SWIMMING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 58

SWIMMING.

CHAMPIONSHIPS AT TIMARU. TIMARU, January 29. The second session of the swimming championships, held to-night, attracted a very large attendance in spite of the heavy rain previously, and good 3port was witnessed. The 220 Yards National Championship brought out six entries, and the race was ft struggle most of the way between N. Batchelor (Canterbury) and Enwright (Auckland). In the last 100 yards Batchelor crept ahead, but very slowly, ultimately running ftut the winner by two yards from Enwright In 2min 43 l-ssec. Atkinson (Canterbury) was third. A record was made in the 50 Yards Junior Girls' Breast Stroke by D. Breward (Canterbury), who got home two yards ahead of N. Clarkson (Canterbury) in 43 2-ssec —one second inside A. Potaka’s (Wanganui) record. In the 75 Yards Intermediate Girls’ Championship there were two heats, the final title pltimately going to Miss P. Page (Auckland), who won by a j-ard from Miss E. Walrond, sister of the holder, in 52 2-ssec. The 150 Yards Breast Stroke was a more or less easy win for N. Batchelor (Canterbury) by 2t yards, from Atkinson, in 2min 4 2-ssec; as was also the 75 Yards Junior Boys’ Breast Stroke, which was carried off by G. Boyd (Wanganui) by n good five yards from S. Loader (Canterbury). Time, 66 2-ssec. The 880 Yards Intermediate Boys’ Handicap produced eight entries, but there was only one boy in it from the start, C. Claridge (Wellington) securing a runaway victory by 30 yards in 15min 26Sec. I>. P. Lindsay (South Canterbury) was second. A dual relay race went to Beid and Whyman (Wanganui) after much excitement, while in the water polo championship Wellington accounted for Otago, 4—l. January 31. The third session of the swimming championships attracted an attendance of nearly 2000, and favourable weather prevailed. The greatest race of the meeting so far was the Ladies’ 440 Yards Race, in which Misses O. Shand, Hoeft, Y. Walrond, and K. Bristed started. Miss Hristed pulled out when about half-way. Misses Shand and Walrond swam together most of the way. At the last turn Miss Shand was about a yard ahead, but Mis 3 Walrond put up a great spurt, reducing the lead to a little more than e foot amid the greatest excitement. Miss Shand partly collapsed after the race, and had to be assisted from the bath. Miss Walrond was given a great ovation for her plucky fight. Miss Hoeft finished severa: yards back. Time, Cmin 29 2-ssec. A great race wa3 also seen in the Men s 880 Yards Race, the contest being between Jj. Hill (Canterbury) and D. Murrell (Wellington). The swimmers were close together till about the last hundred yards, with Batchelor (the holder) well back. The -ast SO yards was a great race by Murrell, who chased Hill to about a yaid, but had io be assisted out. Batchelor was third and We son fourth, about 50 yards back. Enwnglit (Auckland) also started. Time, 12min 31 2-5 sec. The 220 Yards National Breaststroke produced a keen encounter between Bolton (Wanganui) and Atkinson (Canterbury), the holder, with Claridge (Wellington) third. The holder was defeated in the last few yards, though only by a very small margin. Time, 3min 19sec. The 100 Yards Intermediate Boys’ Breaststroke Race was won by Herd (Canterbury), who established a record in the heat. Claridge (Wellington) was a good second, and Evatt (Wellington) third. Time, 78 l-ssec. The Junior Girls’ 100 Yards was won by D. Magee (Auckland), L. Copplestone (Canterbury) being second, and M. Jepson (Otago) third. Time, lmin 23 3-ssec. The Junior Boys’ 440 Yards was closely contested most of the way till H. Brideon (Wellington) shook off all his opponents at the 390 yards, and won by about seven yards. E. Hyland (Wanganui) was second and W. Cameron (Canterbury) third. Time, 7min 13 l-ssec. In the Polo Championship final Canterbury defeated Wellington by six to nil. The Intermediate Girls’ 100 Yards was won by P. Page (Auckland), the present holder, E. Walrond 2. E. Stockley 3. Miss Page won by two yards. Time, lmin 11 3-5 see. • In the first heat of the 100 Yards Intermediate Boys’ Breaststroke Championship at Timaru this morning, C. Herd (Canterbury) covered the distance in 77 4-ssec, breaking the previous record by 2 4-ssec. February 1. Canterbury won the competition* for the Wigram Shield, defeating Wellington by two and a-lialf points. Otago withdrew. Great interest centred in the Annette Kellerman Cup, a three-riiile race held in Timaru Harbour this afternoon. The weather was delightfully fine, and the water beautifully calm, being almost tepid. Thirteen started, the course being a triangular one inside the harbour, and a great crowd was in attendance. Miss Nuttall, the holder was in the lead for three-quarters of the distance, when she was overtaken by Welson (Auckland) and Blakney (Wellington). Enwright was the next to pass the holder, who, towards the end, tired considerably. Hill (Christchurch), the scratch man, swam a great race, running into third place at the finish after a fine sprint. Onlyeight finished. Welson, after getting on level terms with Miss Nuttall, maintained a fast pace, winning by smin 47sec. The race for the remaining places was stubbornly fought out, and Hill and Blakney swam neck and neck for about 200 yards before the Canterbury man shook off the Wellingtonian, and touched about a minute ahead of him. Miss Nuttall was fifth, a good way back. Hill put up the fastest time. The following are the times of those who finished: C. Welson (Auckland, 7min), lhr 22min 37 l-ssec 1 J. Enwright (Auckland, 7min), lhr 28min 38soc 2 L Hill (Canterbury, ecr), llir 22min 29 4-ssec 3 J. Blakney (Wellington, lOmin), lhr 41niin 1 3-3 sec 4 G. Nuttall (N-arier, 20min), lhr 45min 3 2-53ec 5 W. G. Morpeth (Wellington, 18min), llir 47min 40sec g W. Lawson (Timaru, 7min), lhr 49min 9sec, and L. Eaton (Timaru, 14min), lhr 56min 9sec (dead heat) 7 v ebruary 3. The swimming championships were con. eluded last night in beautiful weather anf before another great crowd. In the 440 Yards Championship, L. Hill and N. S. Batchelor (Canterbury) and D Murrell (Wellington) were the only starters’. Batchelor set the pace from the start, and led Murrell by about a yard at 200yds, with Hill about svds back, third. This w.as th> position of the swimmers with 90yds ti» l«i though Batchelor went further •head. There was a good struggle for ■acond place, but Hill came too late, and wae syds behind Murrell. Time, smin 50

