MISCELLANY OF SPORT

Evening Star, Issue 23092, 19 October 1938, Page 5

MISCELLANY OF SPORT

SWIMMING NOTES AND COMMENTS [By Hooeeh.] FIXTURES. October 25.—First water polo night, Muncipal Baths. November 9.—Otago Centre’s opening carnival, Muncipal Baths. November 17.—Press-Police carnival, staged by Kiwi Club. November 28-December 3.—Otago Centre “Learn to Swim Week.” November 23.—Kiwi Amateur Swimming Club’s carnival. December 6 and B—Otago senior, intermediate, and junior championships,, Municipal Baths. December 10.—Balclutha Amateur Swimming Club’s carnival. January 15.—Batt Cup Harbour ewivn, Macandrew Bay. January 21.—Country clubs’ championships, at Cromwell; Dunedin Club’s harbour swim. ’ . . January 26 to 28.—New Zealand intermediate and junior championships, at Rotorua., February I.—Dunedin Amateur Swimming Club’s carnival. February 14 . to _ 18.—New Zealand national championships, at Invercargill. February 19.—’Annette Kellennan Cup harbour swim,, at Bluff. . February 21.—Maori championships, at Dunedin. ’ February 25.—T0k0 Club’s carnival, at Milton. ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIPS NORMAN WAINWRIGHT’S SUCCESSES The British Olympic representative, Norman. Wainwright, who represented 'England at the British Empire Gamesin Sydney, and afterwards appeared in several New Zealand centres, won two titles and . one second at •, the English championships held at Great Yarmouth recently. .. AVaimvright took the 220yds. in the clinking time of 2min 16 3-ssec and the 440yds in 4min ,59sec. The first heat of the 440yds was won by Pearson , in the slow time of omin 29 2-ssec,

and the second heat saw a great tussle between Wainwright, Bob Leivers (the Empire 1,650yds free, style champion) and the youthful Deane, recognised as the stars of English , middle-distance swimming. The race was anybody’s at the .turn for the last lap, and a fine spurt by Leivers. won him the heat. The final was won by Waiiiwright, and Deane (who' at 16 represented England in the Empire Games) filled second

place, with Leivers third. The placings were the same in the furlong. Fred Dove won the IGOyds free stylo in 55 2-ssec, with Wainwright second and M. H. Taylor third. J. G. Davies, the British Umpire Gaines champion, won the 200yds men’s breast stroke in the -good time of 2miu 39 l-osec, with Grahn, of Finland, second. Davis is a master of the “ butterfly ” stroke, an,d in Sydney covered the first 60yds or so on this style, which, contrary to F.I.N.A. rules, has been declared illegal in New Zealand. Doris Storey, the Yorkshire girl, who won the Empire Games 220yds breast stroke test in 2min 50. l-ssec, and M. K. Jeffery, who was second to Dorothy Green in the 440yds event at the Empire Games, took the ladies’ 220yds in 2min 40 4-ssec, which is four-fifths of a second slower than the New Zealand ladies’ record held by Miss Islay Purdie, of Dunedin. M. H. Taylor won the men’s 150yds back stroke in Imin 46sec, two seconds and a fraction slower than P. E. Mathiesou’s Now Zealand record. H. M. Yates won the ladies’ 150yds back stroke in Imin 56 3-ssec, and Miss Jeffery won the ladies’ 440yds free style in smin 43 l-ssec, .nearly seven seconds slower than Miss Mona Leyden's New Zealand record. The ladies’ 100 yards free style was won in 62 l-ssec. F. AV. Farrington won the long plunge with a distance of 81ft 7iin. ' KIWI JOTTINGS A start was made last week with the grouping of members for the systematic coaching scheme that has been arranged under the direction of the chib captain (A. Thomas) and the ladies’ captain (Miss Agnes Brown), and, judging from the keenness displayed on the inception of the scheme and the co-operation of the club’s coaches, excellent results should again be obtained this season.

