SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 14

SWIMMING

KIWI CARNIVAL REVIEWED [By Hooker.] Even atrocious weather failed to mar the success of the Kiwi Swimming Club’s carnival last week, and almost record entries and a good programme of attractions drew a splendid attendance of the public, as the result of which the club should make quite a fair profit. The fixture throughout was a most enjoyable one, the finishes generally being 'exceptionally close, the diving of a high'class, and the novelty events most amusing, lu this connection the club went to a. good deal of trouble in rigging tip barrels and netting for an obstacle race, and while this occupied a considerable amount of time it was certainly' appreciated by the spectators. RECORDS BROKEN. Undoubtedly the feature of Hie swimming at the carnival was the breaking of two New Zealand records under official conditions, and in both cases all tho watches on tho swimmers eoncorned were in agreement, these- having been officially tested prior to the carnival, while the two attempts on the records wore made, under championship conditions. Bog. Geddes has proved himself a wonderful little swimmer during the. past couple of seasons, both. on .. the breast _ stroke and . . in . free - style swimming, being not only the Of ago and "New Zealand 75yds junior boys’ breast stroke champion,, but the Otago junior bovs’ frec-style champion over all distances. _ The Kiwi youngster capped all previous efforts, however, at this carnival, swimming with a welltimed and powerful breast stroke, using a strong kick, to cover 75yds breast stroke in 6.1 see. No official fresh water record has been listed for .this event, though Geddes’s time is the best that has ever been put up by a junior bov—either in fresh water or salt water—and it will be applied for as a New Zealand fresh water record. “ Buster ” Olds holds the salt water record of Imin 2 2-ssec, and the fact that Geddes bettered this time in the Dunedin pool, which is certainly not as fast as that at Auckland, shows what a, great breast stroke swimmer this young star really is. He has been devoting a fair amount of lime to breast '’stroke, and ho may further improve upon his record time when he swims at AVcllington, but lie will also do himself credit in the free stylo events, especially over 220yds. In a time trial during the week ho was credited with 4miu 6set for the lurloiig, and if he can reproduce this in Wellington he should' be up at the finish. It was rather fitting that alter having smashed the junior record himsoll Geddes should have accompanied Miss Maxine Mathieson on the first part of her journey when she attempted to shatter existing figures for the nitermediate girls’ 75yds breast stroke. Miss Mathieson is another girl who has been swimming well during the past couple of years,' hut she has conic on during the present season until now she is certainly one of tho finest lady swimmers in Dunedin, and one for whom a verv bright future in the swimming world may be predicted. The New Zealand fresh water record for this event previously was held by Miss D. brew - ard at limit 6 2-ssec, but from a good start Miss Mathieson commenced fast, moviim along with delightful rhythm and finishing very strongly to bo clocked in at Imin 5 4-3scc. bne should improve upon these in Well mgton, and the titleholclcr (Miss J. Ihomson) is going to have the task oi hci life to bold Miss Matliiesm in tbe intermediate breast stroke event at Wellington. for Hie has never dune time to "equal Miss'Mathicson’s recent re-cord-breaking effort. Miss Mathieson. a member of the Dunedin Club, is a daughter of Mr F. S. Mathieson, custodian of the Municipal Baths. NOTES ON COMPETITORS. The 33 l-3yds handicap brought to liedit several promising sprinters, the winner being a Kiwi representative in D. Poole, who has been out of the game for two or three years. I uole was on 3-lsec, and used a fast stroke, bein <T possessed of a pretty solid nniMi. Flis “actual time for this race was 19sec, but he is capable of better yet, and with more racing should develop into a very good swimmer over the length. ~ Undoubtedly the Icaturc of the 33 l-3vds intereluh handicap was tlie o-reat display given by Urn nine-ycar-okl Dunedin swimmer, S. Jarvis, .who finished second ofl the 6sec niar “J. l . l I} race in which some of those takm„ part were nearly, three tunes his age. He got a bad start but Imjshed well. In his heat young Jarvis did -3 --osoc for the length, and if he is nM given too much swimming for a yeai oi t vo may develop into one of the best sv nnmers yet seen in Otago. He has alovely smooth arm stroke, and a rhythmical log action, .while ho possesses great determination lor a little chap. Flo should not be pushed too fast, but. there is no doubt that he is a, champion in the making and a bom swimmer. Jack Lewis, younger brothel ol C-. B. Lewis, showed himself to bo a decidedly useful sprinter by winning ms heat of the 33 l-3yds handicap in 19 2-ssec, but he did not show the same dash in tho final, and had to be content with third place. His stiokc is being improved, and ho ma\ be an asset to bis club over the sbortei distances before very long. Walter Jarvis is coming on lapiUlv, and if he can maintain over the lattei half of the 100yds the pace he shows over the first. 50yds he will bo well up in tbo junior boys’ 100yds at the Ncv Zealand' championships. Jarvis swam better than he has done lor a long time when ho won the oOyds handicap at the Kiwi Club's carnival last week. Off the scratch mark ho won the final in 31. 4-3 sec, while ho was credited with 30 4-sscc m his heat. He was certainly swimming exceptionally well and if he maintains Ins present rate’ of improvement should he a doughty opponent for Reggie Geddes, especially over'looyds. in junior events nt the Otago championships next season. Jarvis has a nice balance in the water, and uses a long, smooth stroke, while his leg action is vyry rhythmical. He has the proper idea in .regard to relaxation, and in the final finished in great stvle, gaining on the others at the turn. The Dunedin lad is one of those who are going to assist in placing Otago in a very prominent position in the swimming world betoie Ces. Lewis’s fine all-round ability in the water has been commented upon in these notes on previous occasions, nnd it was turned to good advantage in the 100yds medley handicap, which he won by 3yds off the 2sec mark, his

