SWIMMING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7336, 14 January 1911, Page 7

SWIMMING

(By "Crawl.") FIXTURES. January U Thorn don. Jannary 2S Swifts. February 4,8, and 11 New Zealand Championships. February 25 ••••.••••-. Y ,'Jti ' March 11 ._ Victoria College. March 25 Wellington. SWIMMING CAENIVAL. This afternoon, at 2.30, at tho Thornton Baths, the. Thorndon Swimming Club will hold its thirteenth anual carnival. Considerable interest, is # being taken in tho carnival, as the pick c.l Wellington swimmers are competing, and tho form shown by them will bo an index to their chances in the.forthcoming champonship meeting. lhe JOOyds race should prove a great struggle. Keg. Hoaly is on scratch. Tiny rieybeig Ssec, and Stranger (a new Wellington swimmer) 7scc. The 100yds should nlso ho exciting, with such swimmers as Healv, Ronayne, Roberts, Bnce. and Nelson. A number of comic items have been included in tho programme, and a full hand will ho in attendance Afternoon tea will bo served free of charge. WAIRARAPA CLTJB. The carnival of the AVairarapa Club to bo held on tho pleasantly situated Park Lake, Masterton. on Anniversary Day (January 23rd) promises to eclipse tno successful function held by this club last year. Tho lion, secretary, Mr J.j Georgoson, in a letter to the writer Bays: — ~, , , I "Wo trust that thero will be a good, contingent of swimmers along from Wellington at our Anniversary sports. It is ] to we sincerely regretted that Scatouu aro having swimming sports on the samo day. Mr Shields, of tho Wellington ] Centre, assured us that everything in ! tho swimming line was being left open j for oar club on that day, recognising: that Anniversary Day was a fixture tor j tho Wairarnpa. However, it is to bo hoped there will be enough competitors for all of us, and it is all for the one aim—fostering swimming. Of course, as a country club, wo look forward eagerly for Wellington swimmers, and you can safelv say that a very hearty welcome awaits them. The Wairarapa Club ] shall leave no stone unturned to make them feel at home, as well as to do their ] best to furnish a good day's sport. The 1 train arrangements are good, one lcav-> ing Masterton nt 5.30 p.m.. so that visi-| tors from Wellington will be able to; arrive homo in ample time. We nro catering for the ladies—two events on | tho programme—and we want some Wei-; lington young lady swimmers without j fail." - ... „. Entries in Wellington close with Mr T. Shields, of Lambton quay. Notwithstanding tho counter attraction nt Seatoun, it is almost certain that tho | Wellington contingent, to Masterton this I year will far exceed last year's in nnmbor Prom remarks passed at the local baths it is probable that the majority of our best swimmers will make the trip. Mr G. Neal, captain of the Wellington Club, will again be a competitor in the diving and plunging events, and he intends to take young McCarlie up fol-tho boys' events. C. Stranger, the newly discovered Wellington Club "flyer" will bo another who will probably make the trip. while tho majority of those who competed last year will again face tho starter at this year's gala. Tho lake auords a splendid swimming course—llo yards laps—and is ideally situated. One improvement on last year's arrangements might be suggested. The course, was marked off by poles placed at regular distances along each side of the course. If -wide ribbons wero stretched along from polo to pole it would materially assist competitors in keeping a straight course. Last year, owing to losing sight of the poles many swimmers steered a very erratic course, and this may have affected their chances in the races. The programme, which is an excellent one, is practically tho same as last year's, and exclusive of novelty events, comprises forty competitions. Among these axe 220vds Wairarana championship. 440yds handicap. 110yds club championship, 110yds handicap. 100yds handicap, relav race, besides shorter sprints, dives, plunges, breast stroke events, life-saving competitions, etc. A 50yr.s handicap, and a V.'.vds handicap are proTided for the ladies, and seven events are allotted tn the boys. As usual a fireworks display will be given in the evening. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. The executive committee appointed by the Wellington Centre to arrange all details in connection with tho New Zealand championship meeting has matters well in hand, aiud hopes to make tho big carnival an unrivalled success. According to tho chairman, Mr G. S. Hill, the committee is leaving no stone un"turned, and is doing all in its power to arrange for best possible results both from a sporting and financial point of view. Details in connection with the entertainment of visiting swimmers during their stay in this city have already ' been gono into, and it has been decided that a smoke concert shall be tendered them on the evening of Saturday, February 11th, at tho conclusion of the meeting. A trip to Day's Bay has been arranged for February sth, and tho visitors will- also be taken to Lyall Bay, and other places of interest about the city. Tho meeting will commence at 2.30 p.m. on February 4th, being continued at that hour on the Bth and 11th. Details in connection with tho baths, tho accommodation for the public and competitors, and arrangements for carrying out the progrnmmo have been fully discussed.. Mr Hill assured the writer that an outstanding feature of the carnival will bo promptness, and that tho dilatory competitor, who has been the laughing-stock of the public and tho de- . epair of carnival officials in Wellington as far back as the writer's memory serves, will be severely discouraged "Unless a man is on his mark when required," said Mr Hill, "the race will be swum "without him." This step is highly commendable, and if this rule is rigidly adhered to, the Centro will oarn tho best thanks of tho public and the punctual competitors. When asked where it was proposed to put tho spectators, Mr Hill was not very ready with a reply. This is ono of the most serious difficulties facing the Centre in connection with the carnival. Tho accommodation for the public at Te Aro Baths is hopelessly inadequate, and it will probably be found that the doors will have to be closed on hundreds. ' The turning boards, which have been in a far from satisfactory state so far this season, will, .'Mr Hill says, bo in the best of condition by the time the championships arrive, and he is looking forward with confidence to a highly successful function.

iTJSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Some sensations are predicted for the forthcoming Australasian championships. Cecil Healy, the great sprint champion. is making records over distances, and it is expected that if he does not actually beat Beaurepaire, ho will make the voung Victorian swim harder than, he lias ever done hefore. In a ilOyds test

race in Sydney on the sth inst. Healy covered the distance in smm Lb .r-.'isoc, which easily beats Beaurepaire s best ot s,nin 33 Wfew. put up in tlie 440yds saltwater championship of England during Beaurepaire'a latest tour. Ihns "Sydney paper of January (ith :—' lhe 4-lUyds test race proved an easy win for the invincible Healv. Healv. Hardwiek, Long-woi-th, and Wilkes wcro the only competitors. The liast Sydney man got going early, and the Maitlunder, Wilkes,] began to fall back when only 75 yards had been covered. Healy was the first lo turn at tho end of the first lap (llu vd<). Uardwick and Loiigworth wcro together a foot or so to the bad. The: splint champion began to increase his lead in the second length, and at the una had the advantage of about two vards i rom the Svdney Club champion aii'l'l.ongworHi, who we.e still swiiuming .-tn.ke for stroke. Wilkes was plugging uwtiv :-!'iiie vards in the rear. The distanee between Healv. and the other iviiuliit-rs bi-iinn to increase, and when the. l\mrt:i aiid last lap was entered upi n he had an advantage of about, ten varus .•rum Unrdwick, who lead Longwortii bv u couple of feet. Healy crackid oil iiis pace, ami won easily by, 15 yards from Hardwiek. Longwortli was third, some live yards away, and Wilkes last. The time was smin 28 3-ssee, which easily eclipses that put up by Bcaurcpairo in the last Australasian championship, when the Victorian's time extended well into the thirties. When touring last year Ueaurepairo put up smin 33 3-ssec In the salt water championship of England, smm sßse.c in a scratch race at Hat-up, and smin 42sec in a scratch race against It. Taylor at Bolton. These times are all much slower than that recorded by Healy yesterday, but the unfavourable English conditions must be ■i alien into consideration. Nevertheless, , 'Bogey' will need to look to his laurels ion. January lUtu, when' ho and Hoaly clash. Healy will also be greatly favoured by the long laps of the Domain ' Baths."

