SWIMMING

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1936, Page 2

SWIMMING

A LARGE attendance of both spectators and swimmers made the second club night of the season a pleasant hour’s entertainment. The entries were strong in the men’s and boys’ events, but there were small fields in the girls’ races and the ladies’ event was again not contested.

Doug. Haigh, off five seconds, led the field all the way to win easily from F. Collins, with Rex Lane a touch behind. The winner swam well, but his past performances brand him as a stayer, and he will do; well oyer longer distances. H.. Fidler, from scratch, did not disappoint, and will do better when his arm action is corrected. Horner and Conway also started but were left in the burst for the rope.

The intermediate boys’ event was the best contested in the evening, but bad breaking by the scratch swimmers, Roily Webb and Des. Fairley, robbed them of the major placings, • which went to Reg Nicholls off Bsecs. and Eric Weston off Ssecs. Webb is in good form and should hold down the scratch mark with W. Howie for the rest of the season.

The intermediate girls’ event brought only two starters. D. Robertson. from the back mark, just nosed off M. Spring over 50 yards. The only junior girl to compete, swam with the intermediates and was first to the end. Fay Johnson's style and ease, sorts her out a coming champion, and more should be heard of her.

A little coaching by someone who has had experience with and against exponents of the speediest swimmers is what the younger swimmers require. The knowledge that may be learned in books on this subject dees not compare witli the first-hand knowledge of a swimmer or an ex-swimmer.

The time is approaching when there will be in the North annual swimming championships, and the younger that a swimmer acquires the methods and styles of a champion the sooner he will be able to compete with the best.

Next week—More about Water Polo

Now spoi’tsmanship and excellent social spirit are features of the Bargain Store club which are well known tc Whangarei tennis players, and it was this fact that did make it difficult, on the face of things, to understand how the entry was made in the C grade. No imputation of bad sportsmanship was intended in any way. ■ The Bargain Store club have further demonstrated their sportsmanship by offering, in the event of their first team being regraded, to enter a second team to play in the C grade. Such an action surely vindicates them in the eyes of any who may have misunderstood week’s review.