SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 22233, 10 January 1936, Page 4

SWIMMING

NOTES AND NEWS

[Bv Hooker.]

FIXTURES. January 11.—Carnival at Milton. January 14.--Kiwi Club’s carnival. January 18.'—Kiwi and Zenith Clubs' harbour races; Toko. Club’s open carnival, Milton. January 25.—Kaikorai Club’s annual carnival, Kaikorai Baths. January 25, 27, and 28.—New Zealand intermediate and junior championships, at Hamilton. January 28.—Otago senior championships. February I.—Otago country clubs’ championships, at Milton. February 2.—Batt Cup harbour swim, at Macandrew Bay. February 4.—Zenith Club’s annual carnival. February s.—Maori championships, at Rotorua, February B.—Cromwell Club’s annual carnival. February 9.—Dunedin Club’s harbour February 15, 17, 18, and 19.—New Zealand national championships, at Dunedin. February 20.—Visit of champions fco Milton. February 22 and 23.—New Zealand surf life-saving championsfiips at Dupedin. February 28.—Roxburgh Club’s annual carnival. Club hours: Mondays (8.45-9.45 p.m.), St. Clair and St. Kilda; Tuesdays (6-7) and Thursdays (8.45-9.45), Kiwi; Wednesdays and Fridays (8.40 to 9.45), Dunedin; Saturday (8.459.45), Kaikorai; Tuesdays (8.45-9.45), centre’s polo hour. All club hours mentioned above are at the Rfunicipal Baths. Zenith Club hours nightly at the V.M.C.A. Baths, except Friday. D. P. LINDSAY'S PERFORMANCES REMARKABLE CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD . The likelihood of D. P. Lindsay again competing in the national championships at Dunedin next month draws attention to his remarkable record in chanipionship events.

When the championships were last held in Dunedin in 1928, his successes landed him in the New Zealand teart for the Olympic Games at Amsterdam. Lindsay has held every free style except that at 100yds, and while originally representing Canterbury, and if memory serves rightly, South Canterbury before that, lie has also been prominent in Auckland and Manawatu, representing The latter when he won his last titles at Christchurch in 1934. He took the 220yds championship at Auckland in 1927 iu 2min 31 44>sec, and the following year he did 2min 37 1- when he again won. He first woil the 440yds championship at Auckland ih 1927 in smin 24 2-ssec, iu 1928 he won in Srnin 28 l-ssec, and again in 1932 in smin 22 3-ssec, 1931 in smin 21see, and 1934 in smin 25 3-ssec. ■ He has won the half-mile championship on five occasions, 1927-28-32-33-34, and his fastest championship time was Ilmin 25 3-ssec, which does not beat J. D. O’Driscoll’e time of Ilmin 23 2- the fastest in which the halfmile championship has been won, and which was put up last year. Lindsay, however, holds the mile _ record of • 22min 27 4-ssec, and his winning time of 23min 22sec in 1934 at Christchurch was the fastest in which that race has been won. He has held the mile title five times. D. SHANAHAN'S RETURN Dan Shanahan’s return to Dunedin will be very welcome, and he will make his reappearance in local competition at the Kiwi Club’s carnival on Tuesday night. He showed great versatility as a member of. the Kiwi Club before he left for Christchurch a year ago, before which he had held the New Zealand intermediate 100yds breast stroke championship. Last season he was beaten by a touch by C. W, Elliott in the Otago 220yds- breast stroke cb-mieotisliin. That good judge, A. T. F. Stokes, informs the writer that Shanahan has

