tho fixture from being a huge success, and it should do much good for swimming in Otago, merely by reason of tho fact that it will arouse, public interest in the sport. E. M'Kewan, of the Dunedin Club, is a good all-rounder who has been in a few times this season. He is out of town just now, but will be hack before long. Miss M'Gee, of Auckland, who has been swimming with Miss M. Jepson at the Municipal Baths lately, is an ex-New Zealand jnniir girls’ champion. She should benefit by her association with the New Zealand intermediate 100yds champion. Don Watson was cutting out his pec distance in fine style at the Kiwi Club’s practice ou Monday night, and appear:; to be keen on pulling his old relay team back to its former place op tbo map. It is fine to see active swimmers like Don returning to the competitive field, and his presence in the Kiwi ranks should bo of considerable benefit to the younger member-! of the club. ■ After a season’s absence from the sport, E. Waldron, a good handicap peformer with tho Dunedin A.S.C., is taking up swimming again. Georges Michel, French baker, whose avocation is swimming, returned from England to-night to find himself famous (says tho French correspondent of an American paper). Leaving Cape Gr" Nez at 8.26 last night, .Michel thrashed the billows to such effort that eleven hours and five minutes later, or at 7.61 o’clock this morning, he clambered ashore over tho slippery recks at St Margaret’s Bay, near Deal. He had broken the record established scarcely two weeks before by Ernest Vierkoott<T, of Cologne, Germany, by an hour and thirty-eight minutes. Boulogne received him to-night with open arms, not only ns a record breaker, but as tiro first Frenchman to swim the Char nel. He also found that the 15,000 or so francs ho bad spent in making his ten Channel swims (ho failed nine times before ho succeeded) wore likely to prove bread thrown on the waters. Scores of telegrams awaited him, offering real money for appearances ip France, England, and various Conti nental countries. The new record holder, thirty-six years old, is remarkable for bis size. _ Ho is well known in French swimming circles, and recently won a twenty-six-mile international race in the Seine River. Gertrude Ederle, the first girl to swim the English Channel, wants to race Michel across tho famous waterway next summer. Miss Ederle sent a cablegram of congratulations to the Frenchman, who to-day broke the Channel swimming record. It read: “ Congratulations on your great swim. Hope wo can both race across tho Channel next year.” W. Boyd has beea swimming well during the past week or so. Last season ho won the Otago intermedia!* 100yds and 220vds free style champion ships and tho 66 2 ; 3yds_ intermediate breast-stroke championship or Otag(> He is shaping very well just now, am 1 should be hoard of as a senior provid•infi that he improves his stroke. Be has been doing a little diving and going quite well. , ~ _ .. „ The writer hears that “Pat” Bun and Jack Todd, two well-known Rugbrepresentative footballers, are joinin' up with one of tho local clubs. Todd i a useful swimmer, and, though Bun is as yet a comparative novice, both men would lie decided acquisitions to a water polo team. When one reads of the herculean efforts made by a war-battered soldier such ns Colonel “Tiny” Freyherg, V.C., in training himself fit for an attempt to swim the English Channel, it makes one wonder just bow many local swimmers will be able to find enough energy to do something this season over a mile at least. Too many strapping lads of eighteen years or more are_ wont to cry enough when asked to train for a mile or so. Grit and determination are necessary, and it is these qualifications that s'howed themselves in Jack M'Lean, the young Otago champion,

