SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 21347, 27 February 1933, Page 5

SWIMMING

NOTES AND NEWS [By Hooker.] FIXTURES. March 4.—Dunedin Amateur SAvimming Club’s harbour race. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. Otago was represented at the New Zealand senior swimming and diving championships by a team of only five competitors, but its members performed very creditably indeed, and once again both the men’s and ladies’ diving championships ha\’e come •to Otago, which holds all three New Zealand titles for the .third year in succession. In vimv of the fact that he was able to commence training only a Aveek or two before the championships, and that he thus had little time to Avork up difficult voluntaries, Roy Cakler’s performance in Avinning the national men’s diving title for the seventh time /in eight years was really an outstanding one. He may not bo quite so brilliant now as he Avas at his best, due to the injury to his back that he receiA’ed at the Empire Games, but there is no gainsaying the fact that he is the best diver New Zealand has produced, and his record is one that might Avell stand for all time. There Avere few associated Avith the sport here Avho thouhgt he Avould be able to come forward for the Otago championship, let alone the Ncav Zealand event, and his success will be popular from one end of the dominion to the other, since no man in the sport could be more popular than he is. Represented in the men’s diving event for the first time, Southland did AA-ell to gain second place Avith A. W. Wesney, who fully lived up to the good opinions visitors to Invercargill for the intermediate and junior meeting formed of him recently. Wesney is'a young diver of fine physique, and the experience. he has gained at Napier should be of great value to him in future, years. " Miss Doris Foote’s success in the national ladies’ diving championship Avas achieved by a good margin of points, and there is no douhe that she is diving better this year than at any other time of her career. This has been due in measure to the coaching she has had froni the men’s champion, R. C. Calder, and Miss Foote herself Avill be one of the first to acknoAvledge that her improvement is due to the advice she has had from Calder. On the display she ga\*e at the Otago championships, it Avas expected that Miss Foote Avould be hard to beat, and from all accounts she must have given a very fine display indeed at the New Zealand championships. On .her form this season, Miss Foote must rank as" one of the finest lady divers Ncav Zealand has produced, and it is Avorth Avhilc mentioning that by Avinning at Napier she repeated the performance of her sister, Mrs T. Thompson, Avho annexed the ladies’ title Avhen the championships Avcrc last held there in 1926. Miss Foote previously Avon the Ncav Zealand championship at Greymouth in 1930, she Avas third at Wellington in 1929, and second on the occasion of her first appearance at Dunedin in 1928.

Miss Joy Eggers had to be content with third place after winning the title on the two previous occasions, and one cannot help feeling a little disappointed at her recent showings, which have not been up to the form she displayed the following year. Miss Eggors’s training was interrupted through illness before Christmas, but she struck form again and gave a fine display at the Kiwi carnival. Her best, however, was not good enough for Miss Foote at cither the Otago or the national meetings. For the first time, the Annette Kcllerman Cup will come to Dunedin, and this through the agency of Miss Maxine Mathieson, who may well claim to have performances to her credit in harbour swimming in New Zealand that have been surpassed by, no other, woman. Miss Mathieson has twice won the Otago centre’s Batt Cup harbour swim; this year she put up fastest time, and now from the short mark of lOmin she has carried off the honours of the Annette Kellerman Cup race. Incidentally, she also secured second fastest time. Miss Mathieson is an unusually versatile lady