In a test race over 1320 yards Healy easily eclipsed Bcaurcpairo'a figures of 18m in 4soe by covering the distanco in l'.'inin Bsec. lie used the crawl stroko aiwl put up a .remarkably even swim, his times being: 220yds, 2min 44see; 440 yds, Sniih iosee; BCOvds, Bmin 47sec; BSO yds. llmin 49sec; 1100yds, llmin 52sec; 1320yds, 17min 48see. Healy on leaving the water was loudly applauded. JOTTINGS. The all-absorbing topic at the local baths for tho past week has been the forthcoming contest for tine Walker and Hall cap, and interest is rapidly growing as the carnival of the Swifts Club d raves nearer. The three big clubs— Wellington. Swifts and Thorndon —are out in real earnest, and if present indications' are reliable the contest should bo tho finest 'inter-club event yet seen in Now (Zealand. The names of those to represent the clubs named have not yet been indefinitely announced, but all tho prospective members, are training assiduously, and the tarns that face the startetr a fortnight hence will he composed 'of the very best that Wellington can 1 ! produce, and each man will bo trained! to tho top of his form. Whichever .'team wjns will do so only by a very temall margin, and tho successful club-is exceedingly hard to pick. There is soma talk of R. Eonayno swimming for the Thorndon Club, and in this case, the writer' regards their chances as cVcidedly rosy. The Swifts represen'ativos will take .a lot of beatins. for men of tho calibre of Preyberg. E. E. Jenkineton and G. Patcrson are not to be regarded lightly. The Wellington Club's team is the most open of the lot, and it is. quite impossible at this early stage to say who will represent this body. .Quite a dozen swimmers are training with a view to getting into the team, and tho test race should be interesting, and . the team that takes the board a very solid pack. The Swifts Club has starred, the event, and is offering handsome trophies to the members of the winning team. It is particularly lucky in tho first control of an event that promises to become classic in the history of-local swimming. H. M. Mullins, the popular Wellington Club swimmer, has been putting up some rather startling performances of late. He is stated to have covered 100yds one day during tho past week in- the smart time of 72sec, and. to have dead-heated with E. E. Jenkinson,. the speedy Swifts swimmer. When ' the disabilities under w-hich Mullins swims are taken into consideration, this performance is particularly meritorious, and marks this swimmer as one of the best, and one who may be expected before long to get down into the "sixties." C. Brice, of the Thorndon Club, is reported to bo swimming very well at the present time, and is stated to have left 100yds behind in 66sec a few days .ago. : If this is correct _he will be of material assistance to his qlnb in the forthcoming contest for the Walker and Hall cup.

Apparently tho water polo team to visit Masterton this year will not have the same easy "walk over" as it experienced on the occasion of its last Visit. According to .thie secretary of the Wairarapa Club, the game is talcing on well, and a great improvement in form should be apsareut this year. Little has been heard of the Wellington Centre of tne Royal Life-Saving Society during the past few weeks, but the chairman, Mr G. S. Hill, assured the writer that it is very, much alive. The classes for land drill, .resuscitation, etc., are not being-patronised, as well as could be desired, but affairs are, on the whole, highly satisfactory. At the class on Friday, of last week, one of tho most studious and apt pupils was the centre's chairman, who is of opinion that a man, should, know as much as possible of the art in the control and encouragement of which ho takes such a prominent part, as does Mr Hill.

W. G. Morpeth, hon. treasurer of the Wellington Club, and hon. secretary and treasurer of the local centre of the Royal Life-Saving Society, has developed a crawl, which, however, is not expected to result seriously. He told the writer in confidence the other night that the crawl is of a particular kind, of his own invention, and that ho intended taking out a provisional patent forthwith. He may be looked to do something startling when ho has developed this stroke, and is talking in whispers of showing our Healys and Preybergs tho way over any distance from 50yds to a mile. As a test of the efficacy of tho stroko'it is understood that a match over a hundred yards is to be fixed up with "Barney" Wilson, who will use his well-known "aeroplane" stroke, and a careful note of Mr Morpeth's style and time will bo made. It is believed by many who. have already seen Mr Morpeth use the stroke that he is on the verge of a great discovery.

Tho invincible Wickham is making mu.-o world's records— this time in the breast-stroke division. A 100yds test race was held in Sydney on January ;;h,*regarding which a Sydney paper says: 'Only three, men started in the 100yds breast-stroke test, Harrv .Sm>U (champion of N.S.W.). Alic Wickham, and L. McCarthy. An excellent start was effected, bat "when the swimmers came to the surface Wickham immediately plunge*! in the lead. He swam at ua astonishing pice, and when 50 yards had been covered he had about tfiree varus to the nod ?rom Snell. who lead McCarthy by about ift. The Rose Bay man easily maintained his lead. a.nd eventnally won ; in world's record time—lmin 17 L'-asec. The previons world's best is lmin 17 3-ssec,

held by an American, while the Australasian record stood to the credit of the New Zealander, C. Atkinson, who recently covered the distance in limn 18 sec."

The Wellington Club decided the final of its 100yds breast-stroke handicap at To Aro Baths last evening, with the following results:—W. Wilson 1, H. Lees 2, H. Levestam 3. Time, OSsec.