SWIMMING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18965, 12 March 1925, Page 6

SWIMMING NOTES.

HAWAIIAN CHAMPIONS. r APPEARANCE ON MONDAY. 1 A. BAIRD'S NOTABLE WIN. Two more swimmers of fame will make their debut at the Hobson Street baths on Monday evening after first-class performances in Australia. They are -Miss Marieschen W.'hselnu, a brilliant young swimmer with world's records to her credit, and Sam Kahanamoku. the third best sprinter in the world. The Auckland Centre, with its usual energy, lias successfully negotiated for the appearance in Auckland (if these two noted Hawaiian*, and a better attraction could hardly have been staged. Ihe swimmers will arrive from Sydney on Monday and leave the following day for home. Miss VVehselau called hero en route, to Australia and then demonstrated her wonderful prowess in the water. Dur ing her Australian tour she has improved greatly as is apparent bv the times in which she has won the Australian and New South Wales championships. For 100 yards her best time was 65 l-ss; 220 yards, 2m 46 2 ss; and 440 yards, 6m 10 2-ss, all remarkably good. She is the best lady swimmer who has ever visited these shores. Just ten years ago Kahanamoku s brother, the famous [hike, astounded 'Aucklandrrs with his amazing speed over 60 yards und 100 yards, compassing the first-mentioned distance in 22 3-ss. a ■world's record, and the second in 54 2-ss. Then Sam was a mere schoolboy, ten years of age, but now fie has developed into an exponent of free-style, back-stroke and breast-stroke swimming, being a. champion in each class. Maybe his visit will mark an increase in the number of local ."minute breakers." Baird's Surprise Win. The usual good programme of swimming events was decided by the Waitemata club on Tuesday evening. When A. Iv.ird appeared on the starting board to contest the Endean Memorial scratch race of 500 metres with three Dominion champions as his opponents not a i lew spectators were of the opinion that; he was aiming rather high. They, how-! ever, had not seen him in practice at] Shelly Beach baths, where ,he had been training with Pelham. r As tlie race progressed lie dispelled any opinions that he would be outclassed, and when he touched the rope after a splendid Sprint that gave him a victory over Knv.right, Pelham, and Cunnold, there was not a spectator who did not join in the tumult of applause that greeted him, and •which was richly deserved. After such a. success Baird can be depended on for some first-class performances, next season. In one swim he has placed himself on a pedestal, and if conscientious training counts he will retain his position. While not detracting from his win in any way, it must be realised that conditions were somewhat iri his favour. The other three men have just completed a very strenuous week of championship swimming, and are not as physically fit as they were then. Pelham still has a cold, contracted at Christchurch, and the other two are not up to form, following the strain of the long-distance races thev competed in. Miss Bell's Improvement. Few, if any, lady swimmers have improved so mnch in a season over distaces as has Miss Jean Bell. Her latest time of 2m 57 3-5s for 220 yds. will go down as a record for the distance, she being the first intermediate girl to attempt such a swim under record conditions. Some idea of the merit of the swim is conveyed in the fact that it is an improvement by 1 4-5s on the time in which Miss Page won the 220 yds. Dominion championship at Christchurch. The time announced for the final of the 220 yds. handicap,twhich Bridson won, was 2m 425. He "led Fairgray to the rope by a Harrow margin, being conceded 7s by that swimmer, whose time, it would appear, was about 2m 375. Fairgray has never done such time. Probably there was some mistake in the time announced. Nevertheless, Bridson swam two very well-judged races, and finished strongly in both heat and final. By winning the second distance of the club's junior championship, R. Bradley placed himself in a very secure position f6r possession of Mr. E, Maud's cup. He covered the 100 yds. in 73 2-ss, which is very much slower than the times registered by past winners of the event. The diminutive T. Shearer filled second place, afid Tupp was third.