last season. Combined ■with this grit and tb. competitive spirit, there are other essentials for success in swimming—consistency in training and concentration on the game. No good result will ever come from apathy and carelessness in training. The trouble—and this applies to other sports besides swimming—is that athletes to think that success may bo obtained without sacrifice, but championship form cannot be developed by such habits as smoking, late hours, etc. Not one in a thousand knows how to train, and not one in a thousand trains correctly when he does know how., And yet results are expected. As suggested in these columns recently, there is room for a good deal more encouragement for swimming in Dunedin than has been the case for a bng time past. The climatic conditions scarcely affect the position, as Dunedin is the possessor of a tepid bath in which swimming can bo indulged in all the year round . More should be done in the way of staging carnivals. Dunedin is big enough to run two club carnivals a month and one centre carnival a quarter. There would be no reason for swimmers to go stale, for once swimmers become fit and in good racing trim it is easy for them to keep fit by taking part in races. In the United States the swimmers just limber up at the commencement of a season, and keep fit racing at the weekly swimming meets, never pulling up for more than two weeks in a year. ■Stan Fogg has not made his appearance in the water this season, but his Kiwi Club mates are expecting him to got going shortly to help his club in relay events. Swan and Devlin, of the St. Clair Club, are putting in a lot of practice in life-saving. Devlin has developed more speed in his free style, and should consequently knock some seconds off his time. Ces. Lewis has not yet made an appearance, but the St. Clair Club captain is spending his annual holidays at Karitane, and will probably get into action as soon as he returns to town. Miss “Tiny” Morrison should give the northern lady divers something to think about at the next New Zealand championship meeting, especially as it is understood that her coach will accompany her to Auckland. Miss Kathleen Miller is getting into form earlier this season, and, although her coach (Mr E. H Olds) was disappointed at her falling off in form when she took up field games during the winter, he is quite satisfied with her showing now, and predicts that she will do well in senior ranks. Several United States girls are beating up the 100yds mark in 60 2-ssec, 61sec, and 62sec, so that it seems quite likely that such times as 58sec and 59sec will be returned by the American mermaids before the next Olympic Games. Referring to the Olympic Games, it may bo stated that much better times will need to be recorded by New Zealand ladies if any of them are to have a chance over any of the distances. Miss Gwitha Shand, who was chosen as a member of a previous Olympic team, was a sincere and_ conscientious swimmer, and, in the writer’s opinion, was a good deal better than any of those who are facing the starter at the present season. One of the reasons for her success was her strict attention to training. In this respect she set an example which might well be followed te every girl or boy with any pretentions of winning championship honors, for the goal of success can be reached only by the path of hard work. The primary _ schools’ swimming classes are making steady progress, most of the boys being keen to swim before the classes close. To the writer, during the week, Mr Olds stated that the cold weather experienced had been the cause of a number of boys stopping out of the water, but the keen ones availed themselves of every opportunity of getting a swim during the week, and thus got on very quickly. After four lessons the progress report in regard to the public schools is as follows:—North-east Valley, 37 in the water, 28 able to go a few yards; Caversham, 37 in, 25 able to swim a few yards; George Street, 34 in, 19 able to swim a few yards; Albany Street, 30 in, 22 able to swim a few yards; Normal, 21in, 21 able to do a few yards; Kensington, 13 in, 7 able to swim a few yards; Anderson’s Bay, 20 in, 15 able; Forbury, 40in, 34 able; Macandrew road, 20 in, 18 able; Arthur Street, 27in, 18 able; St. Clair, 38 in, 22 able; High Street, 21 in, 11 able; Musselburgh, 35 in, 31 able;Mornington,24in, 15 able; Maori Hill, 19in, 17 able; Moray Place, 16 in, 10 able; Knikorai, 24in, 14 able. Out of the 456 attending the classes 327 boys aro now able to swim a little after having had only four lessons.

THE CHANNEL SWIM IS IT LOSING IN INTEREST? Swimming the English Channel bids fair to become so common as to pass completely unnoticed. Thus far this season this rather difficult bit of water has been negotiated by four swimmers—two men and two women. Outside the fact that one of the swimmers was the first woman to accomplish the feat, and that another has broken all records, the crossing has no_ great sporting interest (says an American writer). Following the success of two American women a German baker swam across, making a little better time than any previous record. Now comes a French baker who not mly makes the iwim, but beats his German rival by an hour and thirty-eight ovnuses. 'J hat would seem to prove that Frenchmen as well as Germans can swim as well as bake bread. If it proves anything else it is difficult to see what it is.

Doing things the first time is ’nttreating; repeated performances of a feat become monotonous. Gertrude Ederlo gained fame because she was the first of her sex to repeat something done years before by several men. It was not that Miss Ederlo could swim the Channel, but that Miss Ederlo was a woman, which made_ her performance noteworthy, and entitled her to a place on the front page of the newspapers. There have been many men who have been fistic champions, and to win a price is not especially noteworthy, save that it would be a sporting event. If a woman should become heavy-weight champion, however, that would he; news of first importance. Perry is acclaimed as the first man to go to the North Pole, and therefore he gained universal fame. Byrd was the first man to fly to the Pole in an airplane; hence he, too, did something that made his performance worth noticing. These are all feats, but when repeated soon lose their appeal in the front pages of the newspapers. The Channel swim will always remain 0 test of ! super-watermanship, yet its day of glaring headlines is nearing its dose.

