SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 15

SWIMMING

NOTES AND NEWS [By Hooker.] Club Hours.—Monday, St. CJair Life Saving Club and Training College Swimming and Life Saving Club; Tuesday and Thursday, Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club; Friday and Saturday. Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club. Club hours are held at the Municipal Baths from 8.45 p.m. to 9.45 p.m. FIXTURES. January 20.—Kiwi Amateur Swimming CJuo carnival. January 24.—Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club’s harbour race. January 30 and 31.—New Zealand intermediate and junior championships, at Ashburton. February (date to be fixed). —Otago senior championship*. February (date to be fixed). —J3att Cup harbour race. March 4 to March 7 (inclusive). — New Zealand national championships, at Wanganui. HIGH STANDARD AT CHAMPIONSHIPS. Invariably when well-known _ public men are invited to speak at swimming functions, the basis of their remarks is the importance 'of swimming in the community, its place in the education of youth, and the need for everyone to be taught to swim. The Otago Swimming Centre is the controlling body of swimming in the province, it is doing a valuable work, but unfortunately its efforts are not meeting with the practical support from the public that they deserve. The centre is almost entirely dependent upon its carnivals in raising funds for the despatch of its teams to New Zealand championship fixtures, but despite good entries and the very high standard of swimming that was revealed the attendance at the first section of the Otago championships last week was disappointing in the extreme, and the centre is now faced with the difficult task of raising sufficient funds to send its very strongest team to Ashburton in defence of the War Memorial Shield at the New. Zealand inter mediate and junior championships. Some very fine performances . were registered last week, and while the province may not be well off for _ senior shimmers of national championship calibre it is most encouraging to know that as each year progresses the junior* and intermediates of to-day—and Otago abounds in promising swimmers in the lower divisions—are rapidly approaching the standard that will make them contenders for national honours in the very near future. Perseverance and determination, allied with a natural aptitude for the water, go a long way towards the success of any seeker after natatorial honours, and a striking illustration is S. M'Kenzie, the St. Glair representative, who was almost unheard of in competitive swimming until about a couple of years ago. Last season he won the 220yds championship in 2min 50sec, and early this season he put the 880yds championship as his first 6bjective. Consistent training and attention to his stroke gave him his reward when he won the coveted Roberts Cup, attached to the 880yds men’s championship, his winning time of 13min 26sec being 7sec faster than that recorded by,N. H. Bailey last season, and Bailey was subsequently third in the national championship. MjKenzio won just as convincingly as Bailey with over twenty yards to spare at the finish. He maintained an even clip most of the way, swimming more easily than he did last year. Ho has improved his leg action and his very popular win looks like being the forerunner of further successes. '

It was a pity that Miss P. Lang did not meet with competition in the ladies’ 220yds championship, as she is undoubtedly capable of improving upon the slow time of 3min 38 3-ssec returned. The Kiwi swimmer has yet to show the form in competition she does in training, but if she puts more time into stroke cultivation she is going to live up to the promise she showed a few years ago.

