KIWI SWIMMING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 10

KIWI SWIMMING CLUB

YEAR’S ACTIVITIES REVIEWED The annual report of the Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club, which will be presented at the annual meeting in the Y.M.C.A. on Tuesday. September is, states: — The committee is pleased to be able to record a very large increase in the club membership, a fact which is due to the coaching work and general activity of the club. More than sixty new members enrolled during the season and it has been very gratifying to note the enthusiasm and improvement shown by many of these younger swimmers. The senior membership now totals 110, intermediate 25, and juniors 70, the total being 205. The committee has to record a very pleasing measure of success on the part or dub members, and it is many years since there has been so much promising material among the junior members or the club, a fact which augurs well tor Kiwi’s future. At the championship carnivals many successes came the way of Kiwi members, and it is some years since the representatives of the club have done so well at interclub carnivals and regatta meetings. The relay teams performed well in interclub competitions. and the club’s record m championship relays was quite satisfactory, second place being gained m the flying squadron, second in the six-a-side, and third in the four-arside. The club s ' congratulations are extended to the Dunedin Club on its success in these events, and also to tho Zenith Club for ife successful entry into interclnb competition. The following represented the (dub in championship relays:—Jr. E. dub in championshiperelays:—P. E. 1 W. Black, J. Benfield, A, Thomas, SI. Taylor, and C. M'Gregor. Since presenting the last annual report and just Before he entered senior ranks, our consistently brilliant breast-stroke champion and depnty-captain, Eeg. Geddes, added another to his long list of records iby lowering his own New Zealand intermediate 100yds breast-stroke record from 73 4-ssec to 73 3-ssec, time which was recognised by th©_ New_ Zealand Council. Owing to indisposition, Keg. jwas unable to compete at the Utago senior championships, but even with limited training he was able to hmsh third'in the New Zealand 220yds men s breast-stroke championship, making the seventh consecutive season in which he has been placed at a championship meeting. One of the most improved iand successful performers was ,C. •M'Gregor, who won the Otago junior ■boys’ 100yds and 220yds championships, land was second in the 76yds junior boys •breast-stroke. Representing Otago at ,the New Zealand intermediate and. junior .championships at Palmerston i he was third in the 220yds junior iervent, , and as he has another season go in this division should profit from the experience, being, an member and a great tner. j&Miss C. Knowles won the Otago 60yds junior girls’ breast stroke champion•>ship, and Miss Z. Wilson was second in i’lithis event. Miss’ Nancy Olds, a ; 'jafaunch member over a period of years, ■uenjoyed a successful season, winning &he Otago 220yds free style and 220yds 'abreast stroke ladies’ championships, •being second in the Otago 100yds ladies jchampionship, and second in the 75yds intermediate girls’ breast stroke championship. A very greatly improved swimmer was Miss A. Gillies, who was second in. the 440yds ladies’ championship, second in the 220yds intermediate girls’, and third in the 100yds intermediate girls’. P. E. Mathieson met with numerous successes during the season, and did not confine his wins to any one particular style. ■ He won the Otago 150yds men’s back stroke championship in the record time of Imin 52sec, lowering his own Otago record by 5 l-ssec. He was second in the 440yds men’s championship, and also in the mile, while he gained a third place in the life-saving championship. Mathieson later competed at the Southland championships, and won the 150yda back stroke in the record time of Imin 50 l-ssec, but was not eligible to hold the title. At the New Zealand championships he qualified for the final of the 150yds backstroke championship, and also shaped well in , the Annette Kellerman Cup race until attacked, by cramp. A. Thomas finished third in the Otago. 150yds men’s backstroke championship, and was also a competitor in the Annette Kellerman Cup race. Mrs E. C. Isaacs was second m the Otago ladies’ diving championship, and subsequently filled third place in the New Zealand championship- M. Taylor, Eeg. Geddes, P, E. Mathieson, and D. Pickard represented Otago in the New Zealand polo championship, in which Otago were runners-up. Mr Taylor captained ■ the side, and D. Pickard, who was called upon to substitute for another player after the first match, performed very creditably. The club once again entertained members of the ‘ Evening Star ’ Company and of the Police Force at a most successful carnival on November 23. A aeries of races was run off under the direction of your club officials, and a .water polo match was also played, the Star ’ beating the Police by two goals .to nil- • As usual, exceptionally good entries were received for the club’s carnival, which was held on January 11, and although extra expense was incurred by bringing E. M'Conville from Christchurch to compete in special invitation handicaps, the high standard of the performances generally made this well worth while. The chib is indebted to Mrs W. Lang and Mr W. Strachan for presenting handsome, cups' for. the 100yds and 220yds invitation handicaps, both of which were won by S. W. Jarvis. of the Dunedin Club. The club had the pleasure also of staging the Otago six-a-side relay championship, in which it was second to Dunedin- The programme was of an interesting and diversified nature, the carnival being quite one of the best the club has held. The club’s annual harbour swim over tho mile and a-quarter course was held on Saturday, January 13, nine competitors coming forward despite, the very unfavourable weather conditions. The Fogg Cup for first place was won by P. E. Mathieson (2Jmin), who also holds the William Lang Memorial Cup for a year, by reason of his fastest time of 28min 15sec. Mathieson registered a very fine performance. For the second year in succession Miss M. Boulton was second, and A. Thomas filled, third place and put up second fastest time. The club was indebted to the City Council for again granting it the privilege of club hours at the Municipal Baths on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 8.45 to 9.45. A more comprehensive scheme of coaching was evolved during the season, and the good results that were achieved are a tribute to those senior members of the club who devoted so much of their time towards assisting the younger members. It is scarcely necessary to individualise, but special praise must be given to the ladies’ captain (Miss M. Boulton) for her outstanding work as a coach of the junior members and among the lady members of the club. .Mr, A. Findlay once again also proved a tower of strength as a swimming and life-saving coach, the life-saving classes under his direction creating a good deal of interest among members. Coaching was done on Tuesday nights, and Thursday night was devoted *q jgatgc ppjp and

the running of races for the Sutton and Vernon Smith Cups. The committee voiced its appreciation of the assistance .received from the staff, who at all times showed a willingness to cooperate in our activities. To Mr P. A. Mathieson (custodian), his assistant (Mr W. S. Hindmarsh), and to Misses N. Fleming and E. Barry the committee tenders its thanks. The committee has pleasure_ in referring to the excellent relationships that have existed between the Kiwi and sister clubs during the past season, and it desires to place on record its congratulations to the other clubs on successes attained during the season, and especially the Dunedin Club on its wins in the championship relays and in the A grade polo. Also to St. Clair on winning the B grade polo. The club was faced with heavy expenditure during the year, and due to prevailing conditions there were more outstanding subscriptions than usual. Due to these causes-and to the extension of activities in some direction which did not show a payable return, the club for the first time for some years suffered a loss on the year’s working. The committee desires to tender its congratulations to a former junior champion of the club, Leslie Olds, who has been meeting with continued success in the United States. “Buster” has proved one of the outstanding swimmers on the Pacific Coast, and this year was a competitor at the American national championships. The report would not be complete without congratulatory reference being made to the courageous action of Mr C. J. Leeden (one of our keenest committeemen) in making a rescue from drowning at St. Kilda during the season. Mr Leeden with becoming modesty did not give his name at the time, merely stating that he was a member of the Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club. However, subsequent inquiries led to the identitv of the rescuer being made known, and Mr Leeden is deserving of the highest praise for his plucky action.