SWIMMING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20288, 22 December 1927, Page 4

SWIMMING.

By Naprnsß.

Although the names of the swimmers to represent the province at the championships next month have been announced, it does not necessarily stand to reason tnat this selection is final. The Selection Committee had no other alternative but to pick the team on the form shown at the Otago championships, and as a number of likelv swimmers were prevented from competing by illness, these still have the right to challenge any of the selected swimmers through the centre secretary. It is quite probable that some of the swimmers who were shut out will avail themselves of this privilege. Further, apart altogether from the official selection, any swimmer may enter individually or by his or her club. Altogether, there is nothing at which to cavil in the team as it stands, but there undoubtedly are others with good claims to inclusion. ' Two competitors only—R. Calder (New Zealand men’s diving champion) and Miss K. Miller (holder of the 220 and 440 Yards ladies’ national titles) will defend their titles, and personally, the writer has no fear of their not doing so. Miss M. Jepson will also contest the 220 and 440 Yards Championships, as well as her pet distance, the 100 Yards. As she is swimming at present she should extend any of her opponents to the utmost. Geddes, the representative in the junior boys’ events, is a likely title winner, and O. Holland should give a good account of himself in the intermediate boys’ championships.

WELLINGTON POSSIBILITIES. According to “ Header,” of the Evening Post, Wellington is well off for sprint swimmers this season. Commenting on several of the more outstanding, he writes as follows:—‘ In one respect the local district has an advantage over others, and that is in regard to the standard of its men competitive swimmers. With RixTrott, Claridge, H. Watson, M'Hardy, Murrell, Leask, J. and W. Cameron, A. Watson, Pelham, Blakely, and others, there is material enough to provide h ■ class racing superior to that of any other centre. Probably all of the above can break 62seo for the 100 yards, and when in top form the majority will reach the minute mark; some perhaps even bettering that. There are other sprinters, too, who are very smart over a short distance, and if these latter would train for a longer sprint there is little doubt that competition would be more spirited than ever.”

NEW BACKSTROKE RECORD. By establishing a new fresh water record of Imin 56see for the 150yd9 backstroke at the Christchurch Tepid Baths recently, L. J. Moorhouse, of the United Club, demonstrated his fitness and ability. This has left the previous holder, L. Fairgray, of Auckland, 4-ssec to catch up, and it is questionable whether he can do it, though when he made his record in 1925 he was not greatly pressed. This is the first record to be made since the New Zealand Swimming Council’s decision to list the best performances in both salt and fresh water. Though C. Herd has been provisionally selected to represent Canterbury in this event at the Dominion championships in January, in view of his past two performances hie nomination is open to challenge, and this is where Moorhouse will step in.

SYDNEY GIRL’S GOOD SWIM. At the Manly Baths, Sydney, recently, Ettie Robertson retained her title in the 220 Yards State Championship, winning from J. Sherdow, of Manly, by about four yards. Her time, 3min 32 4-ssec, was a record. It was 2sec better than her previous record time. LINDSAY IN FORM. H- P- Lindsay struck good form in the 100 Yards swimming event at the Tepid Baths recently (says the Christchurch if ’ j A ho . u S h he was not officially clocked, it is stated by one man who held the watch on him that hia time was o 0 j|-ssec, while another puis it at 60 3-5 sec. HEATS ELIMINATED. An innovation which met with the apProval of swimmers at a Wellington Clubs gala recently was the elimination ot heats, every event being a straight-out contest, with a trophy to the winner, so that competitors would not have to wait about for semi-finals and finals.

A SPEEDY INTERMEDIATE. _p am^’ o p. an intermediate boy, the Thorndon Club apparently has a young swimmer with a future ahead of him V l 2u ne 2-V n ® on two of his performances at the Thorndon (Wellington) Club’s open .ng carnival. recently, “ Header ” writes 12 ■S vc 5 ln ?T P 0 , 3 .1-11 Swimming in the ■ t! 3 o c ards Handicap, he won hi; heat m 36 2-Sseo, and in the final clipped a fifth of a second off that time The standard handicap time for this distance i s 36sec, and considering that hi? performance wag in fresh water, it goes to show that ho is swimming in great style. if there is an intermediate competing at the national championships likely to head Cameron off over 100 yards he will have to move—ho certainly will not be drifting.”

UP-TO-DATE SCHOOL BATHS. According to an exchange the new swimming baths at St. Cuthbert’s College. Auckland, are an addition to the school of which the scholars may well bo proud. The pool is the best of its kind associated with any school in the Dominion, the length being 65ft and the depth varying from 3ft to Bft. It was the intention of the directors of the college to provide a bath but through the generosity of two shareholders, who subscribed £6OOO for the purpose, it was possible to have the proposal carried into effect on a much more extensive scale, including a plant for filtering, aerating, chlorinating, and heating, hy which a continuous circulation of water can bo maintained.

ACTIVITY IN NELSON. Now that new swimming baths have been erected in Nelson, tho sport is coming into its own again in that town, and already the Nelson Club has been revived. An application for affiliation has been made to the local centre, and when the for malities have been complied with, this wiil be granted. It is a far cry back to the time when the national championships wcr e held there—l9o6 to be exact—and that occasion will bo remembered by the great performances of Tiny Freyberg, who won all the freo-stylo events with tho exception of the 220 Yards.