It was a great pity that through an oversight on the part of the timekeepers Miss Maxine Mathieson was not clocked foi the 75yds intermediate girls’ breast-stroke championship, for, since first improving upon the New Zealand mark a couple of seasons back, she has several times bettered her own figures. She is not yet quite in top gear, and may not have established a ‘record last week, but she would have had the satisfaction of knowing where she stands. She made no race of the 100yds championship in 75 l-ssec, and in a swim over won the 220yds in 3min 8.2-ssec. The furlong, time was better than what the Dunedin girl registered at the New Zealand championships last year, and in the 100yds she cut down her provincial time of last year by over a second. Miss Mathieson is infusing increasing power into her arm pull without sacrificing anything in the way of stylo and rhythm, and the odds are that she will retain her three New Zealand intermediate girls’ titles at Ashburton, and in both the 220ycls and breast stroke events her figures are likely to be remarkably good. There was probably more interest in the intermediate boys* division than any other, as the meeting marked the promotion from the junior ranks of Keg. Geddes, last year’s New Zealand junior champion. Geddes has grown and filled out a lot, and for his first year as an,intermediate his times are remarkably impressive. Considering the shortness of his preparation by reason of, his illness at the start of the season, his swimming was exceptionally good, and he, too, is going to take a power of beating at Ashburton, even though he will be opposed by older boys probrihly. Geddes has one great asset—determination. His brilliant finishing effort in the 220yds was worth going a long way to see.'Newall was bn terms with less than two laps to go, and the Kiwi star then put in a great burst to win by oyds in 2min 48 4-ssec. His 63 2-ssec for 100yds was better time than Otago seniors have been doing in championship races, and as,he won by 12yds and finished undistressed, the writer will not be at all surprised to find him cutting at least a couple of seconds off this time; at Ashburton. He did not worry unduly over the 100yds breast stroke event at the end of a hard night’s swimming, but won comfortably in 86 3-ssec. Geddes is swimming better than ever. He has a finely rhythmical stroke with a great leg beat, and there is no telling what performances this phenomenal youngster will yet accomplish. And with all his success he is the same unassuming lad that he was whew ho first stepped into junior competition . Val Newall, the ex-Wanganui boy, had to be content with second places to Geddes in both the free-style events, but he was far from discredited, and will bo a worthy representative at Ashburton. He lias a good free stroke, but lacks the brillignt finish of Geddes, though lie was with him for the greater part of the 220yds. Newall impresses the writer as a most promising distance performer, and if he decides to concentrate largely on the longer events a lot more will bo heard of him. He will bo wise if he makes the 220yds and 440yds his sole objects at Ashburton.

Arthur Thomas was outclassed, but ho went quite a good race over 100yds, which is probably his best distance. He has brolfen 70sec, and has improved seconds since last season. Now that he realises his capabilities this youngster is likely to make a name for himself in Otago, for ho has plenty of courage and pluck and a dashing finish. Miss Clarice Lang was beaten decisively by Miss Maxine Mathieson in the 100yds intermediate _ girls’ event, but the plucky little Kiwi girl was not disgraced, her time being bettor than her previous best. She is a very pretty little swimmer, and with more strength would hold her own with most of them.

As was only to be expected, Walter Jarvis was not extended in the junior boys’ division, and in view of the fact that ho spent some days in bed just before the meeting his times, though not approaching those set by Keg. Geddes last year, were very creditable. Ho won the 50yds in 29 3-ssec, the 100yds in 71see, and the 75yds breaststroke in 66 4-ssec. Jarvis was second in all the junior events at the New Zealand championships last season, and whoever beats him at Ashburton should just about win. Jarvis is a very big lad for his age and be gets a very long reach with his arms, his stroke being well co-ordinated. He has a good sense of rhythm and balance, and in another year or two is likely to bo putting up sensational times over the sprint distances.

There was keen racing for second place in the junior free-style events, and it is certainly worthy of comment that the Dunedin Club’s representatives filled every place in the boys’ division. Sid. Jarvis, eleven years of age, has been swimming in the junior championships for three years now, and with the promotion of brother Walter next season looks a certainty for the honours next year. Sid. narrowly beat J. O’Driscoll in the 50yds and 100yds events, and ‘in the latter it was only sheer determination and grit that gave him second place. Sid.’s stroke has been developed along the right Jines, but with the province depending on him next season he will haVe to take his training more seriously. J. O’Driscoll has improved since the Christian Brothers’ School held its meeting, and he swam quite well for third place in two events, while G. Munro, who finished second in _ the breast-stroke event, is a. promising youngster at this stylo of swimming. Sacrificing her stroke in an attempt to attain speed, Miss Nancy Olds lost all her junior titles and proved the disappointment of the meeting. She Holds the New Zealand championship for breast-stroke, but even in this event had to yield pride of place to Miss Mavis Pockson. Miss Olds showed complete loss of form, hut if she buckles down to it and devotes time to getting her stroke back to normal will toon demonstrate that sha is far from being out of the picture, for she is only twelve years of age. Miss Wjnnio Newall proved the surprise of the meeting and thoroughly deserved her wins in both free-style events. She carved out a nice 50yds to win in 34 3-ssec, and the 100yds in 83 l-ssec. Miss Pockson is a good, strong swimmer, but lias not got the same easy stroke that is possessed by M iss Newall, who should bo a good representative for the province at Ash-

