SWIMMING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22822, 5 March 1936, Page 4

SWIMMING

By Neptuhe.

FIXTURES March 7. —Cromwell Club’s carnival. March 7. —Kaikorai Club’s Harbour Race. March 7. —Ravensbourne regatta. March 14. —Lawrence Club’s opening carnival. March 25. —Kiwi Club's intermediate and junior carnival. Club Hours.—Mondays (8,45-9.45 p.m.), St. Clair and St. Kilda; Tuesdays (6-7) and Thursdays (8.45-9.45), Kiwi; Wednesdays and Fridays (8.45 to 9.45), Dunedin; Saturdays (8.45-9.4s),Kaikorai; Tuesdays (8.45-9.45), centre’s polo hour. All club hours mentioned above are at the Municipal Baths, Zenith Club hours nightly at the Y.M.C.A. Baths except Fridays. RAVENSBOURNE REGATTA One of the most enjoyable open-water swimming fixtures of the year, is that held in conjunction with the Ravensbourne Regatta Club’s annual regatta, and particular interest attaches to it by the fact that included in the programme is the 200 Yards Relay Race for the Challenge Cup given by the club. The regatta will be held on Saturday, and given fine weather it is expected that there will be a large entry forward from local swimmers who are not going further afield. The following is the programme:—100 Yards Intcrclub Handicap, 50 Yards Junior Handicap, 200 Yards Challenge Cup Relay Race, 50 Yards Ladies’ Handicap, 50 Yards Men's Handicap Open Dive, and 50 Yards Local Boys’ and Girls’ Handicap. "ENCOURAGING COMMENT Following the return from Dunedin of the Auckland representative swimming team, the New Zealand Herald published the following comment: — " The swimmers who represented Auckland at the New Zealand senior championship meeting in Dunedin returned to Auckland disappointed that they had not retained the Yaldhurst Shield, but satisfied that they had exerted their best efforts. They were highly impressed by the efficiency with which the meeting was conducted by the Otago Centre of the Now Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. The hospitality accorded the team was overwhelming, everything possible being done for its entertainment. All visitors,, -whether competitors or not, were regarded as the guests of the Otago Centre, which was assisted by other enthusiasts and various firms, with the result that the championships were considered the most enjoyable yet held. In appreciation of the work .of Mr E. C. Isaacs, secretary of the Otago Centre, the Auckland team presented him with a barometer at the prize-giving function." Coming, as it does, from a- team of sportsmen, who were a credit to their province and their centre, both in and out of the water, comment of this nature is distinctly encouraging to the officials of the centre, as well aa to the supporters of swimming who did what they could to make the stay of the visitors a pleasant one. - COUNTRY CARNIVALS Although the season is wearing on, there is still a good deal of activity' among the clubs., and particularly is this noticeable in the coufttry districts. During tire present month, for instance, no fewer than three carnivals are to be staged in the outlying districts, and already strong teams of swimmers have been chosen from among Dunedin’s-best to assist at these meetings. On March 21 the Cromwell Club will.hold a carnival, which, should the clerk of the ■■ weather be kind, will prove an unqualified success. The difficult problem' of transport—always the drawback in getting a. team away to a country town —appears in this instance to have been solved, as several of the ever-faithful have rallied round with their cars, and this should ensure that Cromwell will see a good few of the champions in action. On Saturday week an event of more than usual importance to swimming in Otago—the official opening of the new baths at Lawrence—will 'take place, and it is to be hoped that on this cocasion there will be a good attendance of swimmers from Dunedin. The new pool has been in use for some time, and, in a sunny district like Lawrence, it goes without saying that the patronage accorded it has fully justified the optimism of the band of enthusiasts who were responsible for successfully financing the project. In a very short time something like £6OO was raised among the townsfolk of Lawrence, and this, with a subsidy from the Unemployment Board, assured the district of a baths aa up to date as.can be found in any of the country districts in Otago. It would appear that a town which can display such enterprise with regard to a new baths can also raise a strong membership for n club, and it should not he long, therefore, before the number of active swimmers affiliated to the centre is considerably swelled. This is all to the good, for if the centre’s aim in encouraging swimming in the country districts is to be realised this can be brought about only by the provision of adequate facilities for learning to swim in the smaller towns. Lawrence has given a valuable lead in this respect, and it remains for the centre to give every assistance it can to the outlying clubs which are desirous of enlisting as many members to their banners as possible. The Kiwi Club is doing its share to giving an impetus to swimming in the smaller towns by conducting a demonstration carnival at Middlemarch some time this month. Already the loan of several cars ■ has been promised, and it is anticipated that a bumper muster of local swimmers will make the trip.

