SWIMMING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23006, 8 October 1936, Page 5

SWIMMING

By Neptune

FIXTURES Club Hours.—Mondays (8.45-9.45 p.m.), St. Clair and St. Kilda; Tuesdays (6-7) and Thursdays (8.45-9.45), Kiwi; Tuesdays (6-7). Thursdays (8.45-9.45), and Saturdays (6-7), Dunedin; Saturdays (8.45-9.45), Kaikorai; Tuesdays (8.45-9.45), centre's polo hour. All club hours mentioned above are at the Municipal Baths. Zenith Club hours nightly from 6.30 to 8.30 at the Y.M.C.A. Baths except Fridays. THE COMING SEASON The annual meeting of the Otago Centre on Monday evening next will usher in a season which should provide more than usual interest, not only for active swimmers, but also for those on the administrative side. First and .foremost, of course, will be the visit of the Australians, Fleming and Ryan, who, under the managership of the noted swimming authority, Mr Dudley Hellmrich, will make a tour of the South Island during November and December. At the time of writing the itinerary is more or less indefinite, due, largely, to the fact that several clubs and centres who promised to take appearances found themselves at the last minute unable to arrange for the necessary finance. It would be the worst of bad fortune if, by any chance, the tour could not eventuate, but should the expenses for the swimmers not be forthcoming, it is to be hoped that a strong effort will be made to bring Mr Hellmrich over. A visit from him in a coaching and advisory capacity would be well worth any trouble and expense the centre might incur. , The clubs have all held their annual meetings, and training and coaching activities at both the Municipal and Y.M.C.A. Baths are already in lull swing, an encouraging feature of all sessions being the large numbers of juveniles who are taking the water. All indications point to an unusually busy season, more especially as the scope of championship competition has been widened by the inclusion in the provincial and national title series of back-stroke and diving events for juniors and intermediates. As in past years, Otago will have a healthy crop of youngsters ready for competition by the time the opening carnival is held, but just at the moment indications point to the ranks of. the seniors being somewhat bare of first-class performers. So far as can be ascertained, the doughty young swimmer Sydney Jarvis, who graduated from intermediate ranks at the end of last season, will not be available as a senior this year, but it is good news to learh that his brother Walter will again be swimming. Of Jack O'Driscoll little has been heard, but it is to be hoped that the rumours of his not taking the water this year are unfounded. It is also understood that Miss Maxine Matheson will not be seen in competition this year, so that at one fell swoop Otago will probably lose," for a season at least, the services of three of its best seniors. G. P. CHAMBERS'S DEPARTURE The news that G. P. Chambers, the brilliant intermediate breaststroker, is to take up residence in Wellington at the end of the month has come as a distinctly unhappy surprise to followers of swimming in Otago. From the night, when, as Mr A. Greig's " dark horse," he swam away from his ueld in the junior boys* provincial championship, Chambers has shown progressive improvement until to-day he ranks as one of the most finished exponents of breaststroke i in the Dominion. Chambers has a junior national championship to his credit, as well as a New Zealand record, and," although just beaten at Hamilton in January for the intermediate boys' national title, his performance was such as to indicate that if he is able to compete next January he should make the champion move to retain his laurels. A first-class swimmer, a good club man, and a clean sportsman in and out of the water, Chambers has been an asset to the sport in Otago, and his fellow swimmers will miss him. - , CLUB FOR MOSGIEL The spread of swimming in Otago over the last five or six years has been phenomenal, and now a move has definitely taken shape for the formation of a club at Mosgiel, which will affiliate with the Otago Centre. When the baths become an accomplished fact it is hoped that the Otago Centre will be able to arrange for 100 swimmers to visit Mosgiel to give the new pool an opening worthy of it. CLUB NOTES KIWI The Kiwi Club has suffered some serious losses this season by the removal to the north of such good swimmers as Dan Shanahan and Bernard Lenihan, and now comes news of the transfer to Wellington of Geoff Chambers, who has not only shown himself to be one of the finest breaststroke swimmers the club has ever had, but also one of the most popular and unassuming members in the club. He has served on the committee for a couple of seasons, and although training hard for the New Zealand championships, was never too busy to lend the younger members a hand. He will be much missed. Activities are in full swing at the Tuesday and Saturday club hours from 6 to 7 p.m., and water polo and general training is also being carried out at the Thursday night hour from 8.45 to 9 45. ' A start is to be made with the handicap series competitions next Tuesday. Mrs E. Lang has presented two handsome cups, which will be competed for in the handicap series for boys under 10 and girls under 10, two further cups will be contested by boys under 12 and girls under 12 respectively, arid the club has awarded two cups, to be known as Vernon Smith Memorial Cups, for, competition for boys and girls under 14 respectively. Races in these divisions will be held during the Tuesday night club hours at regular intervals during the season, and even the inexperienced members are being encouraged to take part. Intermediate and senior handicap competitions are to be held on Thursday nights before the beginning of water polo practice. Peter Mathieson, the National Backstroke champion and record-holder, is now beginning to loosen up for the season's activities. He intends tackling free-style as well as backstroke in important competition this year, and. judging by the time he recorded over the furlong last year, should keep the opposition busy in this branch of swimming as well as backstroke, at which big things are expected of him this year. Arthur Thomas, who is club captain this year, has done great work among the junior members, which makes all the more creditable his own performances on freestyle and backstroke. He, should endeavour to loosen up more on the freestyle, however Fred Lee, a first-season junior member, should not be long before he is ready for competition. He'must endeavour to get his elbows up higher and not to swing his arms so wide. Victor Eckhoff is a keen little member, and if he liked to practise hard would soon improve as a diver. Miss M. Boulton, the ladies' captain, has a great team of intermediate and junior girls under her charge at present. Miss Islay Purdie, New Zealand 100 and 220 Yards Intermediate champion, has resumed training, and big things are expected of her this year. Miss Agnes Brown, deputy ladies' captain, is another girl who has made great improvement under Miss Boulton's coaching. This girl is a real trier, and with the reach she has and her promising style should be well to the fore in intermediate competition. V. Agnew is a new member who is expected to make a name for himself in intermediate boys' diving competition this season. He has plenty of courage and determination, and is now acquiring more finish Doug. Freeman who was third in the New Zealand Men's Divine Championship last season hac been working on the boards for some time now, and is' showing particularly good form for so x early in the season. With Reg Geddes. Peter Mathieson. and Jack Balfour (who was formerly a member of the St. George Club, Sydney), as well as Freeman and Agnew, the club should bo able to field a good diving troupe this season. Two new members from South Canterbury are D. Reid and J. Webb. Reid was one of