lime being Imin 18 2-ssec. Lewis was easily the fastest on the breast stroke, but he showed more than ordinary proficiency on the back stroke, surprising even many of hia clubmates. He field on to his advantage over the last length, and secured a well-earned win. Lewis was also in the winning combination in the life-saving handicap, his partner being J. L. M‘lndoe, both St. Clair men, going well to win from scratch in a most exciting finish. Jack MTndoe is a most versatile natatorial exponent, and later in the evening scored four goals for St. Clair in the water polo match against Kiwi. The St. Clair lylnb lias acquired the services of a most promising swimmer in E. Turgis, who was second in his heat of the medley handicap, and was also second in the 100yds breast stroke handicap. Turgis is quite a strong swimmer on the breast stroke, but his swimming last week indicated that he would be a useful man on the crowd over 100yds. Tic lias a nice, smooth, and regular stroke, with a well-timed kick, mid over this distance he should lie able to hold his own with some of Dunedin’s best swimmers. C. Durand is a steadily improving swimmer on the breast stroke, the Otago 100yds intermediate breast stroke champion'winning the 100yds breast stroke handicap off the 15sec mark at the Kiwi carnival. Mis time was Imin olsec, which was Usee laster than his championship time, and as Ibis lad is a newer fid swimmer and is improving all' the time some good times may be looked for from him in the very near future. ~ , The Dunedin Club did well in the 1334yds relay handicap, securing first mid third places off ifscc and lljscc respectively. For the winning team Roy Calder swam a fast last length, and Kerr, Rix, and Miss Mathieson also went'well. Miss Mathieson, outside of her New Zealand record in the breast stroke event, swam well in the 50yds ladies’ handicap off the scratch mark, finishing in second place. She has a good arm stroke, but tier leg action is a little irregular. She is a most nromi^in o " tvcc-style swimmer, Jincl should be to the fore in the intermediate division next season. Kiwi had four teams in the relay, and while the backniarkers failed to get up, a team composed _ entirely of junior and intermediate girls finished second off 25sec. Miss-P. Lang gave the team a good start, and though the load was gradually reduced Miss Munro and Miss Ikwloy both swam Little Miss C. Lang, who was Kiwi’s last swimmer, finished like the game swimmer she is; m lad, hey detcimined finishing was one ol the features of her swimming during the evening. She was third in the 50yds junior and intermediate boys’ and girls’ handicap off 4soc. but swam a. stronger race in the GOvds’ ladies handicap, in winch, off the same mark, she won by a. touch, her actual time being .'ls 3-sscc. Miss Laim is growing, and she needs only to shout up a little to hold Jigi own in first-class company, lor she has a good stroke and is as plucky in a hard finish as they are made. _ She requires yet a little more proiicicincy in the turns. Miss P. Lang swam finely m the relay event, but was a little disappointing in the 50yds ladies’ event, her voiiimcr sister beating her oil the same 'mark. Still, it has to bo remembered that Miss P. Lang lias been training for the harbour race rather than lor short distance events, so that under the circumstances she did very well. In the Dunedin team, which secured third place, C. Coughlan and W. Jarvis, two juniors, both went well, and Miss M. Fleming also swam a nice nice. The latter was I bird in the oOyds ladies’ handicap oil 4sec. going we 1 over the first length. She tired towards the finish and was reducing her stroke. Young Coughlan is showing steady improvement, and is another of the many promising young swimmers about Otago at the present time. ' The inclusion ol the 33 i-.Jyds novice schoolboys’ race on the programme was a move in the right direction, and it served lo give prominence to several promisin''- young swimmers, the host of whom was A. Hucklaud, who swam easily both in heat ;nu! final, registering 21 2-osoc in winning _ the _ latter. Young Rockland's stroke is being developed along right lines; ho has a nice balance in the water, and his ieg action is good. He needs only a little more finish to bo one ol the best boys of bis ago in Otago. .. A. Thomas, who finished second, swam one of his best races to date, and, considering that he lias been taking swimming seriously only tiny season, be has done very well. E. Siinkin is another who has made marked progress. W. F. Clark struck me at the schools’ championships as a like y lookins swimmer, nml F lie vill innkf* i\ first-rla-ss swimmer it Ins older brother, winner of the Harbour Race, will fake him in hand. P. Bovd swam without luck oil hack' marks' his best being a third in the medley handicap, though he swam well to win his heat of the JJ l-Jvds handicap in 17 l-osoc. It is doubtful if Boyd lias a better over a length in Dunedin, and lie will compote over some of the short distances in handicap events at the New Zealand championships in addition to the 150 vards 'backstroke championship. M‘l>nn finished second in the medley iiandic’n. but is not swimming nearly as well ns he was at this time last season. THE DfVERvS. Roy Calder was conceding up to seven points in the fancy diving handicap, and his first place was well earned, his diving being of a very high standard Illuming bundles and standing pikes, of course, are childsplay tu him, but as a voluntary he did a full screw backwards which was a lino effort. Calder got a splendid flight and a nice balance, in the air, making a very polished entry. His double somersault backwards during the course of an exhibition later in the evening was another good effort, and his comic diving with Mick Walker had the spectators roaring with laughter. Theirs was a splendid turn, put over in great style by two of the best divers in New Zealand., If Calder dives in Wellington as lie; lias been doing lately, he must bo -very bard to dispossess of the title ho has already won three times, Mick Walker, too, will have to bo reckoned with.

