SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 17

SWIMMING

EDUCATIONAL VISITS ARRANGED TOURS OF BOTH ISLANDS .The New Zealand Swimming Council has arranged for two .teams of lady swimmers to make educational tours of both islands during the coming mouth. Miss Kathleen Grey (New Zealand intermediate girls’ 220yds champion), Miss Jean Finlayson (ex-Auckland intermediate girls’ champion), with Miss Tilsey as manageress, began a South Island tour yesterday. The members of this team are all from Auckland, and the greater part of their time will be spent on the West Coast, where they will coach, demonstrate, and take part in competition. Tho secretary of the New Zealand Council (Mr Baxter O’Neill) has advised that any clubs desiring an appearance from this team should get in touch with the secretary of the nearest centre or with him. The team will remain in each'place visited about three days. Miss Tilsey, the manageress of the team, was an Auckland representative for about six years. Another team will tour the North Island, making its first appearance in Wellington. The itinerary for this team has not yet been completed, but it is expected that the tour will, begin next week. The team will comprise the three Empire Games representatives— Misses Mona Leydon (Auckland), Gwen Rix (Otago), and Joyce Macdonald (Southland) —and Mrs E. C. Isaacs, of Dunedin, has been appointed manageress. Miss Leydon is the New Zealand 440yds and 220yds ladies’ free style champion, and also 100yds and 200 metres back stroke champion. She was third in the Empire. Games 440yds ladies’ free style championship, and was one of the outstanding women swimmers at the Games. Miss Rix is the national ladies’ diving champion, has represented Otago on numerous occasions as a diver and swimmer, and good judges in Sydney predict a very bright future for her now that she has gained experience of the highest class competition. In some of the displays following the Games, Miss Rix gave very pleasing exhibitions, and with her all-round knowledge of swimming and diving should be valuable on an educational tour. Miss Macdonald was the youngest member of the New Zealand team in Sydney, but she shpwed good stylo and promise, and Miss Ena Stockley, New Zealand Olympic representative, has expressed the view that, with tho acquisition of more stamina, Miss Macdonald will reach top flight as a back stroke swimmer. Sp© is also a good free style exponent. . Mrs Isaacs, who has been appointed manageress of the team, was the New Zealand ladies’ diving champion in 1924, and for 12. years, frequently represented Otago in national championship competition. She has considerable experience as a swimming and diving coach, and is a member of the Otago diving panel of judges. .... The southern members of this team will assemble in Dunedin, and will he joined by Miss Leydon at .Wellington,