shown great improvement on the breast stroke, Which is borne otit by the fa?t that he recently defeated Harry Horsfall over 100yds, and Horsfall, who won the New Zealand University 220yds breast stroke championship last year, is much fancied, in Canterbury. Shanahan is also a fine water pdfo player, and should strengthen the Otago team. He should niake a difference to the Kiwi water polo team; and will compensate for the loss of P. E. MiithiesOn during the latter’s absence in Australia. He will also be a big asset to the St. Clair Life Saving Club in surf Work. MISS BASSTIAN IN FORM Prom Invercargill comes hews of the promising form being shown at present by Miss Nancy Basstian, who, With Miss Maxine . Matnicson, of Otago, seems" most likely to threaten the supremacy of the Auckland ladies this year.' Miss Basstian Was second in the 100yds and 220yds free style and 100yds back stroke events at last year’s championships, and she is reported to be getting right down to her best form. Miss Basstian did not represent Southland aS an intermediate, but She Was the first woman to represent Southland in the' national senior championships, and is a very versatile all-round swimmer. She is A daughter of Mr B. O. Basstian, well known as one of the finest Oarsmen Southland ever produced. KIWI JOTTINGS Members expressed keen pleasure at the success that attended the club captain, P. E. Mathieson,’ in the New South Wales 110yds hack-stroke championship. His success is thoroughly, deserved, and he affords his clubmateS an example of what may be accomplished by conscientious attention ( to training and a thorough study of sWunmining technique. Peter is anxious to help the younger members, and they should benefit from his experience oh his return. Dan Shanahan, who has been transferred from Christchurch, has been reappointed to the Club Committee, on which he gave fine service when he was in Dunedin formerly. He will assist the club in the sis-a-side relay championship on Tuesday night, and he Will also be a big asset at Water Polo. Arrangements are now well iii hand for the club picnic at Karitane on January 26. The club harbolir race will be held Oh Saturday, January 18, entries for which will close on Wednesday next. THe Thursday night Water pole practices have been reSUpied. under the charge of Mr Don WatsOri, Who is giving a short series of talks to the players. The improvement in many 6f the younger players is , due to his efforts. ... . ■ A new member'is Miss ‘ C. Hall,, who should soon he showing improvement on breast Stroke. She should endeavour to obtain a longer glide. Maud Stewart, the Otago junior IfjOyds champion, is swimming very well at present. She has very good relaxation, but should get her elbows up higher. Joan Guthrie is a keen , junior who will be makhig her first appearance in competition At the forthcoming carnival on Tuesday night. Gloria Strong is showing improvement on the crawl, but must endeavour to cultivate a more even action And get her elbows up higher. Joyce Nelson is a speedy junior with a proiiiising style. Although Noeline Peat has not been long On crawl she has a natural balance in the water,, and should soon be returning good times. . Mrs E. C. Isaacs is down to solid training now fpr the Otago diving championship. She has always been a neat performer, and is showing more boldness and confidence in the execution of her dives this season than Was the case last season. Alan Duff is swimming very well at present, and is almost sure to find, a place in the club’s team for the sis-a-side Otago relay championship.. ' . 6 KAIKGRAI COMMENTS The pool at headquarters has recently been visited by members of the Otago team who are going to Hamilton. The fact that champions include the Kaikorai Baths in their training itinerary' and feel fitter as a result is a point which aUgurs well for the future development of those Who swim there regularly. The club senior championship events will be recommenced at the clue session on Saturday evening. The ladies’ 100yds championship and the men’s' 220yds championship will be decided. Both are free-style events, and the starters are requested to get in touch with the club captain as Soon as the session commences. Miss L. Abbott is still away on holidays, and it appears that she has forfeited her chances of winning the ladies’ championship. A recent acquisition to the club is Miss B. Martin,. who demonstrated her . ability by winning the ladies’ 50yds championship. . H. A. L. Laing has plenty of length, a good style, and is capable of registering fast times at -breast-stroke. He requires more swimming to attain firstclass standard. The six-a-side team for the Olds memorial relay championship at the cat-nival on Tuesday next will be chosen from the following:—K. Nelson, J., Ness, A. Blair, T.. Ness, L. Highfield, E. Sonntag, R. Smith, and D. Laing. By consistently training Arthur Hanna has made considerable progress in speeding up his breast-stroke. He is using his shoulders more, and seems to have benefited greatly by ]the holidays. The club’s annual carnival will be held on January 25. / AUSTRALIAN BACK STROKE STAR Australia has a youthful back stroke swimmer who has been putting up some brilliant performances in Perth. After setting new figures of smin 48sec for 400 metres back stroke, he cut 1 3-ssec off M. Kiyokawa’s Australian record for 220vds. When the 100yds national back stroke championship was decided in Melbourne last season, Kiyokawa narrowly defeated Oliver in the Australian record time of Imin ssco. It is likely that Oliver will improve on these times, and if he lowers the time of the distinguished Japanese then he