swimmer. She has held New Zealand intermediate girls’ championships for 100yds and 220yds free latter event twice), and also for 7uyds breast-stroke. She is a good diver, and a capable exponent of life-saving, and so far as harbour swimming is concerned, she has acquired the secret of success in that she does not, like so many other swimmers, attempt to race, but maintatins a good, even clip all the way. Miss Mathieson will have the hearty congratulations of all Otago swimming enthusiasts on her great swim. Last year she was second in the ladies 440yds championship, and in face of verv solid opposition swam into third place "in the ladies’ 220yds championship to Miss M. Leydon and Miss M. Farquhar on Saturday, the winner putting up the great tinie of 2min 48spc. As anticipated, Miss Farquhar won the ladies’ 100yds in the good time of 66 4-ssec, and 11. B. Frankham, of Auckland, achieved a good double by winning the men’s 100yds in 57 2-ssec and the 220yds in 2min 26 2-sscc, only a few seconds outside the record. Frankhnm’s rise in swimming has been phenomenal. Only two or three years ago ho was competing as an intermediate at Ashburton, with just a fair measure of success, but last seas- he came right into prominence and now has capped all previous performances bv his national title wins. It is worth while noting that at Ashburton he gave R. W. M'Lay a close go- for the New Zealand intermediate boys (diving championship, and had he gone on with his diving would nave made a firstclass exponent of the art. It was at Ashburton, too, that Miss Peggy Price, of Wellington, first attracted attention as a promising diver, and at that time this writer stated that she would bo heard of in important competitions in a year or two. ow the Wellington girl has proved good enough to take second place in the New Zealand ladies’ diving championship, ahead of Miss Eggers. One of the surprises of tlio meeting was the' swimming of W. Whnreaitu, the South Aucklander, who 1 ink second place in the men’s 100yds, only 2ft behind Frankham. D. P. Lindsay had

no difficulty in winning the mile and the 880yds, but it seems a pity that keener competition is not forthcoming in these events. In his fust year as a senior C. V. Bullivant, who deadheated in the intermediate 440yds with Noel Crump at Lower Hutt last year, finished third after making up a good deal of leeAvay in the closing stages. G. Loav, as anticipated, Avon the men’s 150yds back-stroke championship in Imin 52sec, and there is no doubt that the youthful Canterbury exponent has a A*ery bright future ahead of him at this style of swimming. The University sAvimmer. F. L. Clarge, Avho represented Wellington Avhere he has been residing during the summer, swam from scratch in the Annette Kellerman Cup race to finish fourth and put up fastest time. SUCCESSFUL CARNIVAL AT OAMARU. There is no getting away from the popularity of swimming with the Oamaru public, and there Avas a record attendance at last Saturday’s carnival, at Avhich a number of Dunedin competitors took part. The Oamaru Swimming Club has reaffiliated Avith the Otago Centre, and already is proving itself one of the livest clubs in the province. Dunedin swimmers speak highly of the Avay the Oamaru carnival Avas conducted, and it is pleasing to record that quite a feAV of the Oamaru representatives are shoAving much improved form. J. Young, AA'ho Avon the back-stroke handicap, is quite a promising exponent of this style of sAvimming and one who has made" a big improvement. J. Bulleid shoAVs considerable improvement on the breast stroke, and E. Jones, winner of the 100yds intcrclub handicap, is a very fair performer, Mtime being 70scc. He Avould furtucr improve if he paid more attention t.i ]iis stroke, for at present he is inclined to roll rather badly. Arthur Thomas acted as pacemaker for the 50yds Oamaru Club championship, and came in first, but the actual Avinner of the title was Roy M'Ear-m, Avho swam very avcll, and Avith a little more finish this SAvimmer Avould be capable of extending most