Miss Brown is coaching a very promising junior in Joan Campbell, who has the makings of a good free style exponent. She is a strong swimmer with good relaxation, but is inclined to over-reach, and a similar fault is displayed by Valina Wells, who, however, is developing a good kick. Nancy Wood should endeavour to straighten her arms a little‘ in an endeavour to develop a smoother stroke. Betty Reid, who will be a contender for junior honours this .year, is ■ being coached on back stroke by the Otago ladies’ champion, Miss: Elina Abernethy, ' She promises to he quite good at tliis style of swimming, and is bound to show improved times on the free style. Sadie Payne and Joy Boy arc a pair of keen juniors, and Peggy Smith also is beginning to show _ improvement. She must endeavour to improve her leg action, Glenna Smith has a good starting dive on the breast stroke, and also shows a natural aptitude for diving. Peggy Cuthbertson is a very keen free style swimmer, but she must endeavour to improve her starting dive. One of the most encouraging features of the coaching arraiigelnents has been the enthusiasm displayed by many of the club’s leading competitive swimmers to assist the younger members, and Miss Christine Garvine, the Now Zealand intermediate 100yds girls’ free style champion, has a batch of several very keen juniors in her charge. These aro" Alan Williams, Arnold Jones, Charlie Galloway, and Stanley Greenwood. Greenwood and Jones especially are shaping well on the free style, and the former has, quite a good kick. Miss Garvin herself is swimming exceptionally well at this stage of the season, and her coach . (Mr P. A. Mathieson) expects to have her in top form for the. Otago championships in December.

Neil M'Lean is developing a tendency to roll, and should endeavour to overcome this fault by making his catch straight in front of his shoulders in-

stead of placing his arms out across liis face. Edna Goklthorpe, the club junior champion, ivho is now in the intermediate class, has a keen lot of juniors in her group, including Murray White, Ken. Kelson, John Angel), Bill llobinson, Jack Spence, dean Garry, and Dorothy Tyrrell. Joan Garry has a nice posi tion in the water and should show improvement on the craw] this season. Miss Islay Purdie, the Otago ladies’ champion, is patting in plenty of work in preparation for the championships, but she is also devoting a lot of time to the coaching of the juniors. A free stylo exponent who has the makings of a good swimmer is Gay Harrison, who has a particularly good kick. Edna Ballantyin; is another of Miss Purdie’s pupils who is shaping well, but she should concentrate on her breathing. Annie Barclay is also working well, and should concentrate on her kick. Miss Winnie Dunn, the Empire Games breast stroke representative, is kept very busy with a number of young breast stroke swimmers who will take part in competition this year. Marjorie Goldthorpe must endeavour to quicken up the recovery of her arms. David' Bath bone is shaping well on the breast stroke, but must endeavour to co-ordinate his arm and leg movements.

Gladys Malcolmsen is one of the best intermediate breast stroke swimmers in tlie club, but she must get clown to solid distance work from now on. Lindsay M'Gavin should endeavour to secure more relaxation when kicking on the breast stroke. Vernon Palmer is quite good on the breast stroke, but is inclined to drop his left foot when kicking. Miss Dunn is enthusiastic over .the promise shown by Ivy Freeman on the breast stroke. This' girl must endeavour to relax a little more. The club’s first parents’ night will be held at the club hour to-morrow, when a number of demonstrations will be arranged, and the visitors will alter-

wards be entertained at supper by the Ladies’ Committee. Arrangements are well in hand for the picnic at Tomahawk on Sunday, October 30. There have been good musters of members at the water polo practices, and the friendly game with Zenith last week was most enjoyable. M. Taylor in particular showed that his form is as good as ever. Reg. Geddes is undergoing a good preparation for the Otago championships this year, and it will not surprise if he registers as good time as ever. PROGRESS IN CANTERBURY Canterbury has a real live president in Mr J. Mackenzie, and a thoroughly efficient and competent secretary in Miss Doreen Brown, both of whom were re-elected at the annual meeting last week. Several schemes for improving the standard and increasing interest in the sport are to be tried by the Canterbury Centre in the coming year, and each Monday evening at the tepid baths a special diving competition is to be held. By this it is hoped that the standard of diving and the keenness of competitors will be stimulated. The Canterbury Centre has also scrapped the old grade system of competitions completely, and a new series of interclub matches on a handicap basis has been approved. The competitions will now be divided into two sections, open and women’s. There will be no limit on the number of competitors, and swimmers may compete in any number of events. One club will meet another, and several matches will thus be swum each Saturday. The ages of the scheme are that weaker clubs will meet their stronger rivals on more equal terms, owing to the handicapping system, which will be adjusted when necessary. DUNEDIN NOTES A very busy hour was spent at the club last Wednesday night, about 100 members being present. A large team of coaches Was hard at work, and some good results should be forthcoming this season. The club js indebted to Mr W. L. ilooper, who is again giving two trophies- to the senior and junior members responsible for securing the largest increase in membership miring the season. Wednesday, February I, has been fixed for the annual carnival, and Saturday, January 21, for the harbour race. On Sunday, November 13, an outing will be held at Company Bay. A committee has been set up to arrange club races for the juniors, and several members have presented cups for this purpose. The secretary has been instructed to write to the Crippled Children Society, inviting six members to_ join the club as honorary members. Betty Smith, a new member, is very keen, and should make a good breast stroke swimmer. Bruce Ingram, the ex-Otago backstroke champion, has now started training, and should do well in intermediate competition this season. Maisie and Sydney Raynor are shaping well. The former can swim 500 yards. Malcolm M'Gregor shows natural diving ability, and will soon be taking part in competition. Ivan and Murray Dickol are showing promise on the breast stroke, and should try to concentrate on obtaining the correct timing.

