SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 21523, 22 September 1933, Page 6

SWIMMING

[By Hooker.]

NOTES AND COMMENTS

FIXTURES. October 23. —Otago Centre’s Labour JNight Carnival. Municipal Baths. October 30-November 11. Otago .Centre’s “ Learn to Swim Fortnight.’ November 4.—Otago Centro’s second jparnival, Municipal Baths. Club hours: Mondays, St. Clair and St. Kilda Life Saving Clubs; Tuesdays and Thursdays, Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club; Wednesdays and Fridays, Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club; Saturdays, Otago Centre water polo practice. Club hours from 8.45 to 9.45 p.m, at the Municipal Baths. Zenith Amateur Swimming Club has a club hour nightly at the Y.M.C.A. baths. y.M.C.A. Reopening Carnival.

The carnival held to mark the reopening of the Y.M.C.A. baths was most successful, and, coinciding with the first appearance in interclub competition of the newly-formed Zenith Club, it was only natural that the friendliest spirit possible should have prevailed. _ . . Some keen racing and good swimming .Were witnessed for so early in the season,, indications being that in senior and intermediate ranks particularly competition will be of the best. The 50yds men’s handicap provided some close finishes, and the fastest time of the night was put up by the deputy-captain of the Zenith Club, G. Field, who turned in 27 2-ssec for a heat, and did 28sec to dead-heat for first place in the final. Field will lend interest to the short sprints, and when he loosens up a little should have little trouble in getting under 27 for the fifty. Over the hundred, too, ho should he a useful man. Young Gerald Ruston dead-heated for first place in the 50yds, and showed out as an improving swimmer. He also went a good race for the_ Dunedin team, which finished second in the 160yds relay, Ruston is getting a stronger pull than formerly, and is employing a smoother action.. Good things may be expected of him this season. Arthur Thomas was a member of Kiwi’s winning relay team, but also swam well for third place in the 50yds handicap, being barely a touch behind Field, from the same mark, so that Thomas was doing round about 28sec. If he-will settle down and concentrate on improving his stroke Thomas is capable of very sound performances for 60yds. Making his first - appearance for tne Kiwi Club, Tony Black, who comes from Alexandra, impressed as a very promising swimmer, and with the coaching he .will receive this season should be capable of good races over 100yds. Ho returned 29 3-ssec for a heat of _ the 50yds, and was also a member of Kiwi s .winning relay team. He has plenty of dash, and should be an asset to local competitive swimming. One of the most improved swimmers was Owen Holland, who won a heat of the 50yds handicap in 29sec i> and also swam a great race for the Kiwi No. 2 team in the 160yds four-a-side relay handicap, Byrnes and Holland haying a good tussle over forty yards. Holland .was one of Otago’s best intermediate ‘swimmers a few years ago, and with a little attention his stroke could be made yery proficient. He should bo seen to advantage in competition this season. Jim Byrnes was a bit short of work, as might be expected so early, but he swam well both in the fifty and.the rek&iss Olive Buckland, the New Zealand junior girls’ breast-stroke champion, scored her first win as a Zenith representative by carrying off the oOyds breast-stroke from the 12sec mark, she went better in the final than in the heat, in : which she was inclined to bob a'little, but she swain a good confident race in the final. Miss Buckland will give added interest to, intermediate breast-stroke competition this year, and Misses Pockson, Olds, Rix, and Buckland should certainly provide good racing. Miss Rix conceded Miss Buckland a second to win her heat, and it is noticeable that the former; is swimming .with a less jerky action than characterised her breast-stroke last season. ' St.' Clair’s representatives, B. Isaacs nd J. Durand, filled second and third places respectively, the latter going very well from a back mark. Bert Isaacs was partnered by the Kiwi champion, Reg. Geddes, and they made no mistake about winning the life saving handicap. Geddes’s exhibition ot breast stroke was a treat to watch,, and his beautifully co-ordinated action and rhythmical stroke' should be an object lesson to those who aspire to success at this style of swimming. . ' Miss Gwen Rix swam , a determined race off the 3sec mark to win the 50yds ladies’ event in 34 2-ssec,' and already ah' improvement is noticeable in her Style. She is.using a less ' hurried action, and should be one of the mainstays of the Dunedin Club in intermediate competition; .Mrs R: Galbraith was off the hack mark, but She did not swim very impressively, and over the last 15yds was rolling badly and reducing her stroke. She is a strong swimmer, but needs to relax more. By the time the first big carnival is at liand she should be capable of giving a good account ot herself in the ladies’ events. The Kiwi junior champion, Miss Alice Gillies, filled second place, in the ladiep 50, and was moving along with a much freer stroke than she used last, season. She has worked hard at it during The winter, and should reap the benefit as the season progresses. _ The 20yds- junior handicap was won by C. M‘Gregor, who performed so well in the Kiwi Club competitions last season. Ho still has. two years to go in the junior division, and should be a contender for championship honours this season. W. W. Buckland, who has transferred to the Zenith Club, is another junior who will figure prominently in junior competition. He shows the effects of the sound coaching of his father, Mr W. H. Buckland; while Miss G. Knowles, who was third, is another improved swimmer. , , , The competitors in the diving Jacked practice, and as they were strange to the hoards it was not surprising that the standard was not a very high one, the ’only competitor who secured a decent flight at all being the winner, Neil Williams, who gave a very neat display. Most of the others twisted off tbo board and were inclined to flick the water with their toes. Young Williams, who shaped well last season, is one of the more promising of the Dunedin Club s younger members, and is a brother ot A Williams, the New Zealand intermediate hoys’ diving champion. It is worthy of note that the Dunedin Club occupied all the places in the interclub dive, the Ruston brothers dead-heating for second place. A swimmer of whom good things are expected this season is E, Toase, a member of Dunedin’s relay team, who also won the Y.M.C.A. scratch race. He swims fairly high out of the watei, and also has a rather high elbow; recovery, and there is no doubt that he is getting more power from his stroke Jhan was the case last season.

