SWIMMING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 5

SWIMMING.

By Neptune. The St. Clair Club’s carnival, despite the fact that the attendance was somewhat disappointing, was a distinct success, but the programme was not swum oft' with the despatch to which the Dunedin public has become accustomed. There were too many unnecessary delays, and the meeting 'did not conclude until 10.15, when it could caily have been finished half an hour earlier. The swimming, however, was worth seeing, and the performances of some of the competitors gave a valuable line on their form for the championship meeting.

W. Cameron, the Wellington intermediate, was undoubtedly the star attraction ol the evening, and he is undoubtedly al' that has been said of him. In his heat of the 50 Yards Men’s Handicap, be fouled the rope lanes (to which he did not appear accustomed) several times, and lost a fair amount of ground. In the final, however, he made no mistake and gained the vcrdici by a touch. His time over the distance--24 l-ssec —would indicate that he is a swimmer distinctly above the ordinary, and that Dunedin water is not so slow as wo have been led to believe. I should like to , have seen him over 100 yards, but in any case, on Tuesday night’s form, it would not take a Snerlock Holmes to pick (he winner of the ICO Yards Inter mediate Men’s race.

If Roy Calder would give the time to swimming that he now gives to diving, there are few swimmers in Dunedin who would be capable of extending him ove • 50vds or ICOyds. Miss K. Miller's swim in the 66 2-5 Taids Ladies' Handicap was a great_effort. She was conceding 13sec to the limit girl, Miss C. Lang, but she swam like the champion she is over the second lap, ana touched level with Miss Lang, who _'ed practically all the way. The latter swimmer has come on wonderfully in the past few weeks, and appears to have more than a good chance in the junior girls’ events at the championship meeting. The Interclub Relay Race for the Olds Shield was the titbit of the evening. At no time was there more than a couple of yards between the Kiwi and St. Clair swimmers, and the final men of these tvto teams, Bailey and Simpson, taking over almost simultaneously, had a great go over the final lap. Simpson just got the ver diet for his club. It is a pity C. B. Lewis is not in the breast-stroke events in the championships. His swim in the 100 Yards Handicap on Tuesday night showed that he is anything but a back number, and his time—Bosec—was distinctly good. _ . Bailey Trent like a champion in his boat of the' ICO Yards Handicap, but faded awav in the final.