of the Dunedin sprinters. R. Crawshaw is another useful sAvimmer, and it is to be hoped that some of these competitors will make an effort to appear at the intcrprovincial carnival Avhich usually’ Avinds up the season locally. The diving event produced some good displays, Miss Olga Ferguson am; Mas P. Henderson ticing for first piacc. AA’ith P E. Mathieson,third. . Mi.v> I’crguson dived avcll, and Miss Henderson proved herself the best of the Oanmru (livers, securing a good flight and making a neat entry. Miss D. - Cnv. i.iiw and 11. CrawshaAV also dived wed. 0. Holland was well treated, in the 50vds handicap, and avoh comfortably.With J. Benfickl and C. J. Lcedon, Holland took part in one of their amusing novelty burlesques, Avhich Avas Avell received by the croAvd. The Durand brothers sAvam exceptionally Avelliin the 100yds breast-stroke handicap final, and Charlie Durand in particular went a groat race. DUNEDIN DOINGS. There Avas a good muster at the Dunedin Club’s hour last Aveck and the diving handicap for juniors produced nine entries. C. Ferguson, a young brother of the Otago intermediate girls’ champion, Miss O. Ferguson, proved the Avinner, Avith Miss J. Enstgato second. These tAA-o competitors Avere placed first equal by four judges, and it Avas only after each had performed another dive that Ferguson took first place. A strenuous game of Avatcr polo Avas played by tiie A and B learns, and in vicav of the second round of matches to be commenced shortly’, it is to be hoped there Avill bo another good attendance this Saturday. . Good entries will be forthcoming from the club for the Ravensbourne regatta to-morroAV, and the championship relay team Avill probably comprise R. H. Nuttall, E. B. Toase, and J. D. O’Driscoll, and one other to be selected in place of J. 0. Byrnes, Avho is making the trip to Alexandra. Dunedin arc the present: holders of the Ravensbourne Challenge Cup,- and should he hard to beat again. -ip. Nino entries have been received foi the E. 11. James Cup harbour swim, entries for Avhich close to-monw night. The race Avill he held over a course in the Dunedin Harbour, and is over a course of one and a-quarter miles. Ihe competitors Avill almost certainly include Miss Maxine Mathieson, Avinner of the Annette Kellerman Cup at Napier. KIWI ACTIVITIES. The club hour last Tuesday night attracted one of the best attendances of the season, and some good Avork was put in, especially amongst the juniors. There is no floubt that the handicap ' competitions for flic W. F. Sutton and ! Vernon Smith Cups arc creating much interest even among the SAvimmers who do not usually take part in competition, and tha chib’s policy of allotting 1 point i to all starters in each race has proved \ a Aviso one. I Reg. Gcddes slioAvod that his proAvess ! is not limited to breast stroke and Irce I stylo by Avinning the 33 l-3yds backI stroke handicap in the Sutton Cup series off the 4sec mark, J. Pickard (lOscc) being second, and A. Murdoch (9sec) third,’ P. E. Mathieson at present leads for the Sutton Cup with 26 points, Reg. Geddes being next Avith 19, A. Thomas 17, and R. Cook 12. The junior girls’ competition for the Vernon Smith Cup is very close and interesting, Miss C. Knowles and Miss A. Gillies lying equal with 26 points, Miss L. Kay having 12. The 33 l-3y'ds back-stroke event was Avon by Miss Knowles (12sec), Miss Gillies (scr) being second. A first season member in C. M'Grcgor leads for the Vernon Smith’jnnior boys’ cup Avith 24 points, D. TuckAvell being next Avith 22, Roy Geddes 21, B. Booth 13. The 33 l-3yds back-stroke race Avas Avon by tbo consistently improving M‘Gregor (3sec), Tnckwell (scr) being second, and Roy Goddes (Iscc) third. The attendances at Avator polo practices are picking up again, but in vieiv of the approach of tbo second round every member of the three teams is urged to attend on Thursday nights at least. The club team for the relay at the Ravensbourne regatta Avill be Reg. Geddes, A. Thomas, P. E. Mathieson, and one other swimmer yet to be selected.