burton in the junior girls’ events. _ Miss Newall has heaps of dash, her finishing efforts in both races indicating that she does not lack determination. Sho was superior to the other swimmers on the turn, and it was this that gave her victory in the 50yds over a girl who was probably a more powerful swimmer.

Miss Mavis Pockson was another Dunedin representative who swam remarkably well, being second to Miss Newall in the free-style events and beating Miss Olds in the 50yds breaststroke race in the good time of 43 1-5 sec. Miss Pockson will have to be reckoned with at the Now Zealand championship at that stylo of swimming. . N Miss Gwen llix secured a couple of thirds, largely by gritty finishes, and her improvement has been rather remarkable this season.

It was unfortunate that E. Turgis was too late to compete in the 880yds championship, for, although he would have needed to show considerably better form than he did last year to hca<M'Kenzie, lie might have given 11. D. Gillies a good race for second place. Very early in the proceedings it could bo seen that the race would lie between Gillies and M'Kenzie, but the former made the mistake of trying to maintain the pace sot by M'Kenzie m tile earlier stages, when he might have been better advised to have used his own judgment in fixing his_ pace over the first quarter-mile. Gillies made rather hard work of it for a while, but staged a good recovery, and struck a good even stroke, with the result that M'Kenzie did not increase his advantage over the last three oi* four laps. Gillies is better suited to the shorter distances, and he should swim well in the races up to 440yas. Brian Kerr, the Otago men’s backstroke champion, did well to fill third place, ns he sWain hack stroke practically all the way. Kerr established an Otago record of 2min 1 3-ssec for .150yds back stroke last year, and later finished second in the national championship. Judging on/present form, it will not bo surprising if Kerr betters 2min this season.

With six competitors forward, the intermediate boys’ diving championship produced keener competition than for many years past, and, although the divers all round did not show a 'rent deal of finish, the event indicated that there is a good deal of promising material coming on. The feature of the event was the great improvement shown by P. E. Mathieson, the Kiwi youngster giving the New Zealand champion, R. M'Lay, a very close contest. Mathieson came a crash with a one and a-half somersault off the top board, but for which he would have won comfortably. As it was, there can have been very little between the pair, for Mathieson' dived very neatly, and scored on his voluntaries, which were a somersault backward off the top board and an Lsander header running, one foot take off (arms by side). Mathieson was one of the few who got round in the full borer off the top board. Mathicson’s greatest trouble at the present time is the control of bis legs on entering tho water, but from the improvement ho has shown this season there is every reason for the view that he will fare well at the New Zealand intermediate championships. R. M'Lay scored heavily with the post dives, his one and a-half somer saults being, a really good effort. Ho also did well on the voluntaries, but fell down on the compulsories, Ins diving not showing the improvement one would look for from a bolder of a New Zealand intermediate title. He was very lucky to carry off the intermediate championship last week, but lie has the ability if he will only devekp bis talents along the proper lines. There is no doubting his gameness, and his attempts at the most difficult nnmbei arc worthy of commendation. He nas boldness on the boards, but there is a suggestion of lack of finish about many of his dives which may bo clue_ little to over-confidence. M'Lay is the type of diver who may .go far if ho will only devote a little more time to polishing up those dives ho can do. Clive Elliott is an improving diver, and his third place in the interned■ ate event was well earned. He has not yet acquired that sense of balance which is an. essential in first-class diving, but be is improving, and gave a good exhibition in the open event, m which ho filled second place, the event being won by Mick W alker, who gave a very fine display Mick is training bard, and will certainly take some beat mg when the championships arc listed. Further evidence of improvement was shown by Miss Joan Munro, who dived exceedingly well to fill third place in the open event, ecpial with M'Lay. Miss Munro showed more boldness md confidence on the boards than any cf the other ladies, and in her Otan-o appears to have a coming New Zealand champion. WATER POLO. With both its matches in the first round of the water polo competition completed, the Dunedin Club has yet to be beaten, its second match against Kiwi ending in a one-goal margin for Dunedin. There were too many breaches of the rules for the game to be a finished exhibition of water polo, but both sides showed more of the right spirit of the game, and it was quite an interesting display Mr P. A. Mathieson is making a first-class referee, and bis thorough knowledge of tho game is bound to bring about u general improvement in the standard of the local competition. Intermediate swimmers were prominent in both teams last week, Reg. Geddes shooting both goals for Kiwi, and displaying good form, bis speed being a great asset to him in the water. Val. Newall was one of tho stars of tho Dunedin side, and Jim Fleming and Mick Walker both proved a tower of .strength to tho winners. One or two players on each side wasted time in appealing, tins being a feature of the game which might well be cut out by those indulging in the objectionable practice. Pithie and Hamilton both went well for Kiwi, and tins pair and Bob Hector should do still bettor with a bit more practice. Kiwi and St. Clair have to meet to complete the first round, and tho playing of the second jound is likely to bo attended by some most exciting matches. DUNEDIN DASHES. There is some talk of Dunedin selecting a B team for the water polo competition, and it should be possible to sort a fair team from the Pullar brothers, G. Elliott, the Jarvis brothers,