Nola Cowie, who is being coached by Mr D. C. Bannatyne, shows vast improvement. JNoJa is a real trior. Bomo of the younger members who arc talcing swimming up seriously are Shirley bimpson, Mary Duncan, Joau Leckie, and Boy M'Taggat. WELLINGTON BATHS STILL “ MYTHICAL ” The Mew Zealand swimming championships are coming to Wellington in jtjjO. nut where r 1 asks a writer in the ‘ Sports Post.’ Presumably to the totally inadequate Te Aro Baths. Por the 'tepid Baths, about which wo have been hearing so much for the past four or live years, are still mythical, and, until the first sod is turned or the first brick laid in their construction, most practical people will continue to regard them as likely to remain mythical. Sometimes there is a tendency to blame officials for the lowly place Wellington holds in the world of competitive swimming, but actually they deserve every commendation. They have made the best of the appallingly poor facilities at their disposal. They have done all they reasonably can to awake civic pride, but evidently Wellington people in general, and the City Council in particular, have none, at least where swimming amenities are concerned. It is no fault of officials that in a decade Wellington has produced the sorrowful total of three national champions—Bill Cameron and Misses Sylvia Gotlieb and Olga Smith. Kathleen Miller won a few titles for Wellington about nine years ago. but she was essentially a Dunedin product. As we said, it is no fault of the officials. They really deserve a cheer for battling along in the face of such supine indifference to the swimming needs of the city. ZENITH COMMENTS At the Zenith headquarters at the Y.M.C.A. baths arrangements are well in hand for the first button carnival, to be held on Wednesday next. A committee has been appointed to control the proceedings, and, considering the record entries received, it will have its time well occupied in keeping things in order. As a preliminary to the carnival next Tuesday has been set aside as a grading night, when the times of all the members over certain distances will be taken. This .is a great healp in working out handicaps, and also enables an accurate record of times for entries in interclub and championship carnivals to be made. These carnivals stimulate the competitive spirit within the club, especially amongst the juniors. During the week the .polo team met Kiwi A in an enjoyable* game, and although outclassed gave a splendid display of positional play. With practice it should develop into a strong combination. In place of one of the best players, J. Broadfoot, who was indisposed, M. Buckland played well, and was responsible for some very nice passing movements.

The coaches are still working hard, and have produced astonishing results. Aileen Perry, Margaret Ellis, and Tui Bode are a hard-working trio who have made splendid progress, and will be swimming well before long. Jim Laurenson is showing commendable determination in mastering the crawl, and Miss W. White shows great promise at the breast stroke. Doug. Binny is doing well over the distance work, and when he becomes really fit should put up some good performances. One of tho keenest members in the club is young Ivan M'Ewan. He is a good exponent of the breast stroke, and is also trying his hand at polo. He can. handle the ball quite well, and with practice he will be worth his place in the team. The adult members aro raising a big splash at their session on Saturday nights. Under the eye of Mr W. Currie they are doing well from appearances. An old buffers’ race will have to bo included in the programme of the next button carnival. SPLASHES Subject to the confirmation of the New Zealand Council, the Southland Centre has fixed the following dates for the national senior championships;—. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, February 14, 16, and 18; and the Annette Kellerman Cup three-mile open-water race will he held in Bluff Harbour on Sunday, February 19. Hie Southland Centre already has its organisation well under way, and a strong ladies’ committee has been set up to take charge of the entertainment side.