In the Diving Championship H. Walker (Otago) was first, R. C. Calder (Otago) second, and W. Hicks (Wellington, the present holder), third. The 30 Yards Stretch Invitation was a great race all the way. The baths seemed a little overcrowded with six swimmers, and Atkinson, Murrell, and Enright Seemed to be boring. Edwards (Wellington) and Enwright (Auckland) swam a dead-heat for first place, with Atkinson close up, third. Time, 29sec. The Flying Squadron competition was a runaway victory for Canterbury by J2yda, with Wanganui a similar distance ahead of Wellington. Ti/ne, smin 38 3-ssec. Canterbury easily won the Yaldlrurst Shield with 49 points, with Auckland 22 points, Wellington 12, and Wanganui 5. The War Memorial Shield is not yet decided, but Canterbury has an easy lead. This province also won the Polo Championship. The re-swim of the final for the 100 Yards Intermediate Boys’ • Championship resulted : C. Claridge (Wellington) 1, R. A. Wilkinson (Canterbury) 2, N. Dowsett (Wanganui), 3. Time, 64 3-ssec. It is announced that Misses Shand and Walrond, with Mrs Reid (Wanganui) as chaperon, will go fo Australia. CONFERENCE AT TIMARU. TIMARU, January 30. The annual swimming conference held here to-day, the business extending over nearly six hours. Large numbers of remits were considered, dealing with many aspects of the sport. It was decided that the intermediate class be abolished and the junior age raised to 16; also, that a junior diving championship be added. A remit received from Wanganui requesting that « professional coach he engaged caused much discussion, but it was ultimately withdrawn jn favour of a motion that the Minister of Education be approached to produce a handbook on swimming for use by teachers in schools. A remit was received from Canterbury, asking that the championships be confined to the four centres. The remit was rejected, and it wa3 decided that the next championships be held at Wanganui. The question of sending a team to the Olympic Games at Paris was discussed, but no decisive steps will be taken till the council hears from the other centres as to the likelihood of raising sufficient funds. The conference will continue to-morrow. January 31. The swimming conference at Timaru has decided to abolish the Intermediate Championships. The age for the Junior Championships has been increased to 16, the events to be: Boys—44o, 220, and 100 yards free style, and 150 yards breaststroke. Girls—--220, 100, and 50 yards free style, and 100 yards breaststroke. NELSON SHIELD COMPETITION. TIMARU, January 30. The Nelson Shield competition took place to-day in Caroline Bay, when four teams entered. A fine contest resulted:

HARRIS’S NEW RECORD FOR 220YDS. ■From Our Own Uohrespon dent. ) SYDNEY, January 24. Although Alan Charlton, the boy swimmer, broke no records, he easily beat the Hawaiian champion W. Harris in the 440 yards championship at the carnival of the New South Wales Swimming Association, which concluded at the Sydney Baths last Saturday. Harris, however, won the 220 yards State championship in 2min 26 l-ssec—l 3-ssec better than the Australian record made by Beaurepaire at St. Hilda, Victoria, on March 27, 1920. Charlton didl not compete. Harris’s opponents were: Herald (Manly), Christie (Drummoyne), Kirkland (University), Beardman (Sydney), W. Longworth (Rose Bay), and Hay (Manly). Together with the Hawjaiian champion they rose from a perfect start. Almost immediately Beardman and Longworth shot ahead. This lead they maintained to the 'end of the first lap, where they turned about a yard to the good from Harris, with the others close ,up. Longworth in particular was swimming splendidly. With his oldtime speed he showed the way until nearing the 50 yards’ mark on the last lap. Then a general sprint eventuated, anci here it was that the visitor showed out. Unfortunately for Christie he was just behind Harris, who had swung off his course, and pinned in by the other man Christie had to ease up momentarily, and then make a detour. In the meantime, Harris had gained about 10 yards on his nearest rival, Herald. The former cracked up on the pace, and touched home ahead of the Manly, man by about 10 yards. Christie had made up some of the leeway, but Herald was too good for him over the last few strokes. He was beaten by two yards. Kirkland was fourth, and Hay, who had a rough time in the shallow water, next. DOMINION DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP. TIMARU, February 2. The New Zealand Diving. Championship was won by Walker (Otago), with Calder (Otago) second. SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIP. PERTH, February 4. The 440 Yards Swimming Champiomiup of Australia was won by Harris (Hawaii), with M. Christie (Sydney) second, and H. Taylor (Westralia) third. Won comfortably. Time, smin 35see.

New Brighton, 153 points .. 1 Canterbury, 149 points .. 2 Wellington, 147 points .. 3 North Beach, 126 points .. 4