SWIMMING ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 16

SWIMMING ITEMS.

] A CHAMPION FROM GLASGOW. BAIRD NOT FOR DUNEDIN. THE PROMISE OF W. FARRELL. There could have been no better omen for the success of tho new swimming season than the lino competition provided, and the fast times registered, at the Waitemata Club's carnival at tho Tepid Baths last week. Although unplaced, all last year's champions who competed showed by their form that they still have strong claims to championship honours. The performances of young swimmers who won all tho events in fast times were outstanding. The four heats of the 50yds. handicap were exceptionally well contested and some fast sprinting was seen. Tho final was the best race on the programme, the backmarkers being separated by inches only. D. Keane, with a handicap of 3s, proved the winner. J. Enwnght and L I Fairgray both performed well, but were | called upon to concede too much handicap. | A newcomer to Auckland, H. Watson, who has swum 100 yds. in 57s in Glasgow, was placed on scratch in the 50yds. handicap arid impressed with his speed. He would have done better had ho not been hampered by a heavy woollen costume. Hi;j races with Fairgray and Enwright over a hundred yards will be awaited with interest, and it would not bo surprising if lie carried off the Auckland championship. Limit Men Successful. There, were seven starters in the 220 yds. handicap which was won by the limit man, A. Keano, who took full advantage of his 255. start. He established a commanding lead in tho early stages that assured his ultimate victory. Two improving swimmers, A. Raper and R. De Lone, finished second and third respectively. Enwright started from scratch, easily defeating E V. Cunriold on the same mark. Cunnold does not appear to have yet regained his best form. The race was robbed of much interest by the non-appearance of A. E. Baird, the Auckland distance champion, and G. Bridson, the New Zealand intermediate champion. It is unfortunate that Baird will not be available for the Dominion championships at Dunedin in January, as he is unable to obtain leave from work. A swimmer worthy of special mention

is W. Farrell, a youth of great promise, who won the 50yds. novice handicap in the excellent time of 275. In the 50yds. club handicap, although rehandicappect from 4s to Is, he was second in his heat, but did not gain a place in the final. This was his first appearance in open competition. Farrell was the winner of the King's College championship for two years in succession. He swims with a perfectly orthodox six-beat American crawl, and his swimming is characterised by a very high body position—he planes out of the water to his waist. His shoulders do not dip and offer no resistance to the water. As a result he is able to take advantage of the hydroplaning principle, minimising body resistance and increasing speed thereby. In training swims Farrell has been covering 100 yds. in about 625, and when he improves his dive and turns it will cause no surprise if ho betters 60s. Such a performance would place him in the front rank of the Dominion's sprinters. The Bresststroke Handicap,

The 100 yds. breaststroke handicap resolved into an exciting race between two members of the Parnell Club, R. Cameron (8>) and J. Magee (ss), the junior boy champion. The former finally beat his younger opponent by a yard in 86 3-ss. Magee, who is now in the intermediate division, is in a class by himself, and, as ho has yet another two years as an intermediate, it is almost certain he will improve on E. C. Heard's (Canterbury) New Zealand record of 77 4-5s for 100 yds. The New Zealand lady champion, Miss G. Pidgeon, also competed* in this event but the opposition was too strong, and Ansell beat her for third place. 'After winning her heat in 32 3-5s Miss E. Champion won the finai of the 50yds ladies' handicap in good style in 325. Miss M. Bell returned 32s in her heat, but filled third place in the final, being just beaten by Miss D. Grant, who has greatly improved. Misses J. Bell and E. Stockley were unplaced in the final, but both swam well to finish close up. The junior events drew entries from several promising youngsters, B. Johnston (boys) and Miss M. Smith impressing the most.

Cup for the Tiny Tots, J. Johnson and Miss B. Page won their respective events in the tiny tots division. A cup to be known as the W. Foss Memorial Cup has been presented by Mr. J. Foss, a vice-president of the Wai lemata Club, for the tiny tot, boy or girl, who gains the highest number of points during the season. Waitemata A outclassed Parnell by seven goals to nil in an uninteresting water polo match, Enwright being the chief scorer for the winners. The chief fault of the losers was their weak defence, their goalkeeper, Tong, who stopped some hard shots, being badly supported by the backs. The Wanganui Centre has decided to invite sorao of the representatives of the Auckland and Taranaki Centres to compete in Wanganui on their return from the New Zealand championships. At a meeting of the Wellington Centre a motion to present certificates in lieu of medals to winners of provincial cham pionships was lost. Economy in finance was tho argument in favour of the change, but it was ; the general opinion that championship events should carry trophies equivalent to tho occasion. The Value of Trophies. "Wliilc recognising to a certain extent that such events are worthy of suitable trophies," say;. Wellington paper, "one cannot agret that the value of the prize is tho all-important factor. If it is correct thai some of those opposing the motion considered that a certificate was not worth competing for, then the sooner tho sport is dropped tho better. It is a poor spirit that prompts a competitor to study the value of atrophy before the honour of winning, and luckily tho great majority of swimmers do not adopt that attitude. It was a surprise to know that there are a few who do." Statistical returns made by the New Zealand Council show that the total number of affiliated clubs in Now Zealand is 81, representing 5021 club members in tho Dominion. The declared members total 4545, comprising 2127 seniors and 2418 juniors. Hawke's Bay heads the list with 1408, followed by Canterbury 838, Auckland 835, and Wellington 578. Tho Hawke's Bay total is made up largely of juniors. Canterbury has 12 affiliated clubs, being followed by Hawke's Bay and Wellington with 11, and Auckland with eight. Australia has discovered another potential Olympic representative in Miss Violet Armstrong, an 18-year-old Sydney girl, who swam 100 yds in 68 l-ss. This is the fastest time recorded by an Aus tralian girl since Miss Mina Wvlie covered tho distance in 66 l-10s in 1921. Critics believe Miss Armstrong can easily better her time if she improves her stroke, and turns.