J. Byrnes, R. M'Lay, Haines, Standring, G. Calder, A. Eckhold, and a few others.

All those juniors and intermediates who are likely to be competing at the New Zealand intermediate and juniov championships at Ashburton are training hard, and a couple of swimmers who are showing enthusiasm in connection with the forthcoming club harbour race are P. Graveson and J. Mudie.

Among tho juniors being coached by Miss M, Staples is Miss P. Stewart, who is improving greatly. To-night novice boys’ and girls’ races over 33 l-3yds will be held for medals presented by Mr J. H. Jarvis. KIWI NOTES. Several of tho Kiwi members are now beginning to turn their attention to the club’s harbour race on January 24, and the indications point to a large field taking part, the likely competitors including 11. Clark (who won the Batt Cup race two years ago), H. 1), Gillies, M. Taylor, Miss P. Lang, Miss P. Taylor, W. Hunter, A. Thomas. L. Pithie, and Dr R. F. Wilson. The course may not be exactly the same as that used last year, but it will be approximately a mile. Miss Nancy Olds is not deterred by her loss of form at the championships, and has resumed training again under the eye of the club captain, H. D. Gillies. For some time she will have to concentrate on getting her stroke back to normal. S. Hall is one of the keenest juniors in tho club, and a promising one at that. In addition to a novelty event, tho club intends arranging a special novelty exhibition for its carnival on Tuesday, January 20, and those who witnessed the amusing burlesque staged last year will eagerly await the presentation of tho latest “sketch.”

Two much improved swimmers are Misses E. Beck and C. Manning, and tho former promises to be one of tho best ladies in the club next season. Another lady who is swimming well just now is Miss J. Taylor. _ If Miss Taylor got down to solid training she would be capable of making a good showing in the ladies’ events at the second section of the Otago championships in February. SPLASHES. With the exception of the 880yds championship all the championship events at the first section of the Otago championships were won by members of the Kiwi and Dunedin Clubs, the record of the Dunedin Club in particular being. really remarkable. Dunedin carried off ten firsts in championship events, eight seconds, and eight thirds; Kiwi scored * four wins, four seconds, and two thirds; and St. Clair ono first and one third.

