RECORDS BROKEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12076, 2 March 1925, Page 11

RECORDS BROKEN

SWIMMING FINALS MEMORABLE SCENES AT CHAMGATHERING. PELHAM'S SUCCESS. (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”)' CHRISTCHURCH, February 27. A rather _ dull week of: swimming, most of which was hardly up to eat-, pected form, concluded ip-night- at'the: final carnival, when- records, were sent in all directions and racing of the best'gave 'the Christchurch spectators a touch ?of. what is to be seen when the; swimmers are competing up to standard.-- Four records ,were bro Ken during the; evening- In the -final of the 440 yards, the New Zealahdrfecord was decisively smashed by 6 l-6sec. by R. Pelham, a young Maori from Auck-> land, who has come to the national,’ gathering for the first time. Through-! out: the championships Pelham had; shown that to - crack a record in the near future was going to be a matter of course. In the 400 yards event 1 during the -week he was clocked as doing smin Bsec, and speculators picked him as the new; record holder for tlie 440 yards. • The race Was not swum' at such'a white heat as was the great, 100 yards, nor was it one that/had the crowd on’its feet from start to finish. Nevertheless, for those who could appreciate a middle-distance race- it was a memorable performance." From the moment he struck the water to-night, Pelham gained oyer Enwright.; who had got a great start. From then on he began to leave field, and at the -100 yards, which was covered in 66seoj he was about-five yards, ahead of his Auokland stabiemate. The other starters were E. V. - Gunnold (Auckland) , D. P. Lindsay (South Canterbury), and N. S. Batohelor (Canterbury), but not one, not even Enwright, had a say in the matter- Batchelor Was last from .stai;t to finish, while G.'AtiipsoU, . the, present title-holder, "was not a . starter. . * AN "UNORTHODOX STROKE. ~- Pelham’s stroke ’is tpost unorthodox,and' it 'ia" remarkable that he should attain puch a turn of speed. , The action :Of his left arm in particular » most* erratic, but at each stroke he glides through-the water at a pace no -previous champion has ever made. If). -Wsafe tos predict he will smash records-; right and left when he gains more-experience, if he cohtinues to improve. Pfelham’s lead, increased each lap, although it was slow. At, the 200 mark he had about 10 yards to the good, having slipped oyer the. die, tance in !n?in 24, 4-osec. None could have caught-him.-over the last threp laps, and finishing IS yar^s. ahead of Enwright, the crowd cheered under the certain impression that- the record ii&d been bettered. If pushed, Pelham could have done even better,, WOMEN SWIMMERS. ~ The only'three starter* ,ih -the, 440 yards ladies’ championship were - led, practically all the way by the - Auckland girl, Piri Page. Her time was well within the. standard,, and a good pace was maintained, Page ’showing unquestionble evidence of .Ja.ck- EnWright’s tuition. She- swam evenly andat a formidable speed. Stockley kept on her heels yards, but then dropped bßpk, : until. sheKtauched -about 2& yards behind Tjage,.," ipisher ‘to -many yards away, but stuck to her task- ■’ A,,great tussle took; -placdY' -between Boulton for the, title . -of yaVds breaststroke championship, | aiid- 'until the 1 -final ten yards the winner could not make any impression-| on a keen rival in Boulton. These, were the only two in the picture, and they had the crowd worked up long i before the,finish. • . • I The four starters in the 220 Yards ] Ladies’ Breaststroke Cham]>ionship were all instrumental in breaking the New Zealand record-of ,3min .65 l-ssec, established by Li Freedman- last year. -<Tbe ’first girl, G. Pigeon, out off ; 7 . "kecs’ and not more than two feet separated her from Y.« .Better (Otago), vfho was last. The-> race was a great? -tussle -from start , to, finish, .and for fiveildpsjftrst one then another,Of the -tfiree placed starters /would obtain a ttead- of,-not more than , inches' at a 4-jye Pigeon had all moving at 300 jya’rds, but ,the pace was mainly due to •Hannan, who with; a long, easy stroke i had an advantage over one or two,l earlier laps. With 1 66 2-3 yards to- go. the four were practically level, Pigeon i showing a slight lead at the last 40 yards. Pigeon could not shake off her opponents, and touched in with inches to spare amid- deafening ; applause. I Again a newcomer in Pigeon has l immediately jumped into prominence, i This 1 is her first competitive 220 in her ilife, and sh^, only ( swam, over the dis[‘t'ance in a test in-Auckland a week or -so before she came*'to. Chrjs-tchuch. [ PLUNGE RECORD BROKEN.- : i- Auckland annexed the 160 - yards backstroke championship, andincidentally its representative, Fairgray, showed contempt -for the recent recotd of liriin 67 3-58eo by ,lowering it by 4-ssec. This was really expected, as he has . been putting- np great times in this event in Auckland recently. Stockley, also of Auskland, led over the first 66 2-3 yards, and paced Moorhonse and Fairgray in excellent„ style. The first; 100 was reached first by Fairgray ini 70 7-106ec: From then on be led, although by a Blight margin, which finally was increased, he -finishing about five yards ahead of - Moorhouse. Although in a club -handicap event, -Garlvle Atkinson was- credited with another New Zealand record for his long plunge of 65 feet-3 inches. The result was quite a surprise, but nevertheless added'further to the list of 1 broken records. Atkinson’B plunge was four inches better, than the previous record. The final stage of the men’s diving saw W. , Hicks (Wellington) _ placed third. Hicks, who dived well in the first l stage, was unfortunate to-night, and . just missed his finishing touch in both voluntary dives. The best time over 100 yards for the whole of the championships, was recorded .by Dawsett,, of Wanganui,- who was olooked as doing 60 3-6seo, New Zealand. The title was won by Adam- - son (Auckland) -in 61 2-ssec. Dowsett ■ was swimming particularly well, and 1 shows promise of becoming a -Dominion top-notcher.

