SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 20421, 28 February 1930, Page 15

SWIMMING

[By Hookkr.]

NOTES AND NEWS

Club hours;—Monday, St. Clair Lift Baring Club; Tuesday, Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club; Friday, Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club. Club hours are at the Municipal Tepid Baths from 8.45 to 9.45 p.m. FIXTURES. March 6.—Kiwi Swimming Club’s burlesque and swimming carnival. EMPIRE GAMES. According to aedvice received from the New Zealand Council, there is a good- prospect of New Zealand being represented in the swimming events at the Empire Games, It is practically certain tliat the whole of the £I,OOO that is being made available by Canada towards the \ cost,of financing a No>v .Zealand team j will _be devoted to .the sending of a , rowing eight. This means that it ;wi!l bo necessary for the Swimming Council _ to, find its own finances for any swimmers whom it might send. Pm cost per.man is estimated at £l5O. - A sum Of approximately £250 is at present available in the overseas fund, so that the amount to be raised to send three men is not very considerable, The three who have been suggested are G. Bridson (Auckland), L. Moorhouse (Canterbury), and R. C. Calder (Otago). All are available. So far as can he seen from a study of the times in which championships have, been won in other parts of the Empire, the New Zealand swimmers should have a reasonable chance of success.

It is most gratifying to Otago swimming to know that Calder’s claims have not been overlooked,, for not_ only has he won the /national diving title on five successive occasions, but he has shown form, which, in the opinion of those competent to judge, has been quite on a par with . that of many overseas champions. Should Calder finally be included little difficulty should be encountered in obtaining a good portion of the • money fequired from Otago sportsmen for Calder is a most popular performer, and one who lias been willing at all times to assist any club or gathering which has called on him to give diving exhibitions. Moohouse returned times which make him look to have a good prospect of success in the backstroke event for over 150yds he is not very far outside the world’s record. Bridson, too, is a 'phenomenal swimmer who may be ■ expected to improve still further upon his' recent sterling efforts. A small but select team should do much , to' place New Zealand prominently on the'swimming map. KIWI NOTES. There was a splendid muster at the Kiwi Club hour on Tuesday night, • training being in full swing for the , club’s - carnival next week. In connection with the novelty events the various parties held rehearsals and some diverting items are sure to be presented. B. D.. Gillies was doing some fast i wort, and W. Hunter was another who shaped well. Ho has plenty of staying ‘ power,- but requires just a . ittle - sharpening up. ' Both Miss P. Lang and Miss C. Lang were swimming well, and there should .he a good race when this pair meet to decide who has prior right to top position on the ladies’ ladder. Miss P. Taylor would bo well advised during the next off season to put time into her stroke. She is hardly swimfning so freely as was the case a couple •of seasons ago, but with training should he able to reproduce her old form. There is no keener member in the club 1 than M. Taylor, and as N. H. Bailey intends taking him in hand Taylor should show considerable improvement during the next few months. H. Clark will probably bo partnered by IT. D. Gillies in the club’s life saving championship, making a combination '. that Should be fairly hard to beat. Reg. Geddes has the Otago Boys’ High School championships immediately in view. He is moving along very nicely still being a marvel of consistence. Another _ High School boy ■ who’shows pomise is H. Outram. ' The ladies’ water polo teams have been putting in a good deal of practice, and are likely to surprise the spectators next week by the manner in which they have adapted themselves-to the game. The club’s picnic is to 1 be held at Warrington on Sunday, March 9, and thanks to the generosity of a vicepresident of the cub, Mr A. Murdoch, a whole-hearted supporter of the sport, club members are to have the cost of •their train fares defrayed. Members of other clubs are being invited to he present, all that they are asked to find being their train fares. A splendid programme of events is»being arranged ■including a club running championship If the picnic is as successful as was the case last year, it should be a most enjoyable affair. CARNIVAL AT TIMARU. The Star Club’s carnival at Timaru last Saturday night attracted not only a good contingent of swimmers and divers from Christchurch, but " also several from Dunedin. Roy Calder and Mick Walker gave an exhibition of diviflg, which, as usual, proved popular with tho crowd, but neither V, Fletcher nor C. J. E. M'Lean, who journeyed up to take Xian in the meet, were allowed to swim in the 100yds invitation handicap, it being conadered that the field was ’large enough. In the dual relay handicap Fletcher and M'Leau had six Seconds, the_ St.- Clair pair winning their heat nicely. In the final they again came in first, but were disquairr lied owing to Fletcher crossing into another competitor’s lane. The Canterbury champion, A. T. F. Stokes, won the 200yds handicap, but did not approach his best time. The successful handicap swimmer, A. T. Bolafii, went well for 100yds, but faded a.way over the latter stages. •The. New Zealand intermediate champion, E. M‘Gonyi!le, of Christchurch, was off 2sec in the 100yds invitation handicap, and swam a splendid race to win by a foot from Stokes. There were only three starters in the 100yds back-stroke handicap, and before L. J. Moorhouse, the national champion, left tho mark C. J. E. M'Lean was lial{_ way up the baths. Moorhouse left him standing once he got going, however,_ and won by seven or eight yards, displaying his usual dash . Calder and Walker did not compete in tho open dive, which was won by the Canterbury champion and ex-Otago diver, T. Thompson.

