SWIMMING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18941, 12 February 1925, Page 12

SWIMMING NOTES.

dominion championships. AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES. TEAM DEPARTS ON TUESDAY. The team of swimmers to represent Auckland in the New Zoafand championships at Christchurrh, commencing on February 21, will leave for the South on Tuesday evening. They should arrive at their destination on Thursday morning, thus having practically two days for preparation. A swim in Wellington, en route, also appears practicable. . As in previous y;ars the question ox finance has been one for serious consideration by the local centre when contemplating sending a team away. Ihe same difficulty is constantly i-ecumtiß, arid although Auckland may bo nnUbly situated, geographically, in regard to visits by overseas talent, we are under a handicap in the matter of championship meetings. Since the last national gathering here in 1920, teams, in most cases of large proportion, have been .despatched successively to Dunedin, Wellington, Timaru and Wanganui. and the centre has consequoutly had its tunas depleted regularly. Under the circumstances, therefore, the team selected is a very satisfactory one, and should acquit itself well. Tho times established in the local ehampioi'shins h ™r this out. as, in the senior events, with the exception of br'pt-stroke, they w ere much faster than thoso registered elsewhere. , , , Sufficient polo players will be on hand to form a strong team and, so far as the 500vds. flying squadron relay race is concerned. Auckland will probably have a runaway win. This event does not carry points for the Yaldhurst Shield. Seven of the Men in the team have covered 103 yds. in 635. or better. Three ladies will compete, Misses Stockley and Page in the free-style, and Miss G. Pidgeon in the 220vds. ladies breast-stroke championships. Unlike her two team-mates, Miss Pidgeon will be new to championship competition. She is only a recent "find." her prowess being discovered during the recent "learn-to-swim" week. At her first attempt last week to swim 220 yds. she was timed to do 3m. 56 4-55., as compared with Miss L. 1' reedman s record of 3m. 55 2-ss. Grammar Club's Meeting. Poor attendances at swimming carnivals have been the rule in Auckland this season, although there has been splendid competition, and the Grammar Club's gala on Tuesday evening was no exception. , oon , In once again winning the oeuyds. championship Cunnold swam his best race for some considerable time, and left no doubt of his present superiority over that distance. Last year he won in 12m. £6 4-55., so that his time on Tuesday was an improvement by 7 l-ss. Bradley swam much better than he_ did in the quarter-mile championship, and.set a fast pace to 300 yds., when Cunnold caught and passed him. His second place denotes satisfactory progress, and it is a pity he has not been selected as a representative, although on this season s previous displays he had done nothing _to justify his selection. He has a liking for fresh water and managed to swim third in the 440 yds. and 830vds. Dominion championships at Wanganui last year. Pelham, the only other starter, was. a disappointment. At no stage did he swim with his usual dash, but undoubtedly he can do better and should take a lot ox beating in Christchurch. The Ladies' Quarter-Mile. Miss Page's win in the quarter-mile ladies' championship was a specially good one as her time, 6m. 275., was 1 l-ss. better thau that established by Mis 3 Shand in winnings the 440 yds, Dominion championship at Wanganui. Her victory was well-deserved and is evidence of stamina, and her chances in the National championship appear bright. No less meritorious was IVtiss .1. Bell's _ Second place in time about equal to 6m. Z2s., an exceptionally good swim for an intermediate girl. Indeed it is _ questionable whether a better quarter-mile has ever been swum bv a, girl of her years in New Zealand. Miss Bell is unfortunate m being unable to journey south owing to the postponement of the intermediate : championships. , _ I After her good swim m the 220 yds. championship, Miss Stockley was expected to make her presence felt in Tuesday's event. However, she seemed outclassed on the night and gradually dropped behind to finish a poor third. She is capable of doing better. The Ponsonby Club has drawn up an attractive- programme of events for a carnival at the Shelly Beach baths on Saturday and all the champions will be competing. The Auckland representative water-polo team will play the "Rest of Auckland." Championship Besults Elsewhere. No performances of particular merit have resulted from the Canterbury championship meetings. N. S. Batchelor retained his titles for the sprint distances with the exception of the. 50yds. event, but his times are by no means as they should be considering the length oi his swimming career and his efforts in the past. Swimming in Christchurch seems to be at a low ebb, and poor fields in the championship races have been the order. C, Atkinson, holder of the Dominion distance titles, has not participated so far, nor have Miss Shand and C Herd, the Olympic representatives. Whether they • have retired on their laurels har> not yet been established, but it seems their absence has effected the standard of the sport in Christ church. The Southerners will need to exert themselves to retain tho Yaldhurst Shield Last week Batchelor beat L. Hill, the only other starter by 15yds. in 220 yds., the time being 2ra 43 4-ss, compared with the local time of 2m 365, when two feet separated tho threo placed men. Further results of Canterbury championships are as follow22ovds.: Batchelor, 1: Hill, 2. Time, 2m. 43 4-5s 150 yds. back-stroke: Tj, J. Moorhonso, 1; Batchelor, 2 Time, 2m. ss. 220 yds. ladies': Misses A. Mather, 1; L. Copplestorte, 2. Times, 3m. 15 4-ss, and 3m. 17s. 220 yds. ladies' breast-stroke: Miss L. Copplestone, Time, 4m. 0 2-ss. 75yds. intermediate girls' breast-stroke: Miss Pi. Hannan. 1; Miss L. Copplestone, 2, Time, 71 l-ss. 100 yds. intermediate girls' : Miss E. Hannan, 1; Miss B. Cooke, 2. Times, 84 3-5s and 88 3-ss. 100 yds. intermediate bovs': V. McTigue, 1; A. Stokes, 2; W. X Curtis, 3. Times, 64 2-55., 65 4-55.. and 67 2-ss. 100 yds. intermediate boys' back-stroke: V. McTigue, Time, Im. 325. Ladies' diving championship : Misses K. Bristed, 119.1 points, 1; L. Copplestone, 109 points, 2. Men's diving championship: W. Keesing, 130 points, 1; O. Vogt, 121.6 points, 2. Keesing iis an ex-Aucklander, Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. The first holders of Taranaki championships are as follow:—Men's 50yds., If. D. Hawkins, 29 2-55.; 100 yds., Hawkins, 695.; 220 yds., H. S. Weston, 2m. 655.; SSOvds., Hawkins, 13m. 425.; 220 yds. breast-stroke. A. H. Blennerhassett, 3m 44 3-55.; ladies' 100 yds., Miss P. Brant, lru. 24 3-ss. The abovemcntioned swimmers aro included in the team of 13 to represent Taranaki at the Dominion championships. They will compete in practically all the events for which they are eligible. Teams to take part in the 500 yds. Eying squadron relay championship and the life-saving competition for the Nelson Shield, have also been selected. This will bo the first team to represent the: Taranaki Centre, which only recently came into existence. Hawke's Bay will be represented by the following in the events mentioned:— Men: 100 yds., O. Lour.dl; 220 yds., H Rose; 440 yds., H. Rose, D. McKeague; Kellerman Cup race, McKeaguo; 880 yds., McKeague. Ladies' diving: Miss P. Jones and L. Hood. The centre decided to allow members of the team Half expensea only.