ENWRICHT WINB KELLERMAN CUP

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, March a. Seventeen-competitors started ir 'Ve Annette Kellerinan Cup race of three miles, which wa»: held in the inner har 7 hpttr at Lyttelton. The. following were scratched: —E. V,' Cunnold (Auckland) •’ D. Pelham (Auckland), H. D. Hawkint (Taranaki), C. Smith (Canterbury). F. G. Grant (TaranaiiV R. Sullivan (Canterbury), George Hill (Canterbury). The Weather conditions were ideal- at'the time the race started', there being prac-

r " , V;. tioally-no-wind.-and-there: jraafft-smepth surface' on the water.' 1 The ■ attendance was very-large, and three, hundred who arrived iW' Lyttdton biy special train, shortly after the start of the race. • A" cool, - light north-east wind sprang up, but did not interfere with the raring. The race resulted as follows, the best times, being given;—J- Enwright (Auckland), 1 hour 24min 56 4-5 seo, -1; H. Rich (Canterbury), lhour ,35 min 36"4-ssec, 2; I>. Lindsay (Canterbury), 1 hotiT :29min 49 - 2-ssec, 3; D. Hill (Canterbury), 1-hour 26min Ssee, '4. Enwright made the fastest time, and Hill the second- fastest.

THE BIG SWIM SEEN, FROM THE LAUNCH. (By “Times” ; Special Reporter.) Perhaps it was ,in, fear of Auckland having, at least one loss at the, championship meeting that induced; Bnwright to r make such a' pace throughout the Cup event, but whatever was the reason the fa'ct remains that. the northerner’s record in. swimming was kept as clear as' it was on the night Uf the opening cafniyal a week previously. Enwright gave, the second man, 81 min* utes by way of-a start, . While Hill, who swam, into fourth gave the winner 4i minutes. Lindsay,, third, left,with/ Enwright. .Out- of - a -field numbering almost 20 jifter half a dozen had scratched only six were, both- starters and finishers. : ■ ... , It is to the credit-of:‘the Wellington men that both finished out theidistande, and even-had others .continued to make for the three mile mark it-is hot-likely they would have been-beaten for .the places -they actually gained. Morpeth, the veteran of every cup-, race, kept-up a pace throughout which was' steady, ana the last.two laps,-each of 27 .minutes odd. onlv differed .by-one second, from the first If miles by about one minute. Blakeney, the Worser Bay swimmer, swam a slightly faster pace, each lap of three-quarter mile being completed .in 25 minutes odd.

Early in,,,the afternoon conditions were ideal, although competitors complained somewhat, of., the cold. Towards, the end A north-easterly breeze did-not make raring- uncomfortable, although it was accountable, for a choppy surface! Enwright proved that sprint events are not separated from distance races by such a. .marked line as is generally believed, for his stroke was kept at. a, Uniform paoe the whole race. He used judgment ip his work from start to finish, and while out: to make/the fastest time, he also kept a good-watch on theothers! with the result that he knew their capabilities; and made. up.leeway accordingly.- At one stage he was almost half a mile.’- behind- the leading -mad, Morpeth, who was on the limit with 22 minutes. j The day was somewhat a triumph for the eld rimers, as Enwright is an old hand, while Rich, who; was second, has fewer hairs on Jiis head than when-he swam his - first race, Lindsay, however, is a hoy Horn South Canterbury, who showed stamina of a serviceable kind: while.Morpeth, fifth, left the hoard in cliib rpoeq here for many a season. 1

FROM START TO FINISH. Enwright’s chances did not look good • when he with Lindsay. and the two swam together for a little over- a lap. When Morpeth was at If miles Bn-, wright and Lindsay were together at. the 1} mile mark. The Wellington man was- holding a lead of about 800 yards from Rich, who -was followed by Priest • and Blakeney. Enwright, however, gain-; ed a lead over. Lindsay; who coul<T not; pull him back.. The Aucklander's second round was his. fastest, and from then, .on 1 he commenced to go up, and at the end of three laps he was only about 30 yards, behind Morpeth. Leaving for the! last found Bnfrnghbv gained , still fur*' then, and with qDaut (50--yards of the last lap done passed Rich, who had left Morpeth in the rear. The’field, now re- 1 duoed to six'finishers, waß not separated by much. .Enwright at,once set out’ to make a lead which was gradually, increased-- Rich later gave, place to Lindsay, .and then again to Hill, who left Blaekriey near. the beginning of the; laatlapto assume • fourth,- place, which' he held -to the end. -These places did net change, and although Enwright was! not pushed he kept up a/good pace. Following are the finishing times for each of the four laper—Enwright 21 min, 20min- 55seo,' 21mio lOsec, 21min 44sec{ Rich 23min 40lsec, 28min 40sec, 24min 30sec,. 25min, 34seo; Lindsay .21 min.'26sec,: 21min■ 24sec, 22min‘46sec, 24min 2sec; Hill 20min 50eec, 20min 38sec, 21min' 38Sec. '22mm '39sec; Morpeth 26min 52sec, 26min 13sec, 27min -Bsec, ,27min iSfiseo; Blakeney 25min 26 see, 25min 7sec. 25min-37sec. 2bmm 63 sec. - - ■

Enwright secured the fastest time, the aggregates being;—

Enwright 84min 55 4-ssec Hill ........................ 86miri 9sec Lindsays 89min 49- 2-Esec Rich ■- 95min 36 4-ssec Blakeney ......... 102 min llsec - - Morpeth -108 min 20 1-ssec