Miss D. Foote, who secured second place in the fancy diving handicap, was in good form. Slip lias a very nice flight, and is getting up more from the board. She must be reckoned as one.of the foremost contenders for the New Zealand ladies’ diving title. George Staples is a much-improved diver, and is not afraid to have a go at the hardest numbers. Little S. Jarvis is the makings of a good diver, and for a wee chap his half-screw forward standing off the 10ft board was a very good dive. He has a neat entry.

Miss J. Munro dived quite creditably, and will do better with more experience of the fancy dives. Miss M. Bewley is another showing promise, but she is inclined to twist a little as she enters the water." She had rather had luck in her heat of the 50yds junior and intermediate hoys and girls’ handicap, hcing_ disqualified for starting liefore her time. She is improving as a swimmer, her stroke being much freer. Miss Olivo Crowley dived well, though she did not quite approach Miss standard. Considering the short time she has been on the boards, however, she has made great progress.

WATER POf|P. Though Kiwi had some difficulty in filling the last two places in the mutch against St. Clair A at the carnival, a good game of water polo was provided by these teams, St. Clair winning by 9 goals to 2. The winning side had the better understanding of each other’s play, and their throwing was better directed. So far as the spied of the players was concerned, however, St. Clair had little on their opponents, and there were many exciting rallies. Jack MTndoc did some good shooting, four goals being his lot. One of the soundest players of ad, however, wa.- Ces. Lewis, who scored a couple if goals for St. Clair, and A. llarrod was a tower of strength to tin winners. Win. Boyd and W. H. li niiiluii did valuable work for Kiwi, the foinier scoring two goals. Mobil RoyJ and Hamilton have been included in the Otago polo team, and the last minute inclusion of the latter should certainly strengthen the provincial a,do, for he has plenty of, dash and is a pretty fajr thrower. At the St. Clair hour on Monday night the polo team indulged in a good solid practice under tho eye of the coach, Mr H. V. Jcrred, and there is no doubt that the side that will represent Otago this season will make a much better showing than lust year’s comparatively inexperienced team. Regular matches and Mr ’’Jcrred's coaching has done much to improve the standard of Otago water polo. AUC KLAXD C H AMP 10 NS ill PS. There were some good performances at the Auckland championships last week, Iho times generally being very fair indeed. Miss Ena Stocklcy showed that she is still in tho forefront of Now Zealand’s sprint swimmers, - and slio is likely to retain her New Zealand 100yds ladies’ title at Wellington. She won by 2yds from Miss D. Magee, who beat her in ; the provincial event last season. Miss Stocklcy’s time was ijfi-ec, which was only two-fifths of a second outside her own New Zealand record. Miss Stockley also won the 100yds back-stroke event in Imin IS 2-osec, setting up tho first New Zealand record for this event. Miss I). Grant, who was second to Miss Kathleen Miller in both 220yds and 440yds Now Zealand ladies’ championships last season, won the- 410yds championship by Ift, but the time was nothing out of the ordinary, being (imin 20 2-oscc. Miss Champion was second in this event, hut could finish only third in the 220yds event in which Miss Ena Stockley was second to Miss Grant, who won by 3yds in the good lime of 2miii olsec. Gordon Rridson won the 22(Jyds men’s championship in 2min 33 3-ss.ee —very fair time, though it was expected Rridson would better the lime of 2inin 28 3-yscc ho put up recently under unofficial conditions. Rridson was pushed all the way by De Lorce, and in the 440yds championship he was again disappointing, his smm 32sec being slower than that ho was expected to put up. He may have been suffering a temporary lapse of iorni. In the 100yds championship. J. P. Farrell retained his title in the very fair time ol GO l-ssec. barrel I is a good performer over 100yds even il lie is not yet up to New Zealand championship standard. He is still a comparative, youngster, and _ is capable of breaking the minute before ho is much older.