South Canterbury's best over 100 yards and Webb is a useful sprinter. Neither 'have played polo, but they both intend taking the game up, and should be acquisitions to the club in this "branch as well as in swimming competitions.

Miss D. Pope, the New Zealand intermediate girls' diving champion, has been training consistently. She should endeavour to get more height from the board. Clynton Lawrence should be a solid contender for intermediate honours this season. On present form he will make a bold bid for a place in the front line of the club's A team at water polo. Edna Goldthorpe shapes very well both on freestyle and backstroke, and under Miss Boulton's coaching is developing a very proficient style Ivan Wilson is showing pleasing form on the breaststroke. He should give a good account of himself at the junior championships. Ivan Hall is training well on the freestyle, and should do well in the forthcoming handicap series, although he will be one of the backmarkers in the junior cup events. ZENITH The members of the Zenith Club are well settled down to the season's work. The free night instituted by the club has been a popular innovation, and most members have shown their appreciation by training on the other nights as diligently as before. Zenith has the material for more than one polo team, and when players have memorised the rules of the game, good •progress should be made. Grading night showed marked improvement on the part of most swimmers, and Douglas Binney moved up a grade. This boy is making great progress Miss Willa Curry, as usual, is training con scientiously and bids fair to make a good distance swimmer. Although boys of small stature as a rule are noi the best swimmers, Allan Deuchass by diligence and attention to instruction, has overcome this disability, and is showing marked progress. , Tom Ellis has a very promising style. If he has the ambition to be a good swimmer, all he requires is conscientious attention to his coach. Winnie White shows good relaxation, which is a fundamental of good swimming. Harry Berland, a newcomer this season, is settling down to regular training and should prove to be an asset to the club.

Murray M'Cracken has the ability if he chooses to apply it. Bob Patterson is doing good work and will show still more improvement as the season progresses.

Dick Dowland was the most im* proved junior swimmer last season, and is hard at it again this season. Great things are expected of this boy. If Stephen Johnson would take his work more seriously a marked improvement would be noticed. Betty Collier is a verv keen worker, and a continuance of training as she is doing at present will bear fruit in the near future. .