World's Champion Swimmer in Wellington

NZ Truth, Issue 508, 13 March 1915, Page 12

World's Champion Swimmer m Wellington

— — ♦- — Somewhere about 2000 people crowded into Te Aro Baths last Saturday to see Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the world's fastest sprint swimmer, break more records and otherwise cavort m the "briny, but rain spoilt what promised to be an interesting swimming^ carnival. A > splendid programme of aquatic events had been arranged for the occasion "by the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, and notwithstanding, the wretched weather it was carried out fairly well, but cold and rain made it all very miserable. The Duke only made two appearances. After his first experience of the icy temperature of the water, he had had enough, but' m order to give spectators a little more for their money he underwent a second splash/* He was to have given . an exhibition of various aquatic feats, but he cut that out, ' Accompanying the Duke on his tour is George Cunha, another Hawaiian, but. a white fellow, being the son of a Portuguese. The Duke is as dark as a bronze statue and as perfect— a fine specimen of an' athlete, standing over six feet m height arid weighing 13 stone. George Cunha is smaller built altogether: "Truth's" Dunedin swimming scribe stated last' issue that Kahanamoku was a professional. But the Duke and Cunha are' amateurs, whose exponses are A being met by the various swimming centres under whose auspices they appear. , They don't 1 compete for "splosh," but for the pleasure of splash. . Their first swim was* m the 100 yds Invitation Handicap, which the Duke won m 07 1-osec. His 'lime for that distance m Sydney was \ 53 4-ssec, which, stands as the world's record. ,George Cunha, with a start of 2sec, got '. second place, arid tW New Zealand rep., A. McCarlie, with' Ilsec, came a bad last. Their second appearance was m/ the 50yds Invitation Handicap, which F. Roberts, with 6scc start, won by a touch- from the Duke (scr), and George Cunha (1 sec) close up. Both Kahanamoku, and Cunha have a style of swimming greatly different from the "crawl" so familiar m these waters. The famous "Kahanamoku Kick" is really, n6t a Kick but rather a quick oscillating movement by the feet operating near to each other, more like the method employed m sculling a boat at the sjiern when using one oar. No frog kick whatever. He makes ' hardly any splash with his feet, his disturbance of the water being* as the churn of a steamer's screw m a small way. His pedal (or is it paddle?) extremities from the ankle are as supple as rubber. Pie uses his arms overhead, somewhat as local swimmers do, but the action'is steady and powerful, and he kee^s his facb above water to see where he is going, which Is what the majority of swimmers can't do when In a hur.ry. George Cunha has practically .the same style as the champion, and he, too, can lick any swimmer m Australasian waters. The puke is 24 years of age, and has been record breaking for four years. He still appears capable of holding the world's championship for many more years, but a largo number of swimmers" are expecting Cunha, who has only been before the public a year, to beat Kahanamoku one of these fine days.