DAY OF FINE CONTESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 11

DAY OF FINE CONTESTS.

MORE AUCKLAND SUCCESSES.

HIGH STANDARD ATTAINED-

POINTS FOR THE SHIELDS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Monday

Auckland had another successful day*'t the New Zealand swimming championship meeting this afternoon, securing two firsts, three seconds and two thirds. Of the four New Zealand records established. Auckland can'claim one.

Keen competition is promised for flip. Yaldhurst Shield, the points for which stand as follows: —Auckland, 18; Wellington, 17; Canterbury, 15; Wanganui, 3; Otago, 1. Auckland seems assured of annexing the War Memorial Shield, as if. now has live points against South Canterbury's two and Otago's one. As was the case on Saturday, the first championship event resulted in an Auckland success, llio recent find, Miss J. Webster, lived up to expectations by winning the 50 yards junior girls' breaststroke championship. Using a good styli Miss Webster led all the way and won a fine race by a yard. Miss Grant's Best Race.

Victory seamed to be within the grsip of Miss Dorothy Grant, the Auckland middle-distance champion, in the 220 yards ladies' championship, when she was leading Miss Kathleen Miller (Wellington) at 200 yards from the start. The pace was exceptional and ifc appeared that Miss Miller, who had held the title for two successive years, would have to strike her colours. However, Miss Miller showed the fighting spirit for which she is noted, and won with a magnificent finishing effort. She passed Miss Grant and won by two yards in the fastest time of her career, 2in 50 3-ss.

Although defeated Miss Grant was by no means disgraced, and swam her best race. Miss Ena Stockley did very well to finish third, but she touched only 2ft. ahead of Miss Natalie Stratton (W rang«inui), who swam excellently. The other .Auckland competitor in the contest, Miss Edna Champion, again failed to show convincing form, and finished fifth. *®

Predictions that the 220 yards men's championship would resolve into one of the keenest races in the history of the contest were fully realsied. Auckland was ably represented by D. P. Lindsay, G. Bridson and J. Enwright. Bridson, whose chances of success were most favoured, set a great pace from the start, and covered the first 100 yds. in the exceptionally fast time of 59 2-ss, which would have, won him a third place in the final of the 100 yds. championship. Great Feat by Stokes. However, when hopes that he would win the race were running high, ho showed signs of fatigue, and Lindsay and Stokes started to decrease his advantage over them. Fifty yards from the finishing rope Lindsay appeared to have the race won, but Stokes with a phenomenal spurt headed the Auckland men and won by 3yds., with Bridson 2yds. behind "Lindsay. Stokes thus wrested Lindsay's second title at the meeting. The announcement; that the time, 2m 31s, had clipped 3-5s off L. Kronfeld's long-standing New Zealand salt-water record of 2m 31 3-ss, did not come as a surprise.

Lindsay swam better than he did in the mile championship on Saturday, and although the time was 2s slower than hi« fresh-water record ho was defeated by a superior swimmer. Bridson was responsible for an excellent performance, and it was a pity that he could not stay the distance. Although not in the class of the other contestants Enwright swam well to finish fourth ahead of C. Claridge, of Wellington.

A Brilliant Performance. One oE the finest performances of the day was the brilliant swimming of Mis® Peggy Robertson (Auckland), who had her first Dominion championship success in the 100 yds. intermediate girls' event, which she won easily by Byds. She lowered Miss D. Magee's (Auckland) New Zealand record by 2-ss. Some indication of the merit of her feat may be gained by the fact that her time, 68 2-ss, was only 2-5s slower than that recorded by Miss Stockley in winning the senior ladies' title on Saturday. Miss Robertson cair- be ranked as the next best lady sprinter to Miss Stockley in the Dominion. Although not in v «is high a class as Miss Robertson, the other Auckland girl, Miss M. Smith, who was second, swam splendidly. The victory of. L. Moorhouse, the titleholder. in the 150 yds. men's backstroke championship, was anticipated, and he gave farther evidence of his prowess by. clipping 2-5s off L. Fairgray's (Auckland) New Zealand record of 1m 52 3-ss. Moorhouse has profited from the experience gained at the Olympic Games, as his style shows great improvement. Otago had its first championship success at the meeting when R.' Geddis, who is only 12 years of age, swam a brilliant race to win the 75vds. junior boys' championship in the New Zealand record time of 60 4-ss.