SWIMMING

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11737, 26 January 1924, Page 12

SWIMMING

SEASON’S FIXTURES JANUARY. 26th, 27th, and Feb. Ist. —New Zealand Championships, at Wanganui. FEBRUARY. 2nd (about).—Wellington Club Carnival 3rd.—Sanderson Cup Contest, Paekakariki. 16th (about). —Olympia Club Carnival. 23rd (about). —Carterton and Greytown Carnival. 27fch. —Schools Challenge Shield, Te Aro Baths. MARCH. Ist and 2nd.—Otaki Shield. Bth (about) —Wellington Club Carnival. 16th.—Island Bay Novice Cup. Evans Bay and Institute Ladies’ Club's Carnival dates to be arranged; -■lso that for Dewar Shield for secondary schools comijjßtition. To-day a commencement is to bo made with the New Zealand championships at Wanganui, and from this date on until well on into the month of March, swimming circles will be busy disposing of what carnivals are left for th© season. The swimming year is well advanced now, and it is time all were “on their mettle,” so tc speak. Those who are unable to journey to Wanganui will have to be content this week with what is sent over the wire, and as predictions are av any time both uncertain and very often unsatisfactory, we will trust te our small band of picked men and ladies doing their best for their centre. One thing is certain, and that is that despite the paucity of the numbers of our representatives at the meeting, wo will not fail to make our presence felt. Canterbury have sent 70 of tlieir swimmers, whilst Auckland’s team numbers 40 to 60, to say nothing of the numbers from other centres. THE SANDERSON CUP. The Sanderson Oup contest for lifesaving teams, to he held at Paekakariki on February 3rd, will prove a great turn out. This contest has never one© failed to provide not only a good day’s outing from a mere holidaymaker’s point of view, hut also a spectacular and interesting show for an enthusiast. The local club promises all who venture out o good day on the beach. Th© competition itself will prove of great interest, as it is probable that two teams from Canterbury will be making a bid for the prize With such competition as this it will be interesting to see how our own clubs will shape. CARNIVAL LARKS. Life-saving run-outs at Wbrser Bay on Anniversary Day wore of the best, but one unrehearsed event demonstrated that one is never too old to pull a drowning man out of the harbour. Not that the man was drowning, for the “patient” undoubtedly enjoyed the fun as much as did his rescuers. A little knot of old-timers, consisting of Messrs R. Smith, P. Ooira, A. Runsell, and A. Ross together with several of the “younger fry” of natatorial circles, who were at the time enjoying a quiet dip and a friendly criticism: of strokes good and bad amongst themselves, were suddenly disturbed by the advent into tlie briny of an old swimmer,. and well-known frequenter of Te Aro Baths. The fact that the unfortunate man (who by the way, had been pushed off the starting board clothes and all) did not make a reappearance for quite a while accounted Sot what uneasiness existed on land. Roars of laughter arose a minute later, however, when the dripping plunger slowly rose, resorted to his favourite pastime or floating, and then produced a small mirror from liis vest, and with the aid of a comb began to rearrange himself whilst serenely floating. The little knot of gallant bathers nearby now made their presence felt, for with “Mick” Russell in the belt of a nearby reel and his colleagues in team position, a run-out seldom seen took place The patient reached, he was carried back to shore in the approved style to be deposited on the beach in the centre of a huge crowd. An inpromptu demonstration of resuscitation was then given by the popular Ralph Smith, who brought forth peals of laughter on effecting a small wafceispout, apparently from the inner regions of a half-drowned man. The patient took his handling in good part, ard to top things off lie was returned to the water and there dumped, to make his dripping way out as best he was able. GATHERING OF CHAMPIONS. A veritable gathering of the flower

