SWIMMING ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23545, 4 January 1940, Page 5

SWIMMING ITEMS

CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS AUCKLAND CENTRE CARNIVAL PROSPECTS OF COMPETITORS Outstanding swimmers are fully prepared for the Auckland championship contests, which will be conducted in the Tepid Baths next Monday and Tuesday nights by the Auckland Centre of the Now Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. Titles will be decided in the senior, intermediate and junior classes and, if the incidents of previous years are repeated, there will be thrilling racing and considerable success in breaking records. The form displayed at the only carnival held so far this reason was sufficient to leave no doubt that a number of the most notable competitors, notwithstanding the exceedingly high merit of the records already to their credit, had not exhausted their skill and would perform brilliantly in the championship events. The representative teams for the Dominion championship meetings will be selected according to tho standard shown in the races for (he Auckland titles. Intermediates and juniors go to Dunedin for their meeting, which takes place on January 17, 18 aiid '2O, and the senior meeting will be held at the Riddiford Baths, Lower Hutt, on February 10, 12 and 14. As usual, great interest is being shown in the 100 yds Auckland contests, and in the performances of tho present champions, P. Hanan and Miss K. Grey. It is strongly expected that Hanan will be capable of bettering N. Crump's record of G4s. He was recently unofficially timed to take 53 4-5s and, as he was obviously in fine fettle, he has more than an even chance of gaining this record. Fortunately for himself he will not ha without spirited competition. Good sprinting has been done by B. J. O'Connor and A. Pascoe, should he take part in the event, will develop the speed of which he has frequently, given impressive demonstration, having been runner-up last year. It will be 4 recalled that , when Miss Grey won the ladies' title last year she succeeded in establishing her present record of 63 3-ss. This is a brilliant time for a girl, yet she should do bettor on this occasion, as she has definitely not lost any of her speed. The additional speed and training, combined with her beautiful action, will in all probability enable her to score a greater triumph. She has doughty opponents in Misses N. Griffin, M. Black and R. Stackpole. Miss Grey appears a certain winner of the 440 yds event, for which she is national champion, and she is also equally as likely to win the furlong, having in this event first-rate prospects of eclipsing the record of Qm 40s held by Miss I. Purdie, of Otago. Hanan looks'likely to again be the winner of the men's 220 yds, and in this event, too. he should set a new record. His present time is 2m 20 4-ss, which he established in winning the title a year ago. The chief candidates for tho 440 yds men's championship are A. Pascoe, tho titleholder, and P. E. Mathieson, who were seen in a stirring duel last year. If he is a competitor- R-. H. "Walking, formerly Hawke's Bay and New Zealand mile champion, will command interest, but he will no doubt be more suited to the half-mile and mile. Mathieson is free from any strong opposition in the 100 yds and 400 metres backstroke events, in which it is anticipated he will put up new records. His time for 400 metres is faster than the Australian record. The ladies' 300 yds and 200 metres backstroke events should result in keen contests between Misses K. Grey and 11. Stackpole. They fought out close finishes last year, the former winning the 100 yds title, and the latter the other. The visit to Auckland of Major-General B. C. Freyberg, who is to command the New Zealand forces overseas, recalls to mind the fact that ho is one of the few swimmers to have represented the Dominion in Australia.-, and New Zealand championship events. He competed at the Australian and New Zealand meeting held in tho Lancaster Park Baths, Christchurch, in February, 1007. Tho Australians were a strong team and none of the New Zealanders -won an event. jfreyberg was unplaced in tho mile event. Ho won the 100 yds, 440 yds, 880 yds and one milo championships of New Zealand at Nelson in 1906, and was runner-up to R. Bell, of Auckland, for the 220 yds title. All tho events were swum on the same day. Freyberg was again JOO.vds champion in 1010. ' One of his successors as national 100 yds -.hampion and as a New Zealand representative, N. -Crump, who was the title-holder in 1034. holds a commission ill the Special Force., During their stay in London MajorGeneral. Freyberg entertained the swimmers of the'team-that represented■■ New Zealand at the Olympic -Games in Amsterdam in 1028. - ■ v?" - " .