VENUE OF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Our Auckland correspondent vvires;— “In connection with the SAvimming dispute it is interesting to note that the dominion championship meeting Avas last held in Christchurch in 1925 and in Auckland in 1927. Prior to the formation of the Southland Centre tivo or three years ago there AA-ero seven centres in the North island and six in the South Island. Consequently the North Island Avas granted an extra champioi hip meeting. It Avas customary for Auckland to folloAV directly after Napier, but the formation of the Southland Centre seems to haA r e made necessary a change in the system of allocation meetings. Presumably the conference yesterday decided that meetings should in future alternate between each island, so that Canterbury Avould appear to naA’e a stronger case than Auckland for the 1934 championships. “ The explanation of Auckland’s attitude Avas giA’eu to-day by Mr J. Boggs, Avho Avas secretary of the Auckland SAvimming Centre ■in 1925/ That year, said Mr Boggs, he and J. P. (Houston AA’ere the Auckland delegates at ths swimming conference in Christchurch, and on their motion a remit Avas passed at the conference that in future tAvo SAvimming championships Avere to be held for tAvo successive years at a North Island centre, and only once CA'ery three years at a South Island centre. As this decision had not been rescinded Auckland delegates held that they Avere entitled by right to the 1934 championships.” SPLASHES. A Avriter in the ‘ Ncav Zealand Referee ’ got mixed up Avhen commenting on the prospects for the national championships held at Napier. Referring to the ladies’ diving, he said: “ The diA-ing championship is particularly open. Miss Foote (Otago), the present champion, Avill he defending her title, but she is reported to have revealed poor form in the recent Otago championships, and either Miss Eggers, a team-mate, or Miss Price (Wellington) may take her measure.” As a matter (if fact. Miss Eggers Avon t/-e Ncav Zealand ladies’ championship in 1931 and 1932, Miss Foote in 1930. But it Avas Miss Foote Avho turned the tables on Miss Joy Eggers in the recent Otago championships after an exceptional display. Added interest Avas lent 4° the first day’ of the Tasmanian amateur championships on February 4 by the presence of Frank Kurtz and Maiola Kalili. In one eA’cnt in Avhich he SAvam, Kalili established an Australian record for lOOvcls of 53s cc (says an exchange). Kalili ligean someAvhat sloAvly, but on turning carved his Avay through the Avater Avith a tremendous speed, and left the other competitors almost at a standstill. ( It Avas a great effort, and the HaAvaiian Avas loudly cheered Avhen bis record was announced. The race Avas for the Tasmanian championship, and as A Gilchrist finished second he retained the title. Kalili aftenvards gave an exhibition, and amazed the croAvd Avith his demonstration of quick turning and his crawl and oA’erarm SAvimming. Tlie defection of the Training College Club lessened the number of clubs in Otago, but it Avas counter-balanced by the re-affiliation of the Oamaru Club, the clubs at present affiliated to tbo Otago Centre being; KiAvi, Dunedin, St. Clair, St. Kilda, University, and Oamaru. A club has been formed at Bnlclutha, and is starting Avith tAventy members, and there is every prospect of it affiliating, the same applying to the live club Avhich is in existence at Alexandra. Carl Atkinson won the HaAvke’s Bay back stroke championship of 150yds. Kemp Avas second nearly 50yds behind, and the only other competitor, F. West, did not finish (says the Napier ‘Telegraph’). The veteran Atkinson put up very good time and gm-c a splendid exhibition of the hack stroke art. Kemp struggled l on gamely to complete the distance. Atkinson represented Great Britain in the breast stroke event at the Olympic Games aAvay back in 1912, and his first Ncav Zealand title Avas Avon in 1915. Ho has held Ncav Zealand championships in 100yds, 220yds, 440yds, 880yds, and one-mile free style, 220yds breast stroke, and 150yds hack stroke. And he is still good enough to Aviu a provincial title! SWIMMING Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, February 26. i The • Hawiian sAvimmer, Kalili-, beat local stars at Coogcc Baths, covering 100yds in 54sec —an Australian record. In tbo 100yds back-stroke, lioAveA’cr, Bcsomo, of Bondi, beat Kalili in 65 3-ssec, also an Australian record. Tbo American, Frank Kurtz, gave an astounding display of diving. WRESTLING Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, February 26. Tom Enrich (14.2) easily defeated the Maori, George Tiki (14.3) by two falls to one in five rounds of ’wrestling at Lcichardt Stadium. Enrich dreAv the first score in the second round AA’ith a body scissors, but Tiki picked him up in the fourth round and dumped him to the canvas, Avhere hq gained a fail Avith a body press. Enrich settled matters in the next round Avith a similar fall. The Maori Avas no match for tho champion.