SWIMMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19218, 6 January 1926, Page 12

SWIMMING.

' ■ v" ' AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSH IPS. NEXT WEEK'S ATTRACTIONS. THE PROSPECTS DISCUSSED. Auckland's bost swimmers will meet under championship conditions at the Tepid Baths next Tuesday evening and on the following Thursday. After the series of tests have been decided the Auckland Centre will make its choice of the team to represent the province in the New Zealand championships at Napier on January 23, 25, 27 and 29. The programme for Tuesday is confined to free-style sprint events, breaststroke races and the intermediate boys' dive. The contests among senior swimmers promise plenty of excitement. If L. L. Kronfeld is a starter he will probably win the 100 yds men's test. There is, however, the possibility that he will not compete, as it is stated he severely injured his arm recently. In the event of Kronfeld's defection the race will be more open, and the form of J. Enwright, A. I>. Adamson and L. Fairgray, who were placed in that order in last year's championship, is of particular interest. Enwright and Adamson. Enwright is reported to have had his hand crushed recently, with the result that his training has been interrupted. It is not anticipated that he will be an absentee, and as he is a swimmer who makes the best use of training facilities when he is well he can by no means be overlooked. It must be remembered that in the last event he passed Adamson on the last lap and won by a touch in 60s. Adamson has not been so prominent this season, but he is obviosly moving well and should do fast time. This is Dorne out by the amount of pace he showed in filling third place from scratch in the fastest awurn 100 yds of the season to date. Fairgray, who has swum third in the 100 yds. championship on the last two occasions, is quite up to form and is a swimmer of determination. Besides these three swimmers there are at least six others who are fast enough to keep the. leaders moving. Stockley, who finished just behind Fairgray in the last two events, has improved, as have also Cunnold, Sparling and Meikle. Cunnold's extra speed over short distances has been particularly noticeable and this should stand him in good stead over distances. Smith, who won in 1924, will also be a competitor and possibly Pelham. r 1 Prospects Over the Furlong. The time when an Auckland 220 yds championship could be won in 2m. 40s. or thereabouts seems to have gone" forever. Last year Adamson narrowly beat Enwright in 2m. 365., with Pelham a good third, but this year's race will mark the entry of Baird for the first time in an Auckland 220 yds open championship. In the event of Kronfeld swimming the race would be the best on the programme and it would occasion no surprise if a new record was established. Even if Kronfeld is absent Baird will go very near the record of 2m 31 3-ss, if he does not improve on it. While he is outstanding, last year's placed men cannot be overlooked, as they are sure to put up a great fight. The other starters in the 100 yds event will probably also try their pace over the furlong and add interest to a gruelling contest. The Ladies' Championships.

Next in importance are the 100 yds and 220 yds ladies championships. To two of the contestants, Misses Piri Page and Jean Bell, the races are of first importance, as the results will probably influence, to some extent, the New Zealand Council's selection of the girl to accompany Miss Ena Stockley to Australia next month. The New South Wales Ladies' Swimming Association has requested a visit from the best distance swimmer, so both girls will naturally endeavour to show their best form over the first two distances, and particularly in the 440 yds championship which comes up for decision two nights later. Miss Stockley should retain her 100 yds title without difficulty, but she will be moio hard pressed to win the 22Qyds again. Miss Bell will be swimming for the first time in open company, and it will be interesting to see how she fares. The furlong race will be strenuous, and the winner will need to create time above the ordinary. The Younger Swimmers.

Auckland has always been noted for its numerous young swimmers above the averag9. This year there are several promising intermediate boys, but Bridson stands out alone, and he should carry of! the 100 yds and 220 yds titles. Miss Marie Farquhar's recent time of 71 3-5s for 100 yds makes her chance of annexing tho 100 yds intermediate girls' championship most encouraging. Other girls who will swim well if they compete are Misses Edna Grant, Doris Magee, Harvey, Edna Champion and Marjorie Bell. The junior boys and girls are practically an unknown quantity, but a visit to any of the baths shows that there are many juniors who would do well if they had the enterprise to compete. COACHING OF SWIMMERS. MISS H. JAMES' ADVOCACY. IMPRESSIONS OF AUCKLANDERS. Proper coaching is regarded by Miss Hilda James, the former English amateur swimming champion and recordholder, as absolutely essential if the best results are to be obtained. " Anything I have done I owe to Mr. L. de B. Handley, the coach to the American Olympic team in 1920," Miss James stated in an interview. " When I went to Antwerp that year I was crude. I had natural swimming ability, and that was all. Mr. Handley coached me, and I went right ahead. As Igo around in different parts I see splendid material, but it will never come to anything, just for want of proper coaching. Everything depends on that. It is so easy to waste effort, and where one is competing against the best, it is the swimmer who directs every ounce of energy to the best advantage who goes to the front. " That is why the Americans do so wonderfully well at sport," Miss James proceeded. " They have magnificent sports clubs everywhere in the country, and they make a business of their sport. Perhaps too much so, to a Britisher's way of thinking. They are specialists. They go in for one branch of sport onlv. or for one distance. I believe myself in being all-round in sport. I swim over all distances up to five miles, and every style," " What stroke do you use ?" was asked. " The American crawl for all distances. It. is the one style that is suitable alike to distance and sprint work." " What principle do you advocate in learning swimming?" was the next question. "To start at the short distances and extend them, and vice versa ?" " Always start with the longer distances," Miss James advised. " Tl>e main thing is to get stamina. If the swimmer has the ability, the short distances will be easy; but there is always a difficulty that, having got into the way of doing sprint work, nothing mor<> will ho attempted, and the strength necessary to fight out a gruelliEg finish will not. be developed." " What did you think of the Auckland swimmers?" the interviewer asked. "1 understand that you saw them in action there ?•" -., " Most of them were rather good. They use a nice stroke, and are very nr-at swimmers. One particularly, Miss Edna Champion, who is only 14* years old. i struck me as having distinct possibilities. ! She will make a Games competitor later on, if she is handled right."