Buster Olds’s Successes. Com in o, on .top of news of his world’s record for 250yds, the advice this week that Leslie Olds, the ex-Otago and New Zealand junior boys’ champion, had broken the world’s record for 300 metres medley by covering the distance in 4min 15 l-ssec show's how well Olds is now swimming. In addition he also won the Dolphin Club’s Golden Gate swim. Medley swimming is very popular in the United States, and the merit of Olds’s performance is shown by the fact that it was 16sec better than the previous mark of that great all-round swimmer, Walter Spence. # ln letter to the writer Olds’s father (Professor E H Olds) states that when Buster broke the 250yds record he passed the 220yds mark in 2min 16see. Kiwi Notes. A fine start has been made with the coaching activities of the club, and there was an excellent muster of members on Tuesday night, w'hich is most encouraging, seeing that flic annual meeting Will not bo held until next Thursday. . .... , The group coaching is in the hands of the club captain, M. Taylor, and the ladies’ captain, Miss M. Boulton, and on Tuesday night they had assistance from Mr A. (one of the most efficient coaches in Dunedin, especially for breast stroke and lifesaving), Reg, Geddes, and D. Pickard. Reg. Geddes is training very solidly for his final attack on his own New Zealand intermediate breast-stroke record of 73 4-ssec, which will be made at the baths on Monday night. Geddes is swimming with rare dash for so early in the season, and the suggestion has been made that, as he is now about to enter senior ranks, it would be a great draw if the centre could arrange for L. Smith, holder of the New Zealand 220yds breast-stroke championship and record, to appear in an invitation event here some time prior to the New Zealand championships. Smith, who formerly represented Wanganui, now swims for Manawatu, and the Otago delegate on the council (Mr Alex. Stokes) has informed the Otago Centre that, if desired, he will get in touch with a view to inviting him to appear here some time during the season. W. Black is showing great keenness, and is one of those who will be fighting for places in the club’s No.' 1 relay team this year. With modifications to his stroke, he should be capable of swimming a good hundred. J. Holland promises well this season. Although not so fast as his brother, Owen, he is a strong swimmer who should do well in interclub events with a little polishing up. Cyril Leeden is as keen as over, and is anxious to make a start with water polo. He improved greatiy as a goalkeeper last year. J. G. Howard was another first-season member who made good progress last season. A new member in Frank Leckie will be an acquisition to junior competition in the club. He is a good stamp of young swimmer, and looks promising.

C. M’Gregor will, do a lot of his training this season under the eye of Reg. Geddes, the_ club champion. Miss Irene Linkston should be a force to bo reckoned with in intermediate ranks, and both she and Miss A. Gillies are expected to improve considerably under the coaching of Miss Boulton, who is most thorough in her work witli the many promising intermediate and junior girls of the club.

