SWIMMING

Hawera Star, Volume L, 14 February 1931, Page 10

SWIMMING

—V MTSS STOCK LEY REAPPEARS. Miss Ena Stock-ley, former New. Zealand swimming champion, is regaining her form in competition ill Sydney, j Competing in a 150 yards handicap recently she was timed to cover the 100 yards in 67sec., and the full distance | in lmin 51sec., which is one second i faster than Miss P. Hoeft’s New Zealand record. Miss Stockley did not compete in the - Australian champion-1 ships, held recently, but- she hopes to; ■oppose Miss Helene Madison, American; champion and world’s record holder, in j the New South Wales championships, i winch are to he decided on February 19. DECREASE IN MEMBERSHIP A mar ked decline in the membership of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association is revealed by the startstics for lust season. in tlio 19-^B—-•) i season there was a. tota|_of 7727 mem- j liers, compared with 6767 for last season, there being a. decrease oi 960. The number of clubs affiliated to the association showed a decrease of .seven, the total for 1923-29 being 102, as against 95 for last season. The positions of, the various centres in regard to mem- j bership strength are as follow, the -figures in parentheses being for the 1928-1 29 -season: Hawke’s Bay. 1598 (1681); Wellington. 1.037 (1198); Auckland. 922 (1097); Canterbury, 782 (1180); Taranaki, 438 (820); Otago, 363 (156); I Manawatu, 347 (232); Wanganui, 305, (216); West Coast, 253 (433); South, Auckland, 223 (208); South Canterbury' 197 (156); Southland, 157 ( —); Ajsh-j burton, 113 (221); Nelson, IN CASE! OF CRAMPS. | Cramp, the deadly fear of most swimmers and Lathers, will not, according to authorities, cause anyone- to drown provided one can swim or floaty (says the “New Zealand Nevoid”). Usually j the leg is the affected limb, and many I forget that one can float using the! hands only, and, with a, little practice. I swim without using the legs. Many I racing, swimmers practise this method of swimming in order to strengthen, the arm muscles. It seems to he an unreasoning fear, which causes trouble when one is seized with; cramp. A, mouthful or two of water is swallowed, and all thought of; floating goes out of the mind. The' Takapuna Surf Club has found, that- in milder cases where the calf muscle, the usual one to get- cramp, is affected.' a swimmer can obtain relief by grasping the toes and bending the foot toward the knee. If the leg muscles areaffected the swimmer should try bend- 1 ing the foot the other way. lit any case lie should get ashore as quickly, as possible and have the affected part; rubbed, the movements being made toward the heart. If that does not- give relief, hot parks will he found very beneficial. Cramp is not always, caused bv the cold, hut- more often hr muscles being called upon in sudden unusual exertion when the body is not trained to stand the extra strain imposed. It is only the selfish person who will swim out on exposed beaches. The rescuer Inns to take an equal risk, and •one fool hard v act may mean the loss of more than one life.