must be considered as a champion of world’s class. Oliver also holds the Australian junior free-style titles, and is undoubtedly one of the finest junior swimmers ever developed in Australia. Some years ago, Mr Dudley Hfellmrich (secretary, of the. New South Wales Amateur Swimming Association), who is one o£ Australia’s foremost swimming authorities, wrote .predicting that Oliver was a potential 100yds free style and back stroke champion though his 220yds time at that stage was not so good as that of Robin Biddulph, another swimmer Who is now forcing liis Way to the front. Oliver has a beautiful stroke, and possesses a remarkable temperament for one so young. TUESDAY NIGHT’S CARNIVAL The Kiwi Club’s carnival on Tuesday night will be the occasion of the farewell appearance of the Otago team for the New Zealand intermediate and junior championships at Hamilton, and As no fewer .than 10 clubs are represented among the entries, which number more than 200, sbmo fine swimming should be seen. . The 60yds and 220yds invitation handicaps will be contested by such swimmere as.S. W. Jarvis (New Zealand intermediate free style champion), D. : Davis (Southlafid intermediate champion). J. D. O’Driscoll (New Zealand half-mile champion), J. Barry, J. Clulee. K. Leckie, A. Thomas, and 3L D. Gillies. A big attraction will be a 50yds intermediate girls’ scratch. race, in which’ Miss I. Purdie, the brilliant intermediate champion, will b© among the. starters, Several junior and intermediate handicaps are included, and in the 66 2-3yds breast-stroke handicap the field includes such well-known performers as Reg. Geddes, G. P. Chambers, Clive Elliott, Dan jShanahan, H. Callender,! Miss MavU Pockson (an ex-New Zealand intermediate girls’ champion, whe is making a return to competition), J. Durand, C. Durand, F. Pearson, and a' host df other good swimmers. Back stroke and free style handicaps are included, and a special attraction Will be a burlesque “ Bathing Beauty Parade of 1936.’’ Teams from Dunedin, Kiwi, St. Clair, and Kaikorai have entered for the Otago six-a-side relay Chimpionthip. SPLASHES Michael Shanahan, the former Kiwi swimmer, is to represent South Canterbury at Hamilton in the New Zealand junior boys’ 75yds breast stroke find junior diving championships. Ha has had the distinction of representing three different provinces in this division. He won the junior breast stroke evfint at Palmerston North in 1934, when representing Auckland, and last season he represented Otago at Timafiu. Mite Ngaire Hughes, who represented Canterbury last year at Auckland. should sh6W improvement on last year’s times when the New Zealand championships are decided at Dunedin. The ex-Timaru girl has a good stroke for distance sWiinihing and should go Well over 220ydS. Grade swimming has just finished in Christchurch, but it has not been eo successful, as was the case last season. East Christchurch Club has put up a fine record, winning the, first, secend, third, and ladies’ grades.

By adding diving contests for intermediate girls and for both junior boya and girls to > the" programme for the Aiieklaiid 1 ifitermediate and junior championships the Auckland Centre has conformed with the new policy Of holding diving in all classes at the Dominion championships (says the Auckland ‘Herald'). The omission' of back stroke events is to be deplored. There is no back stroke at the New Zealand meeting, and, in view of the achievements already gained by seniors, it is a mystery why the stfoke is not encouraged among the yoUng people. The centre deserves commendation for making the distance for the senior free style handicap events lOttyds. This is an official distance, and, with the senior championship so near, the two races: will be good testa of form. The Otago Centre is fortunate in haying secured the services as honorary trainer in Mr C. M'Queen, who is one of the most capable men in that posi- • iioh in Otago and who has had charge of many provincial tennis in various branches of sporty He is not. only , a highly capable trainer, but a real enthusiast, and those swimmers he is preparirig for the New Zealand championships may count themselves very lucky to be able to avail themselves of the services of such a first-class man. An Auckland friend writes that Miss Marge Black (who holds the New Zealand junior 50yds record) is swimming brilliantly at present, and Alan Pascoe has improved considerably, and is expected to give a much more impresiva showing in the intermediate, division than he did last year.