Misses P. and J. Hutton have made a start with the season’s activities, and Misses Zoe and R. Wilson have also commenced training. Miss C. Knowles is one of the keenest junior girls in the club, and should be prominent in the Vernon Smith Cup competition, which will be commenced in a fortnight’s time. The Sutton Cup series will commence at the same time. Miss Nancy Olds will again be seen out in intermediate competition, and on the breast stroke particularly should give a good account of herself. Although unable to attend the club hours regularly, Wilf. Kershaw is training steadily on the breast stroke, and is moving along very siriootlily. Zenith Topics. The first few weeks of activity by the Zenith Club finds members settling down to regular systematic training, and already the advantages of the club having its own private pool daily is being indicated by the progress made at the Y.M.C.A. baths by a number of learners, some of whom show great promise. Every; session is devoted to teaching and training, and with the assistance of the captain (R. NuttalJ) and the lady captain (Miss J, Taylor) the club conch (Mr, W. H. Buckland) is getting through a great deal of work. Members are delighted with the Y.M.C.A. pool, which is well adapted to the instruction of learners, facilities for training also leaving nothing to be desired. Air Buckland is confident of turning out - a team of seniors, intermediates, and juniors, which will make itself felt in competition later in the season. The Haywards promise to become useful little swimmers and should pay strict attention to instructions, while G. Thomson and W. Stewart should bo a tower of strength to the club’s intermediate division.

The Saturday afternoon session for learners was well patronised last week, when parents took advantage of the opportunity to watch their children free of charge. Dunedin Dashes. The club hour is now under way, and most of the well-known swimmers are making a start with their training. Clive Elliott, who was second in the New Zealand intermediate breast stroke championship last season, will be a competitor in the senior division this year, and good performances may be expected of this promising performer. Keith Leckie will be one of the club’s hopes in the junior boys’ class, and if last season’s improvement is any criterion he should bo well to the fore. This lad is also a promising diver. Charlie Eckhold, avJio was second in the New Zealand intermediate boys’ diving championship last season, will be a strong contender for honours this season, ns Arthur Williams, last year s winner, is now in the senior division. Miss Maxine Mathieson, last year’s Annette Kellerman Cup winner, has commenced training, and it has been suggested that in view of her brilliance over the longer distances Miss Mathieson should bo afforded an opportunity during the season of making an attempt on the New Zealand ladies’ 880yds rcC °Miss Gwen Rix has buckled down to training early, and it will not bo through any lack of preparation if she does not do well this season. Jim Byrnes and Jack Barry are both doing plenty of swimming, and Brian Kerr will probably devote more time to his back stroke swimming than was the case last season. Some good races may bo expected between Kerr and Peter Mathieson, of the Kiwi Club, if Kerr elects to take hack stroke seriously again.

Splashes. The swimming season at Wellington (according to an exchange) promises to be well ahead of schedule this year. Owing to a recent spell of _ warm, weather, the attendances of swimmers

of both sexes at the Te Aro baths and at beaches round the city have compared favourably with those usually expected about tho beginning of October, which marks the opening of the season. The past winter has been a mild one, from the viewpoint of water temperatures at the baths, where the lowest reading was 46deg, which was some degrees above the lowest temperature recorded last year. This winter there has been an average daily attendance at the baths of about sixty persons. Arne Borg, one of tiie greatest swimmers ever developed, has made a remarkable comeback. Borg joined tho professional ranks after the 1928 Olympic Games, but became so crippled with rheumatism that he could only hobble around on crutches. He is now reported to have not only completely recovered, but is said to be swimming faster than ever. He was credited recently with 4min 44sec for 400 metres, which is three seconds faster than Jean '.Paris's official world’s record. Borg has thrown out a challenge to swim anyone from 200 metres to a mile. American sporting promoters have seized the opportunity, and are endeavouring to get Johnny Weisemuller interested, but with what success is not known. Tho Kiwi Club’s anual meeting will he held at the Motor Club next Thursday night, and tho Dunedin Club’s annual meeting is scheduled for October 4. Syd. Jarvis will attack the 50yds New Zealand junior boys’ record next Monday night when Reg. Geddes attempts the intermediate breast stroke mark, and on September 28 Jarvis will also make an attempt on the junior 100yds record. While in Christchurch last week I had a chat with Mr Baxter O’Neill, secretary of tho New Zealand Swimming Council, who told me that no reply had yet been received to tho council’s invitation for a team of Japanese swimmers to visit New Zealand next season. Mr O’Neill also intimated to the writer that ho thought it very likely that tho national championships at Christchurch would be held in the Municipal Tepid Baths, the prospects of the St. Albans’ Baths being completed in time apparently being not too bright. Canterbury will bo without D. i . Lindsay in championship competition this season. He is now stationed at Dannevirke, and Hawke’s Bay will be able to call upon his service#.