CHAMPIONSHIP FORM REVIEWED. A far-seeng executive and a of energetic sub-committees have at _ last finalised arrangements for the national swimming championships, _ and Saturday afternoon will see the initial session of quite the biggest and most important amintic carnival which has ever been held hero. , Naturally, the burning question of the moment among swimmers throughout the Dominion, is the ultimate destination of the Yaldhurst Shield. One may. perhaps. be a little previous in predicting at the moment, but now that the entries are out, I should hazard the opinion that Canterbury’s chances of taking the trophy are particularly rosy. Lindsay, of course, will be a tower of strength to the province, and I cannot see anything to extend him in the Furlong, Quarter, and Half and Mile Races. He is also a possibility for the 100, although I should say Dowsett (Wanganui), or Watson (Auckland) should fight for premier honours in this event. . On account of the absence of Baird and Bridson, the Auckland team _is a fairly weak combination* and it is almost a certainty that the northern province will not retain the shield._ Fairgray. the province’s representative in the ISO'Yards Backstroke Championship, may be a winner, but it should be remembered that at the past three championship meetings, he swam against weak opposition, and had more or less easy wins. This year L. J. Moorhouse (Canterbury) will have to be reckoned with, and in view of his recent performances he looks a likely winner who should be to the fore in the 100 Yards Championship. He has been swimming exceptionally well of late, but it is doubtful whether he has the experience to get a place here. In N. K. Sylow, a comparative newcomer to competitive swimming, is Auckland’s hope in the 220 Yards Breaststroke Championship, but although he is credited with having swum the distance in 3min 9 2-ssec, what he is actually capable of has yet to be proved. In E. C. Heard, of Canterbury, he will meet the finest breaststroke exponent seen in New Zealand, and it ip doubtiul if the Aucklander can take the champion s title away from him. One of Otago s representatives, Harrod, Affleck, Clark, and Pithie may ill a place, but on their recent performances I doubt if any of them is up to championship standard. Now for the ladies. A quintet of champions is entered for the 100, and the race should be close and exciting. The local hopes, Misses M. Jepson and K. Miller, are at the top of their form, and the former looks like getting a place. The other three competitors are all from Auckland. Miss D. Magee, the province s first choice, has been swimming wonderfully well of late, and only recently, she covered the distance in the Auckland tepid baths in 67 2-ssec. On the last occasion on which the championships were held at Dunedin, Miss G. Shand s time when she took the title was 69sec, and Miss Magee should equal this. Miss Stocklev has held the Dominion title tor three years, and is credited with the New Zealand record of 65 2-ssec, registered in Auckland in 1925. She appears to have gone back somewhat _ of late, however, nevertheless her experience in open championship swimming may stand her in B °lCe St result of the Furlong and the 440 Yards would appear to be a foregone conclusion, and it is doubtful whether ani of the entrants will worry the title holder. Miss K. Miller. Miss _ Jepson will certainly keep her swimming, but I hardly think the titles will change hands, ihe times of Auckland's first choice over the distances recently, 3.2 and 6.31 o-o respectively, are hardly good enough to win Dominion titles. The 220 yards breaststroke championship has brought forward several tried performers in Misses Pidgeon (Auckland. the present record holder), D. Breward (Canterbury), and V. Scotten Miss Breward holds the fresh water record or 3.40, but Miss Pidgeon has defeated this lady on her own ground, io to speak, at Christchurch, and seems capable of doing it again. Among the younger fry, Auckland has an intermediate girl who is certainly among the first flight of lady swimmers in the Dominion to-day. In tests recently she registered 2.52 2-5 for the furlong, thus reducing Miss K. Miller’s intermediate record of 2.57 3-5 by 5 l-ssec. She should be an easy winner here both in the 100 and 220 yards championships. O. Holland and T. Harland are possibilities for the 220 yards intermediate boys championship. Both these lads are swimming well, but Harland has not been in the best of health lately, and may not be at the top of his form. W. Cameron, of Wellington, would appear, in view of his recent performances, to have the 100 yards title in his pocket. The junior girls’ events should create a good deal of interest, and here again the local competitors, C. Lang and D. Murdoch, should have a chance, although M. Smith, Auckland’s representative in the junior division, has recent swims of 50 yards in 33 2-ssec and 100 yards in 80sec to her credit. It is worth noting that the first of these times is only 1 3-sscc outside the New Zealand record. The men’s diving titles should go to Ota<-o. In this connection the remarks of °a northern writer are interesting: ! —“ The diving titles,” he writes, “ should go to Otago—the home of diving in New Zealand. Auckland ras no entrants in the diving titles, which is probably just as well, as some of them would break their necks if they attempted to do the tricks which are done by divers in Dunedin.” So, that is that.

One local junior boy at least should give a good account of himself. That is Keg. Geddes. This lad is swimming better than ever, and he has ail the heart in the world. Of his opponents, with the exception of C. Goughian, the Dunedin boy, 1 know nothing, but whoever beats him will have to swim well. On his present form, he should also be in line for the junior dive.

Summing up, it iooks as if Canterbury will gather the major points in the 220 and 440 yards and half-mile and mile. RixTrott and Pelham (Wellington) anti Stokes (Canterbury) should also be in the picture in other events. In the ladies' events, the 100 yards should go _to Miss Magee o Miss Stock! ey, with Miss Jepepn as runner-

up. lu the 220yds and 440yds the placings will probably be Miss Miller, Miss Jepson (Otago), and Miss D. Grant (Auek land). In- the Kellerman Cup contest anything may happen. The cold water of Otago Harbour may upset some of the northern competitors, but. providing he does not strike the fate of most champions and be handicapped out of the race. D. P. f.ind' say should come near winning, with (J, J. E. M'Loau as a possible runner-up.