AUCKLAND SUCCESSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20177, 11 February 1929, Page 11

AUCKLAND SUCCESSES.

BRIDSON'S ACHIEVSMENT.

GREAT RACE WITH STOKES.

BRILLIANT GIRL CHAMPION.

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

The final session of the New Zealand national swimming championship meeting was a great day for Auckland, not as far as individual performances were concerned but in respect to the splendid achievement ot tho team, which captured tho Yaldhurst Shield from Canterbury and tho War Memorial Shield from Wellington.

After defeating tho 220ydh and onemilo champion, A. Stokes (Canterbury), in tho half-mile event on Wednesday, G. Bridson (Auckland) was regarded to have better prospects of success in the 440 yds event than Stokes. The two swimmers wore in a class by themselves in this event, the raco resolving into a great duel between thcin. There is little to choose between these two swimmers. Both swam stroke for stroke for the full distance and it was only Bridson's faster finishing effort that gave him victory. Bridson's time, 5m 25 4-ss, was only 2-5s outside D. P. Lindsay's New Zealand salt-water record. Miss Miller's Great Swim.

As was expected Miss Kathleen Miller rotained her title in tho 440 yds ladies' championship, winning easily from Miss Dorothy Grant (Auckland). Miss Miller was in brilliant form and clipped 1 3-5s oft' Miss Gwitha Shand's New Zealand salt-water record of 6rn Bs. The time, 6m 6 2-ss, is not, however, Miss Miller's best performance, as she recorded 6m 3 9-10s in winning the 440 yds New South Wales championship last season. This timo was not accepted as a New Zealand record because it was-registered in Australia.

Although Miss Grant was defeated she swam well and her time must have been a great deal faster than her previous best, 6m 20 3-ss. The only other Aucklander in the contest, Miss Edna Champion, who gained third place, did well. The defection of Miss Gladys Pidgeon (Auckland), the title holder, who has retired from competitive swimming, left a poor class to contest the 220 yds ladies' breaststroke championship. The result was a victory for Miss Lily Copplestone, who had her first Dominion championship success. The time, 4m 225, was very slow, being 48 4-5s outside Miss Pidgeon's New Zealand record. The only other competitor, Miss E. Hall (Wellington), was disqualified for not swimming the correct style. Miss Copplestone had another success in the ladies' diving championship, in which she wrested the title from Miss L. Hood (Hawke's Bay). Tl;e 100 yds intermediate boys' breaststroke championship was annexed by J. Magee (Auckland), who was the only starter. Magee, however, swam well, as his time, 80s, was 2 2-5s outside the New Zealand record. Cameron in Great Form.

Tho 100 yds champion, W. Cameron (Wellington), gave further evidence of his great pace by winning the 50yds invitation scratch race in 23 3-ss. The only Aucklander in tho race, R. Sellars, swam very well to finisft third, a yard behind N. Dowsett (Wanganui). .T. P. Farrell and J. Enwright (Auckland) did not compete, as they reserved themselves for more important events. Sellars and D. Plank came from Auckland especially to swim for the Auckland team in the 500 yds flying squadron championship, which was won by the Wellington A team Auckland being second. The Auckland team consisted of the following:—J. P. Farrell, J. Enwright, G. Bridson, R. Sellars and D. Plank.

In winning the 100 yds ladies' handicap, the intermediate girl champion, Miss P. Robertson, was credited with covering the distance in 65 3-ss. This was a brilliant performance, as it equalled Miss E. Stockley's New Zealand salt-water record. Wellington was too strong for Auckland in the final for tho water-polo championship, winning by 7 goals to 2. The Auckland players were G. Bridson, M. Honeyfield, ,T. P. Farreli, J. H. Moore, G. Hedges and D. Hyauiason, The Aucklander W. Hassan performed splendidly to gain third place in the men's diving championship, as this was the first national championship in which he has competed.