AUSTRALIANS AT ALEXANDRA

Evening Star, Issue 22515, 7 December 1936, Page 3

AUSTRALIANS AT ALEXANDRA

FLEMING IN GOOD FORM Glorious weather 1 favoured the Alexandra Club's carnival on Saturday, when the Australian swimmers, Fleming and O’Connor, were the stars. Long before the first event was decided the baths were crowded 1 . The gala was opened by a display of diving from the three-metre springboard by the New South Wales champion, Arthur O’Connor, with the team manager and coach, Mr Dudley Hellmrich, explaining the various methods of diving. Later Gwen Rix. the New Zealand ladies’ champion, gave a polished display. The Australian 110yds and 220yda champion, Bill Fleming, was in great form and carried off both heat and final of the 50yds handicap for men. His time in winning the final was 26 l-ssec, a good swim when it is known that he previously had swum over 440yds _ in exhibitions. Fleming’s swimming was greatly admired wheh he covered 200yds in his exhibition, which was commented upon by Mr Hellmrich. Undoubtedly the highlight of the afternoon was the magnificent display from the springboard given by Miss Gwen Rix and O’Connor. The champions were in fine form and every dive was executed with grace and determination. Miss Rix has improved greatly under the coaching of O’Connor, and now executes a flying forward one and a-half somersaults and one and a-half somersaults backward in perfect style. As usual, Peter Mathieson figured prominently. He competed in the 50yds and 33 l-3yds handicaps, but was asked to do too much. Sprinting is not Matlueson’s forte, but the champion delighted the record crowd by his exhibition of back stroke swimming over 200yds, accompanied by Fleming. It was noticed that the.old deep am drive was absent, and Peter glided through the water beautifully balanced by means of a wide and powerful arm stroke. It was certainly an improvement on his former style, and he should in a few weeks register faster times than ever before. Conceding the limit men five points, the back stroke star in the men’s springboard diving handicap finished level with E. Flannery, and after two dives off Mathieson was declared the winner. An Australian-New Zealand diving troupe, comprising O’Connor, Fleming, Mathieson, Joe Russell, and C. Jenkins gave a clever display of comic and grotesque diving. The final event was a four-lap teams relay handicap, in which Fleming and O’Connor (Australia) and Mathieson and C. Jenkins (New Zealand), conceding Bsec to an Alexandra four, were defeated by 2yds. The carnival was a great success both from a sporting and financial viewpoint, and reflected credit upon the controlling officials. Officials were:—-Carnival director, Mr J. Russell; hon. secretary and handicapper, Mr W. Johnston; starter, Mr W. Jenkins (president of the Otago centre) ; judges (swimming)—Messrs B. Provo, H. Burrows, and R. M'llroy; judge (diving),>Mr Arthur O’Connor; timekeepers, Messrs E. Cocuburn and A. Belcher; referee and clerk of the course, Mr George Fry. Results; — 33 1-3 YARDS PRIMARY BOYS’ HANDICAP. J. Lunn ... ...■ 1 R. Hewitt ... 2 D. Ashworth ... 3 Time, 29 l-ssec. * 33 1-3 YARDS SECONDARY SCHOOLGIRLS’ HANDICAP. B. Campbell 1 IP. Taylor-Cannon ... ... 2 M. Cadogan 3 Time, 18 l-ssec. MEN’S 33 1-3 YARDS DASH. First 1 Heat.—T. Smith 1, J. Byrnes 2, 0. Ruff 3. Time 21see. Second Heat.—E. Flannery I, G. Fields 2, G. Jenkins 3. Time, 19sec. —Final.— T. Smith ... 1 E. Flannery 2 G. Fields ; 3 Time, 21sec. MEN’S DIVE. P, Mathieson 1 E. Flannery 2 K. Taylor 3 50 YARDS INVITATION HANDICAP (MEN). First Heat.—E. Flannery 1, W. Fleming (Australia) 2, G. Fields 3. Time, 32 3-ssec. Second Heat. —T. Smith 1, C. Jenkins 2, 0. Ruff 3. Time, 33 l-ssec. —Pinal.— W. Fleming 1 G. Field ... 2 T. Smith ■ ■ 3 Time, 26 l-ssec.' LADIES’ NEAT DIVE. M. Cadogan 1 P. Taylor-Cannou 2 . B. Campbell 3 133 1-3 YARDS TEAMS RELAY RACE. Alexandra (J. Russell, B. Robson, Fleming, and G. Fields), Bsee ... 1 Australia-New Zealand (A. O’Connor and W. Fleming, Australia, C. Jenkins and P. Mathieson, New Zealand) 2 Time, Imin 20sec. The Australians expressed as delighted with their visit to Alexandra. On their arrival! on Friday they were met by the mayor (Mr W. Bringans), entertained at afternoon tea, and tendered a welcome by representatives of all local sporting bodies. Yesterday they were taken for a trip to Wanaka. and to-night they appear at Milton, leaving for Temuka to-mor-row.