It _ was formerly the claim of the Englishmen that the American merman was made for speed, and couid not stand the endurance test that _ would. be required in the Channel swim. The challenge was soon taken up by American men swimmers, and the feat accomplished. And now that two American women accomplished the swim, and set records that Europeans havo been unable to equal, the past season has not only settled the minds of the Englishmen as to the powers of the American men swimmers, but has placed the mermaid from tho United States on record as superior to those of the Old World. Miss Ederle did for swimming a greater feat than merely settling the minds of Europeans as to tho powers

of the American and the value of the crawl stroke. She set into the hearts of every ambitious woman tho desire to master the art of natation. She demonstrated that women may vie with men in this sport. Her feat has set a goal that thousands of her sox may now strive to reach. ENGLISH SWIMMERS METHODS AND RESULTS. In view of tho fact that many American experts hold that recent Channel swim successes have been triumphs for the crawl stroke, it is interesting to read the remarks of Mr William Henry, chief secretary and founder of the Royal Life-saving Society, in tho London ‘ Observer,’ in which he takes up the cudgels on behalf of British swimmers, and also for the older methods in swimming. Since tho article was written an Englishman (Derham) has succeeded in crossing the Channel. “As a matter of fact,” Mr Henry stated, “ our swimmers aro as good as the foreigners for distance swimming, but not for short distances. There, 1 think, the Americans are better ._ But their superiority in that direction is really only a question of accident. They did not make their good shortdistance swimmers in the United States; they were born. “It should bo borne in mind that foreigners w!k> t havo succeeded in getting across the Channel have had a tremendous amount of luck. They have had the advantage of favorable tides and currents, and it must not be forgotten that one hour makes all the difference between success and failure in the effort. Given the same amount of luck, I think our swimmers would have done just as well. It is all a matter of luck. “That our men have been content merely to rely on their stamina is quite right. What is the value of any athletic exercise if it produces speed and not stamina? From a public point of view speed is of little real value, because speed can never bo of any use in life saving: and life saving, surely, ought to be the object of swimming. _ “It is interesting to note that this year’s conquerors of the Channel have all used the ‘crawl’ stroke, whereas iu years gone by the breast, side, and trudgeon strokes have usually been employed. Supporters of modern racing strokes have pointed out that when Miss Ederle made her unsuccessful attempt a year ago Miss Vera Tanner, tho Eastbourne swimmer, acted as pacemaker for a time, and, although without any previous experience of Channel swimming, special training, or preparation of any sort, ‘ crawled along with Miss Ederle for four hours without any difficulty. . “There is, however, no superiority in tho ‘crawl.’ In a measure this year’s swimmers have used the ‘ crawl, but I doubt whether thov have done so all the way. I feel sure that it is in the interest of tho public that too much should not bo niado of those modern strokes. It is definitely detrimental to young swimmers to whom life saving should be an essential. “The real object of swimming should be life saving, and for this the ‘ crawl is more than useless. Obviously you cannot carry anyone while using the ‘ crawl.’ Anyway, the statement that Vierkotter, Miss Ederle, and Mrs Corson used the ‘crawl’ all the way is probably incorrect. If they had done so they could not have been fed, they could not rest, and they would have soon been fatigued. “It has been suggested that a consistent record-breaker I'ke Arno Borg, of Sweden, would probably be able to set up a new time for the Channel it he cared to attempt the swim, but 1 doubt very much whether he could do the distance. He has proved very good up to a mile, but I do not know that ho has ever gone any further, “Perhaps the most remarkable lecture of this year’s Channel swimming has been the fine performances ot tlio women competitors. The two successful women returned surprisingly last times, while those who have not actually accomplished the crossing have achieved very creditable efforts. Let me say that women have done so well simply because they have the natural rift of being able to withstand the coldness of the water. Women can always stay in the water longer than men. They are not so muscular.

LIFE SAVING SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING OF HEAD CENTRE. The annual meeting of the Otago Head Centre of the Royal Lite having Society was held last night, Mr -tl. Henderson presiding over a good attendance of members. _ In moviug the adoption ot the annual report ‘ and baiauce-sheeet, the Chairman said that the society .had done very little during the year, little enthusiasm being shown for some reason or another, the Exhibition possibly being partly responsible. The Centre was in a healthy position financially, having £42 in the bank. It was hoped that more activity would be shown in life saving this season than had been the case last year. The report and balance-sheet were seconded and adopted. The election of office-bearers re-sulted:—Vice-patron, Sir Charles Fergusson; president, Mr U. H. Henderson; vice-presidents, Messrs H. L. Tapley, J. A. Park, E. H. James, A. E. Gascoigne, T. A. Fogg, W. H. Saunders, W. H. Matthews, and Major Fleming; lion, medical officers, l)rs Stuart Moore, Evans, and Murray; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr D. Bannatyne; lion, solicitor, Sir Charles Statham- delegates to Otago Swimming Centro, Messrs D. Bannatyne and E. G. James; executive—Messrs J. M. Paterson, W. Jopson, J. L. MTndoe, E, G. James, J. S. B. Haig, and J. Pereira; delegate to the New Zealand Life Saving Council, Mr W. H. Benson; hon. auditor, Mr N. Sutherland. It was resolved to approach the swimming clubs wih a request that they should include a life saving method at their carnivals. On the motion of Mr E. G. James, seconded by Mr W. H. Saunders, it was also decided to donate a cup for competition among the Scout troops.