Miss Peggy Robertson was one of the stars of the intermediate division, her time for 100yds being 09 2-ssec, and for 220yds 'min 3scc. She may bo the outstanding girl in free style events in the intermediate division at the New Zealand championships. In the junior boys’ division, A. Walker, of Whangaroi, won both 100yds and 220yds, liis times being 73 2-ssec and 3niin 12scc respectively. ST. CLAIR JOTTINGS. The greater part ot the St. Clair Club's hour on Monday night was devoted to water polo practice, but a number of juniors were doing steady training, H. Lewis and E. Lewis being a couple of promising youngsters. There are some likely looking juniors coining on in this chib, among them being H. Gore, C. Gore, ’I yi'ie, Lanham, Crowle, and N. Martin. With a little coaching, some of these lads might bo expected to show to advantage at the St. Clair Club s carnival soon after the return rf the Otago team from the New Zealand championships at Wellington. The Shaw Cup competition (representing the club championship) will bo commenced soon alter the return of the Otago team, and already several members are training hard for it. Ces. Lewis is best known as a line allround swimmer, but ho put in a little time on the diving boards on Monday night in view of the Shaw Cup competition. He does quite a respectable plain dive, but sometimes forgets to hollow Ids back.

J. J 3. Simpson was spending a good deal of time on tlio back-stroke. Jt is a pity ho is not available for the polo team for tho New Zealand championships, as he has been playing well lately. . Miss 'Nancy Grant is swimming well at present, and should not hesitate to tackle the ladies’ event at the St. Glair carnival. With coaching she would be capable of some good performances. J. Crowley is an improving intermediate. Ho swum quite well over uUyds at the Kiwi carnival, and as he is "very keen he is certain to achieve further success before long. KIWI NOTES. The Kiwi Club's organised scheme is having tho effect of bringing many new members to the club, and last Tuesday's large attendance at the baths included sixteen newcomers, who were put through their paces by various members of the Coaching Committee. N. H. Hailey, the Otago 100yds and -MUyds champion, was doing some fast sprinting, and should be in good condition for the forthcoming club races and for the St. Clair carnival shortly. D. Poole was moving along nicely, and his win in the o,i 1-Oyds handicap at the Kiwi carnival is probably the forerunner of further successes, for lie has a good stroke, and pays attention to his training. E. 11. Curtis is another who has been swimming well, and only needs a little more , training - 0 bo well up among the places A. Thomas, the promising junior, should improve as the result of N. H. Bailey’s coaching, and Miss I. Gillies is another junior who is receiving special attention from the club coaches. Once her stroke has been corrected along the proper lines she should show to advantage, for she is a powerful girl for her age. G. Collett, W. H. Hamilton, and H. D. Gillies all spent most of their time in the coaching of swimmers, and there ran be no doubt that their efforts will be productive of beneficial results in in tho future. , W. P. Boyd was training hard, and H. Clark also did some solid swimnUA” junior who should do well with coaching is A. Murdoch, who has only recently joined the club. The dates for the various club races have not yet been fixed, but these will be decided at the committee meeting next Tusday.