The annual report of the Canterbury Centre states that the Tepid Bath Sub-committee, after several meetings, approached the City Council Baths Committee on the question of a new tepid bath. The committee was well received and placed its arguments before the council in a convincing manner. The committee is still working, and has every reason to believe that success will eventually crown its efforts. . The proposal to establish fortnightly afternoon swimming competitions for primary school children, was briefly discussed at the meeting of the Canterbury Centre of the Amateur Swimming Association last week. The secretary (Miss Doreen Brown) reported that two of the three schools approached were in favour of the scheme, and accordingly a sub-committee was set up to discuss the suggestion. It is proposed that the competitions should be held in the afternoons, and that a trophy and prizes should he awarded. The chairman (Mr V. G. Spiller) also complimented Miss Brown for her fine work during the learn-to-swim week in December last. . . Advice has been received by the tviwi Club from Mr A. T. F. Stokes, the Otago delegate on the New Zealand Council, that Clive Cliff has accepted the club’s invitation to compete at the annual carnival on November 23. Clift is already swimming well, and Mr Stokes says he feels sure he will break 6Sscc for 100yds back stroke. Clift has also agreed to swim in the 220yds free style event, in which he will swim on his back. Mr Stokes predicts that he will break 2min 37sec for this distance. .While in Sydney for the Empire Games, members of the New Zealand team were greatly impressed with the swimming of the 15-year-old Queensland girl, Miss Iris Tubman, who won the Australian 220yds junior girls’ championship at the Bondi Ladies Club carnival the week before the Empire Games began. The report of the Queensland Amateur Swimming Association states that Miss Tubman, a member of the Valley Club, created a record by winning all State junior and senior free style championships. She won the 100 metres senior free style in the record time of 73 l-ssec, the 200 metres in the record time of 2rain 45 3-ssec, 400 metres in the record time of 6min 4 3-ssec, the 50 metres junior free style in the new record time of 33sec, and the 100 metres junior free style in linin 17sec. Canterbury is out this season to regain some of its former glory at water polo, and efforts will be made to get a strong team to the National Championships at Invercargill. Mr A. T F. Stokes, one of New Zealand’s best

players, and an ex-national free stylo champion swimmer, has been appointed sole selector. Alex still retains a very keen interest in swimming and surf life saving, and although it's 10 years since he made his first appearance in national championship competition, he can still pace it with most of them. He was a member of the New Zealand surf team that visited Australia an February. ‘ I have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt from Hon. M'Kauge, Jmu. secretary of the Queensland Amateur Swimming Association, of a, copy _oj the report of that association. Reference is made to the fact that Messrs Walter Spence (British Guiana), Noel Crump, and Peter (New Zealand) accepted an invitation to visit Queensland at the conclusion of the British Empire Games, and their performances and exhibitions were responsible for increased interest in the natotorial sport. Mention is made of the educational exhibitions . given by .Crump and Spence at several primary and secondary schools in,the metropolitan area, which were much appreciated. The efforts of the executive of the tion to have Brisbane’s bathing facilities improved met with some success, and a sum of £30,000 has been allocated by the Brisbane City Council _foi the construction of a newpool and improvements to the existing facilities. T. Mitchell, a former _ Canterbury swimmer, has joined lip in Invercargill with the Murihiku Club, which has also secured the services of the exWaitemata and Kiwi swimmer, Walden Johnson. Mitchell • has been in Wanganui for the last two seasons where he had coaching from the ex-New Zealand champion, Len. Smith. Mitchell has represented Canterbury and Wanganui in New Zealand competition, and according to a southern writer, now has a great chance of representing Southland. As well as being a firstclass exponent of the breast stroke, he is a handy free style swimmer. Bill Fleming, who toured New Zealand under the auspices of the Otago Centre in 1936, .was Queensland’s outstanding free style swimmer last season. He won the 100 .metres Slate free style championship in 63sec, the 200 metres free style in 2min 26 2-ssec, and the 400 metres free style in smin 24sec. He was second in the 800 metres free style, his time being llmin 34 2-sseo. Fleming, a member of the Sandgate Club, was the first Australian swimmer to finish in the 100yds free style championship at the British Empire Games, filling third place. He also represented Australia in the medley and free style relay events.