RESUSCITATION IN OLDEN DAYS How different from our modern methods of resuscitation were those employed 100 years ago! _ A Miss Baldry, Royal Life Saving Society representative of Berkhamstead (Eng.), has discovered a most interesting book entitled “ Cottage Comforts.” published in 1834. and among its many cures and treatments is one for the apparently drowned. It suggests that the body, when taken from the water, should be. if one is near, taken into a public house, and the wet clothing removed. “ The body must thdn be thoroughly dried by vigorous rubbing with dry cloths, • then wrapped in a blanket. Having placed the body on a'bed or mattress made hot with a warming pan, rub it diligently with warm cloths or flannels, all over, but especially the belly, chest and limbs.” After this operation it is advised to place the body # in a warm bath of water, brewer’s grains, sand, ashes or nnv other warming material. While these operations are going on, the pipe of a pair of bellows should be applied to ope nostril, the other and the mouth to be tightly closed. “Now blow gently until the breast be a little raised, then let the mouth be left free and an easy pressure be made on the chest. This imitation of breathing should be kept up for as long as four hours if necessary. If bellows are not at hand, blow in the same manner with your breath through a quill, a reed, a small pipe, or a piece of stiff paper shaped like a small funnel. When breathing begins, touch the inside of the nostrils with a feather dipped in spirits of hartshorn or sharp mustard, or blow some pepper or snuff into them.” These methods would be somewhat hard to carry out on some of our beaches on big days when life-savers arc kept busy. BARSDELL CUP The St. Kilda Life Saving Club’s annual competition for four-men teams, which carries with it the Barsdell Cup, was held oh Sunday afternoon last at St. Kilda Beach. The judges were Mr D. Bannalyne and Mr A. Findlay. There wove four teams- competing. No. 2 team (Veil Williams, belt. G. 0. Wool ton, patient. A. M'Millan. lines, and William Galbraith, reel) winning the trophy with (55J points. At the conclusion of the event the judges congratulated the members on their fine display, and Mr

Bannatyne presented to P. Idonr a medal for the club’s most improved swimmer for the 1935-1936 season. Mr J. Haig was timekeeper and starter, and Mr J. Robinson marshall. - CLUB NOTES KAIKORAI. Tho Kaikorai Swimming Club held, a further series of events at its club session on Saturday night. The results were as follows:—100 Yards Junior Boys’ Freestyle Championship.—D. Laing 1, M. Monaghan 2, B. Fea 3. Won by five yards. Seven starters. - Diving Handicap.—Senior, 'men: A.. Hanna (5 points) 1, E. Sonntag (5 points) 2, D. Wejham (scr) 3. Intermediate boys; J. Turnbull (4 points) 1, D. Hanna (5 points) 2, J. Ness (scr) 3. Senior Men’s Long Plunge Handicap.— E. Sonntag (scr) 1, I. Turnbull (2ft) 2, O. H. Walker (2ft 6in) 3. Won by two inches. The 33 1-3 Yards Intermediate Girls Handicap was won by Miss E. Stephens,who had a swim-over in slow time. Junior Boys’ Handicap Cup Competition. —K. Foxton 1, G. Foxton 2. During the past month club activities have been confined largely to the Tepid Baths. The month, however, was a most eventful one from a learners’ point of view, and opportunity of witnessing*the. supremacy of 1 the Otago BwimmersVbver the best in the Dominion was aTreatwhich should give confidence and stimulate keen .interest for ■ many season!! to come. In the 100 Yards Boys’ .Championship it was early * apparent that D. Laing and M. Monaghan would be fighting out a good finish. Laing’s stroke. wag much rougher than usual, while Monaghan was displaying a vastly improved stroke. Laing, however, was the stronger of the two and finished very well. Fea was slow, but lias the ability to improve. Two new members, Ken Walker and Reg; Olsen, are natural swimmers and 6r e already quite speedy. An incoming tide' will favour competitors in the Harbour Race for the Styehe Cup on Saturday. The handicaps have already been published. A. Blair and K. Nelson are backmarkers who are capable of making up a lot of ground. Of the middle markers J. Ness and - E. Still should be capable of making the best of their handicaps. It is not generally anticipated that any of the lady swimmers will face the starter, but should any elect to do so it is quite on the cards that some _ unknown quantity may spring a surprise. ; .