SWIMMING

Otago Witness, Issue 2612, 6 April 1904, Page 55

SWIMMING

(From Ottr Ows Cobbespottdent.) AUCKLAND, April 2.

Tho Northern Amateur Swimming Ciub 6t>orts took place yesterday in the graving dock in the presen-ce of 5000 spectators. R. Cavil! ■won the 220 yds Championship in 2min 29 2-ssec, lowering the champion New Zealand record by 2 4-ssec, and beating the Australasian record ef 2min 31sec. W. Gibbons was second and E M. Bell tEird The 100 yds Provincial Championship was won by G. A. Tyler. Time, €ssec. R. Bell was second. Cavill started m the 100 yds Champions-hip, finishing second to Hunt°r (Hawera) in iis heat, just under BOsec, tut did not swin in the final, which Hunter won Long Plunge: J. W. Smith (Wellington) 1 W S Kean 2, A. Wilson 3. Relay Race: Wanganui Rovers 1, City Football Club 2. Water Polo Championship: Northern Swimming Club beat Wanganui Club by two goals •to one. M. Hunter (Hawera), ssec, won the ?2yds Handicap, with. C D. Campbell fWan-

ganui), 7sec, second, and R. Bell (Auckland), 4isec, third. The 108 yds Kohn Handicap was won by R. Cavi'.l, who was 2sec behind scratch, with S. W. Kean, 15sec, second, and R. O'Haie, 16s«c, third. The 440 yds Wanakei Handicap was won by S. W. Kean, 26sec, with R. Bell, 62-ec, second, and R. Rowsell, 20sec, third.

Richard Cavill, champion swimmer of th© world, has been with us (wires my Auckland correspondent) during the pait three or four days, and his presence as a, competitor in the principal races at the Northern Amateur Swimming Club's carnival has had the effect of galvanising fresh life into the sport, thousands having turn-cJ up at th© meetings to see the. champion swimmer. The distinguished visitor landed the 220yda Championship of New Zealand, decided in the graving dock on Good Friday, "winning by 105'ds in 2min 29 2-ssec, which is only four-fifths of a second behind Fred Lane's world's record, and 28 4-ssec better than the previous New Zealand best, held by Malcolm Champion. There were only two turns in the race, a fact that enhanced ■the- performance, as in short baths the Australian cracks invariably make up ground at the turns. Another equally fine feat was accomplished by Cavill in his heat in the 100 yds Handicap, in which he covered 1 th© distance in a tick under 60s-ec in a straightaway swim. As if these two performances were not sufficiently convincing, he gave the publio another taste of his prowess m th© water on Saturday evening, when in the 103 yds' Handicap Swim in the- Albert Street Freshwater Baths be- was clocked to win the final in 63sec, which works out about 53seo for the 100 yds. In this swim there were two turns. Th© Australian crack will go south, unless the New South Wales authoiities recall him; but should he return to Azistralia without doing the rest of the colony, th© chances are that h© will pay an extended visit to New Zea'and next year. It is almost certain that h© will be- sent to represent Australia in the swimming events at the St. Louis Exposition in July.