SPLASHES. - - Tho New Zealand swimming championships will commence in Wellington to-morrow, and while Otago’s representation in the senior-division is somewhat restricted, our divers may be expected to give a splendid account of themselves, and tho water polo team should not disgrace itself -ither. C. R. Lewis, in the breast-stroke, and W. Boyd in the back-stroke, will also bear the province’s colours, while in the junior and intermediate divisions Otago should bo well to_ tho tore. Many fine races in all divisions should ho witnessed during the progress _of the fixture, and it. will be surprising if several new records arc not hung up. The KJUycls titular tilt between Norman Dowsctt and Pill Cameron is hound to he one of the features ol the meeting, and great interest will also attach to the swimming of Rridson, Stokes, and Lindsay in the longer distance events, while the ladies’ championships, too, will provide plenty of interest. Misses Ena Stockley and Kathleen Miller have only to .reproduce their best form to retain their titles, but it remains to bo seen whether the latter’s enforced spell from training has had any effect upon her times.

At the New South Wales swimming championships on the first day Arne Rorg was seen to great advantage as an exponent ol water polo (says the 1 Referee’). Ho captained tho victorious Rest against New South Wales, to win by*s goals to 1, and soon had the crowds excited by his mercurial ways in the water, his speed, and Jus cleverness. He proved adept at “dribbling” the ball, a powerful thrower, nini clever all round. Added to this ho was quite the noisiest player in the match, the others by comparison being mutes. It amused tiic crowd to see the famous Arne disputing the referee’s decisions. In playing polo Rorg moves in tlic water like a fish, and lie knows all the moves of the game, so that it was a treat to see him there, adding to the life, cleverness,, and exciting situations in a most interesting game. Girl swimmers achieved outstanding feats at the opening carnival of the season in South Africa conducted in a 50yds bath at Durban. Miss Kathleen Russell, national champion sprinter, swam 100yds in 67scc, missing the colonial record by only Iscc; and little Violet Parkinson, eleven years old, covered tho same distance in Imin 20 2-ssec—-sterling time for a child. G. Low (United) scored an easy win in the 50yds junior Canterbury championship at tho East Christchurch Club’s swimming carnival on Wednesday evening, and no doubt if lie had boon (lushed the record oi 31see lor this distance held by W. Cameron would have been broken (says the ‘Sun’). Low swam two great races to get second in the 100yds and 220yds at the New Zealand championships last year, and he will ho hard to beat at Wellington next month. He also shows promise as a back-stroke swimmer.

An ex-Otago swimming enthusiast now in Australia, writing after witnessing the first day of the New South Wales State championship carnival, has nothing but praise for Arne Rorg, stating that lie considers that Boy Charlton would certainly have had to move to beat Rorg. Borg’s time in the final of the 440yds championship was smin 5 t-uscc, the Australian re-cord to the credit of Charlton being -Imin 59 4-ssec. Ryan’s time in the race widely Rorg won was omin 20 2-ssoc. Speaking ot the diving championship, the ex-Dun-edinite stated the voluntaries wore simitar in kind, being the same dives with variations, including 'such as a one and a-half somersault, a full screw, a hallscrew standing, and some running. He was very disappointed in the diving, and stated that divers ot the calibre of Roy Calder, the New Zealand men’s champion, had nothing tu fear from the Australians.

The New Zealand championships will all be decided during the day, and on Ecbruary 7 a carnival under the auspices of the Lower itutt Club is being held at the lliddiford baths. A good programme lias been arranged, and among those taking part will be C. B. Lewis, while it is possible several other Otago representatives will be found competing. Stan. Fogg will be competing in most of the handicap events at the New Zealand championships, and of the championships swimmers Royd, Lewis, and Gcddes will also bo found taking part in. the handicaps.

Outside of the championship swimmers’ activities tilings were fairly quiet at tho Dunedin Club’s hour last Friday night, though there was another line attendance of members. The younger swimmers and divers were put through their paces by the chib’s coaches, and especially among the divers splendid progress is being made. The dub races will be decided almost immediately alter the return of the Otago team from the New Zealand championships.