The Otago ladies’ diving champion, Miss Olive Crowley, has resumed training, and her inclusion will 'lend further interest to the championship this, season, which promises to be'very keenly contested. The St. Clair Life Saving Club s beach activities have been launched, and given fine weather the life saving squads are likely to do some good work over the holidays in the way of practice. Under tho secretaryship of Mr P. A. Mathieson great progress is being made by tlic Otago Head Centre of the Royal Life Saving Society, and at a meeting on Monday night over eighty awards were approved, so that indications point to all previous records being broken before the season ends. Swimming at tho Canterbury Centre’s carnival in Christchurch last week J. B. Simpson, the ex-St. Clair swimmer, who was always a useful man over a short distance, finished second in a heat of the 33 l-3yds interclub handicap and second in tbo semi-final from a 2Jyds mark. He was conceding 2Jsec in the semi-final to a swimmer whoso time was 18 l-ssec. . . The times in intermediate" and junior championships at a carnival in Christchurch last week did not come up, to those returned here last week in similar events. The 100yds intermediate girls’ championship was won by Miss S. Campbell by 15yds in 78 l-ssec; the 100yds intermediate boys’ breast-stroke championship was won by N. Broward in 92 l-ssec; the 100yds junior boys’ championship by C. Cliff in 82 3-ssec; while J. MacDonald won the interned! ate boys’ dive. The next carnival to bo held locahy is that of the Kiwi Amateur Swimming, Club on Tuesday, January 20, and with a most attractive programme listed it promises to bo a thoroughly enjoyable affair, as this chib’s carnivals invariably are. Entries close on January 13. This carnival will mark tho last appearance of the intermediate and junior swimmers before the New Zealand championships at Ashburton. , . Tho executive of the Australian Union has selected the following dives tor the coming championships Men’s title (to bo decided in Sydney on January 10). Springboard; llu ning plain header, backward somersault, backward spring and forward dive, header forward, one screw, running, together with six volunttry dives, which must be selected from different groups in the diving handbook. High tower; Mollberg dive, backward header, arm stand and somersault, one and a half forward somersault and four voluntary dives, taken from separate groups of the tables. Women’s championship (to bo decided in Brisbane on January 27) ; Running plain header, backward somersault, backward spring and forward dive, and three voluntary dives taken from three different groups in the diving table. The compulsory dives must be from the three-metre springboard (says an exchange). Stating that it was tho oldest swimming club in New Zealand, the Christchurch Club has asked, the Canterbury Centro of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association for assistance in the celebration of the club’s jubilee this season (says the Christchurch ‘Star’), Mr T. H. Harker said that tho club was fprmed in October, 1880, and had a wonderful record of achievements. If The centre could assist in the running of a carnival it would be appreciated. Tho president of the centre (Mr S Hollander), the secretory (Mr V. G. Spiller), and Mr S. C. Anderson were appointed a sub-’ committee to confer with the Jubilee Committee of the Christchurch Club. Writing on Auckland championship prospects, a ‘Herald’ writer says:— r “ In the intermediate girls’ division a good class, which is the strongest numerically for .several seasons, will bo competing. Miss M. Smith, a title holder last year, is eligible again, and she will have to be in her best form to retain her leading position from the

opposition of Misses S. Grange, A. Grange, M. Leyton, A. Pearce. M. Elworth, and B. Lewin. At breast stroke Miss Webster, the champion, will be opposed chiefly by Miss Dorman, who gives promise of developing into an exponent of the style above the ordinary. The boys are of an unknown quantity, but some promising swimmers are sure to be unearthed during the season. It is doubtful whether any junior boy or girl will bo found of the class of N. Crump and Miss E. Rainey, the present title holders.”

Dunedin’s record in relay handicap events during the past two or three years is rather remarkable, and another success was scored last week as the result of a very fine last length by Brian Kerr, which gave Dunedin No. 2 a touch victory from Kiwi No, 2, which was conceding the winners ssec. The only other handicap was a 50yds event, won by R. Nuttall, who showed further signs of developing into a front-rank swimmer; by cutting out the distance in the useful time or 29 3-ssec. Watch this boy!