SWIMMING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 10 March 1923, Page 9

SWIMMING.

The. carnivals held this season prove that the sport is still one of the most popular with the public. There have been crowded "houses" and keen competition. There is no doubt that sometimes more room could be used to accommodate the crowds who are anxious to see the ''splash^7 :.■ . The displays 3^-3^ beachcwith life-saving;have been/very/interestiiig, and demonstratedv':':'tha-t:':-:/---im.ii'cH--' "r^ri^n might be done; in this useful/ branch of the/ world of swimhiirig. .'■;■■ ReDortirig a grea;t carnival in -Sydney the Referee says:'' The 440 yards >T,"Tnpibnship of Australia gave Miss Gwitha Shand an. opportunity to shine over her favourite distance. The starters were

s- Enid Charlton (N.S.W.), Gwitha Shand ie (N.Z.), E. Yenning (Q.), Mina Wylie d (N.S.W.), Violet Walrond (N.Z.) L. ), Robertson (N.S.W.). The start "was r- good, Miss Charlton being first away. it Miss Shand soon showed that she was it intent on leading, and at 50 yards was ;- a yard ahead of the rest. At 110 yards •- (one lap) Misses Shand and Walrond were together, but down the second c lap Miss Shand again took the lead, !„ and at 220 yards was a yard in front, a with Miss Wylie 8 yards away third. r At 330 yards Miss Shand had a 3 yards v advantage of Miss Walrond, with Miss r Wylie several lengths behind and the y rest outclassed. Down the last lap 1 Miss Shand swam very strongly and 3 touched 5 yards in front of Miss Wal- . rond, with Miss Wylie, 20 yards bet hind, third. The time, 6min,9 2-ssec.,i j is the best ever put up by Miss Shand,; f and one of the best swims ever recorded r by a lady. The world's record stands! . to the credit of Hilda James at 6min. jl6 3-osec. Miss Gertrude Ederle [. (U.S.A). recently covered the distance! I in smin. 54 3-ssec. This swim will conj stitute a world's record when officially: recognised. Miss Fanny Durack, when at her best, did 6min. 3 3^ssec, bus for some reason this, performance was not recognised as a record.'s j '•'First day results in the ladies' | championships were amply supported in the two subsequent carnivals, at which honours fell largely to Miss Gwitha! Shand. who demonstrated that she is| the most accomplished of the lady lady swimmers of the hour over all distances in these pprts. » . . ■ . I'After the 100 yards championship opinion was very 7venly divided between Miss Shand and Miss Walrond. From a good start, however, Miss Shand soon began to show out, and, swimming splendidly, just . led at the 50 yards mark from Miss Walrond and Miss Wylie. At the 100 yards turn Miss Shand had slightly increased her lead. Over the second half of the course Miss Walrond and Miss Wylie made great efforts to catch.the leader,/but Miss, Shand, swimming' a splendid trudgeon-crawl stroke, maintained her advantage, and touched the finishing mark five yards ahead of/Miss Walrond, with Miss Wylie third, a similar distance away. The time, 2min. 54 3-ssec.,' is good for the Coogee bath, which is considered slow. The world's record stands to the credit of Miss C. Boyle (U.S.A.) at 2min. 46 2-ssec, and Miss Fanny Durack's Australian record at 2inin. Slsec.'' ' .± .7- i "In the principal event, the 100 yards championship of Australia, competitors were from New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria. Miss Mina Wylie, the holder, was the best home representative, and great interest attached to her meeting; with the ..New Zealand champions—Misses Shand and Walrond (N.Z.) 3, iVlina Wylie (N.S.W.) ing board were: Gwitha Shand (N.Z.) 1, Ena Charlton (N.S.W.) 2, Violet Wanrond (N.Z.) 3, Mina Wylie (N.S.W.) 4, Elsie Yenning (Q.) s,'Lily Robertson.; (N.S.W.) 6/; Myrtle Allen (Vie.) 7. The start was only fair, Miss Walrond and Miss Allen being last away, while Miss Shand and Miss Charlton gained an advantage. Miss Shand immediatelywent to the front, arid at 33 yards led by a yard from * Miss Robertson, who was just in front of Miss Wylie, with-: Miss' Walrond fourth. /At 50 yards Miss Walrond had improved her position, and was level with Misses Wylie and Robertson, with Miss Shand still leading. From this : point Misses Walrond and Wylie, racing together, drew up/ on '■ Miss Shand. until at 80 yards the three Were almost- abreast. Miss Walrond now put in a fine effort, and, finishing with great stamina and deter- '■■ mination, prevailed by a yard from Miss Shand. with Mis"s Wylie anothery&rdj away third. Miss Robertson was fourth and;; Miss Benning fifth. The /time, \ lmin. 9 2-ssec, Was a.good awim, a* they had wind arid tide against them.'j;Miss Shand's time was 1.10, and Miss Wylie's 1.11. The victory of the New Zealand girls was receive^ with great I They are vfery popular. V /Miss Walrond swam/a; splendid race /and: finished very gairiely against mosfe experienced oppqneints./ As the visitors' are not allowed to hold bn. Australian,*'■'.title, Miss Wylie.will, therefore/retain' her title and will be known, as resident "■'.-■ ■'*" J