of New Zealand’s swimmers will be witnessed, by Wellingtonians on Saturday, February 2nd, when the Wellington Club will undoubtedly have to cater for a record attendance at Te Aro if .weather conditions are favourable. As one official has it, the meeting will resolve itself into a “replica of the New Zealand championships at Wanganui.” which being the case the racing will be worth seeing. If the New Zealand 100 yards record of 60lseo is not tampered ■with at Wanganui an attempt will he made to lower it at Wellington on the above date. MASSED DISPLAY AT BAY. The great massed display of lifesaving teams at Lyall Bay last Sunday remanded one of the (similar events promoted by Australian bodies and it may be safely said that the local showing was a highly commendable one. There was an attendance of from twelve to fifteen thousand people, which was treated to a march past and run out only to be seen by highly trained squadrons. The work of the four teams wao, according to the judge, Mr J. Duffy well up to standard. The judge remarked, however, that the march past was not as good as it might hare been. This was the result of the band refusing to go on the headh, and consequently the music was too far away. The spectacular effect was quite enough, however, to evoke applause from what is regrded as a record attendance. The public is seldom deceived nowadays is regarded as a record attendance, promoted by either our local swimming or life-saving olubs, and the demonstration under review is considered the best ever seen in New Zealand. A SUCCESSFUL CARNIVAL. The TVorser Bay Club held their annual carnival on Anniversary Day. The weather was perfect, and there was a crowd of over 5000 on the beach. Huge entries were received for all events, and some very good swimming was shown. The outstanding performances were; W. Henry, in the 100 yards; Albert Clarictge, in the 50 yards' breaststroke; and F. Mollier, in the 220 yards. In the life-saving, Worser Bay were successful in both the Wahler Oup and the marching competition. Island Bay entered for these contests, but did not put in an appearance. Clubs should try and assist the Royal Life-Saving Society in running these contests, ana remember that their appearance does a great deal towards the success of a competition. . The Officials had a hard time running the carnival, hut had tlie satisfaction of knowing that everything went off smoothly, and there was not a complaint all day. Tlie dance in the evening was a great success, and finished off «i pood day’s sport. To-day the club is disposing of a series of olub events, including the third distance of the Roiyntree Oup, the second distance of the Brodie Oup (100 yards), the third distance of the Atkins Oup (100 yards, junior boys), the second distance of the Polo Oup (jumpr girls), and a ladies’ race. THE HARBOUR RACE. Last Saturday’s two-mile harbour race provided an hour’s good entertainment for the crowd of several hundred which collected on the Queen’s wharf to view the race. The big event proved worth while waiting to see what little of it could aotually be viewed from the starting point, and the time that elapsed between the laps was shortened by some good diving on behalf of Wellington’s trio (Hicks, Nesbitt, and Griffin). The springboard, erected on a pile of cases thirty to forty feet high, was too jumpy for good diving, and literally “came up to meet” the diver as he left it. This was soon remedied by the ingenuity of Hicks, who mounted a hundred-foot platform on a crane, and from there, with his confreres, kept the crowd amused, if not instructed. Murrell’s performance in covering the two miles in just over an hour is worthy of high commendation, as also is the showing of Blakeney and Morpeth, to say nothing of Miss Imandt and the other three finishers. Murrell, it must be observed, swam a good course, which undoubtedly did a good deal towards giving him the race. At the second lap, he had tlie assistance of a noncompetitor, who swam with him, and appeared to be directing him over a good course. Had Blakeney swum as good a course, there appears little doubt as to who would have touched home first, for at the end of the

Queen’s wharf on the second circuit, Murrell led from him by a mere yard. Veteran Morpeth shattered once more the old idea That youth holds the upper hand over age, and several of those who dropped out should not feel too proud of themselves on seeing the performances of Messrs Morpeth and Russell, the latter of whom finished sixth. Mollier swam a good race with a powerful stroke, and merited his position. Miss Imandt also was fresh enough at the end to raise a laugh from the onlookers, and her performance in gaining fifth place shows that her prowess is not of the weakest. Murrell throughout swam a crawl stroke, which says something for his stamina, and in view of his performance, the Kellorman Cup should bo seriously thought of by him. TWO RECORDS BROKEN. Aucklanders have a way of cracking records berth frequently and thorough-

ly. Last week Miss Piri Page, in an attempt to lower the New Zealand ladies’ intermediate record for 75yd6, succeeded, and covered the distance in 50 3-ssec, which is 2sec under Miss Violet Walrond’s time. Leo. Kronfeld, swimming in the second distance of the Moss Baffin Cup, slipped over 100 yards in 59 3-ssec, which clips 2-osec off his previous record of GOsec held jointly by himself and the local swimmer, E. Paterson. This is the only time .the ICO yards has been swum iB Now Zealand by a Dominion swimmsf in loss than 60sec; but will not be cognised, as record conditions were not prevailing at the time, and tl# race was a handicap event. J. Enwright lately swam 50yds it 28 2-seec in fresh water, at Auckland, in a 25yds bath. Practically the same conditions will be ruling at Wanganui, so that we should hear more of Enwright at an early date, provided his form is retained.