NEXT WEEK’S CARNIVAL. Entries for the Kiwi Club’s carnival next Thursday dose to-night, and already large nominations have been received, some of the novelty events being expected to attract as many as forty swimmers. The 66 2-3yds handicap should bo productive of a good race, the entries for which should bo dose on thirty. The oUyds ladies’ handicap will be a well-contested race, with some ten swimmers coming forward, while the 60yds junior and intermediate handicap will number such swimmers as Reg. Geddes and Walter Jarvis. The fancy dive handicap has already drawn a good entry, arid the judges for’this • event will be R. C. Calder, H. E. Walker, J. L. MTndoe, and E. G. James. Two voluntaries will ,bo executed by each competitor, the club following St. Clair’s example and deciding not to allot points for degree of difficulty. The mixed relay interclub handicap should be on attractive event, and A time permits a race will be swum among Kiwi members for the Kiwi House Banner, which is for teams of eight aside. The various novelties arranged by the club are being well rehearsed, and one of the best should be the Karitano rescue, while several impromptu events will add to the fun of the occasion. . , . , , Considerable interest is being taken in the ladies’ water polo match, Harlequins v. Mannequins, the respective teams being captained by Miss P. Taylor (Kiwi) and Miss M. Matlneson (Dunedin). DUNEDIN DASHES. There was a largo attendance at the Dunedin Club’s hour last Tuesday night, the principal events of the evening being the races for the W. h • James and the J. J. Clark Cups. ' The junior event, the 50yds handicap, was swum in two heats, A. Eckhold (6sec) winning the first from N. Williams (14sec) with S. Jams (7sec) third. H. James, a son of the popular treasurer of the club and well-known swimming administrator (Mr E. H. Janies), won the second heat off 6sec, the promising intermediate Otago champion, J. Byrnes (ssec) being, second, and W. Jarvis (scr) third. James won the final with Eckhold. second, arid Byrnes third. The 66 2-3yds backstroke championship for the J. J. Clark Cup was won by B. Kerr, with R. J. Fleming second, arid W. Jarvis third. The 25yds novice races are drawing great entries, and some keen racing should be witnessed. ST. CLAIR NOTES. There was only a small attendance at the St. Clair Club’s hour on Monday night, hub somo good training was done by, several swimmers. V. Fletcher put in some useful work, and should do well in forthcoming races with a reasonable handicap. Miss D. Samson is one of the few lady members of the club, and were she to take her training seriously would make quite a good showing in handicap races. C. Durand was swimming well on the breast stroke, and J. Durand has been putting in good work on tho boards. There is some prospect of Mick Walker taking him in hand next season, and with a little coaching Durand would keep M‘Lay very busy. J. Faulks needs only fast work to develop into a useful swimmer on tho backstroke. SPLASHES. The Kiwi Club’s championships will commence on March 11, tho following divisions having to be disposed of:— ladies’, men’s, junior boys, and junior girls. Three races are to be swum in each section, and at tho conclusion of these events a life saving championship and the club championship will be held, Edna Davey and Jean Cocks (N.S.W.) and Miss N. King (Victoria) were the only competitors in the 440yds ladies’ championship of Australia recently. At the end of tho first lap Jean Cocks led Edna Davey by a slight margin, Miss King then being four yards further back. Miss Davey gradually overhauled her young opponent, and at the beginning of tho last lap led by nine yards. The two girls sprinted strongly over the last stages of tho distance, but Miss Davey maintained her lead, and had ten yards to spare at the finish. Miss King was 30yds further back. Miss Davey covered the distance in 6min 10 2-ssec. With a view to creating competition among possible members of tho club’s relay teams, tho Kiwi Club has inaugurated two ladders for the men and lady swimmers. Ten names are posted on each ladder, and members have the right of challenge, challenges to be swum within one week from the date of issue. N, H. Bailey heads the men’s ladder, and Miss P. Lang the ladies’. In an unpretentious way good work for swimming* is done by Mr E. 11. Kbit, one of the Dunedin Club’s delegates on, the Otago Centre, and father of the backstroke champion, - B. Kerr. Mr Kerr is always willing to lend a hand at _ any carnval, being a very enthusiastic worker for tho sport. In Mr D. Thomson and Mr Kerr, the Dunedin Club possesses two really live delegates whose views at a centre meeting may always bo expected to command respect. At Wellington last Saturday, the former national 100yds champion, N. Dowsett, won the 50yds centre championship in 26 3-ssec, O. C’laridgo being second. At tho Wanganui championships last week, H. Gowan (the ex-intenuediato boys’ champion) woii the 220yds championship in tho very fair time of 2niin 41 4-ssec, and Miss N. Stratton carried off the 50yds and 100yds ladies’ events in 33sec and 73 4-ssec respectively. Queensland swimmers filled second and third positions in the Australian 100yds backstroke championship (says the ‘Sporting Globe’). Cameron _ (New Zealand) finished second, but bis placing was not recognised, as he had not complied with the Australian residential qualifications. A thrilling finish was provided. Boast led at the cr 1 . of the first lap, followed by Cameron, Suosaari, and Grier, in that order. Shortly after the turn Cameron went to tho front, but Boast, putting in a strong finish, beat him to_ the rope by a touch. Suosaari was third, closely attended by Grier. The winner covered the distance in Imin Bsoc, j