SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14237, 7 December 1909, Page 8

SWIMMING.

Mr. A. M. Russell, breast stroke champion of New Zealand, has taken up administrative work, and is now a member of the council, vice Mr. \V. G. Atack, who has retired. Miss .Jennie Fletcher, the English lady champion, further reduced the 100 yds ladies' record at Manchester on October 13, when she won the scratch race in lm. 13 2-5*., beating the record, held bv herself, by 3-ss. It is of interest to mention that Miss Fletcher lias beaten the ladies' record on eleven occasions since September 20, 1906. It stood then at lm. 24 3-ss. That the championships for this season would be allotted to Auckland was generally expected (says the Canterbury Times), and if the Northerners" are as enthusiastic now as those of their representatives whom we saw at the last championships in Timaru, they will make the meeting a success. The Canterbury Centre, I am glad to see, is getting together a substantial fund to provide its representatives' expenses, and Canterbury should be able to send some good swimmers to Auckland. The number of newlyaffiliated clubs in Hawke's Bay speaks well for the prospects of that centre, and on the other side of the North Island, especially in Taranaki, the clubs promise to be stronger than they were last. year. The North Island centres are now within fairly easy reach of Auckland, and they should lie well represented. Altogether the championships, which, it is expected, will tie held about the beginning of February, should be unusually attractive.