SWIMMING

Otago Witness, Issue 3899, 4 December 1928, Page 52

SWIMMING

By

Neptune.

SURFING NOTES. The St. Kilda Life Saving and Surf Bathing Club, although it did little last year, promises to be one of the most active sports bodies in Otago this season. Although the annual meeting was not as well-attended as might have been wished there was every indication of enthusiasm, and a membership drive which was agreed on at the meeting is already showing good results. The election ot “ Bob ” Hector as club captain will undoubtedlj’ meet with the approval of every club member, and with six vice-captains to support him there should be no fear of interest in team practice lapsing. Another two weeks should see the St. Kilda Club comfortably housed in its new quarters in the almost completed St. Kilda pavilion, and .members will then no doubt buckle down to serious training. The club’s decision to affiliate with both the Otago Swimming Centre and the Royal Life Saving Society is a wise move, and should be productive of nothing but good. A controlling body can always be of inestimable use to an affiliated club in that the club, by virtue of its being repre sented on a centre, has always that centre at the back of it, and can thus obtain far more recognition than ever it could by playing a lone hand, os The St. Clair Club is fortunate in its new club rooms in the newly-erected St. Clair pavilion. There is ample space for meetings, and also dressing accommodation for members, and when the surroundings are improved by Mr Tannock's planting programme, the club and the people of St. Clair can point with pride to one of the finest surfing pavilions in the Dominion.

SUPPORT FOR LIFE SAVING. It is a question if very many of the igeneral public realise the aims of the lifesaving clubs and the work they do. Of course, the average man knows that lifesavers exist, and associates them vaguely with St. Clair or St. Kilda Beach, but it rarely occurs to him that they are deserving of a great deal more support than they have hitherto received from the public. It should be remembered that both the St. Clair and the St. Kilda Clubs came into existence primarily for tlr? benefit of the public, for after all, with the members of both bodies, surf-bathing is but a secondary consideration to the safety of the men, women, and children using the beaches. The life-savers at all times are on hand to render assistance to any unfortunate swimmer who gets beyond his depth or is caught in the undertow, and, moreover, they give their services honorarily—a fact.which does not seem to be generally appreciated. This season, it is io be hoped that the public will display a keener interest in life-sav-ing and in the activities of the clubs which can do with infiinitely more sup?ort than they have hitherto received. am reminded that last year some 6000 spectators watched the life-saving championships at St. Clair and managed amongst them to subscribe the magnificent sum of, I think, £3 14s, towards the funds of the Life-saving Society. Surely men who giye of their time unsparingly* and risk their lives for others are worthy of greater appreciation than this. ’

SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS. ALBANY STREET WINS BEGG CUP. The primary schools’ swimming championships were concluded on Tuesday* evening, when the finals of the various events were decided. As on the opening night, there was a large attendance of spectators, and the racing was followed with the keenest interest. The superintendent of the carnival, Mr D. Harstonge, welcomed those present, but expressed regret that the seating accommodation was.so inadequate, and explained that although the City Council had been approached to have the dressing boxes at the side of the baths hinged back against the wall—an alteration which would cost very little —nothing had been done. It was to be hoped, however, that the matter would be attended to by the time the next carnival was held. The feature of the evening was the swimming of R. Geddes, the Dominion junior boys’ breaststroke champion, who won no fewer than five races, incidentally taking 25 points for his school (Moray’ Place). Mr L, E. F. Forrester, president of the Primary Schools’ Sports Association, who was present, congratulated the executive on the success of the meeting and the winners on their performances. The chairman of the Otago Education Board, who also attended, briefly addressed those present, and presented the Begg and the Olds Relay Cups to the winning schools, the first-name trophy for most points won ir. all events being won by Albany Street, and the girls’ and boys’ Olds relay cups by Albany Street and Normal respectively. The following are the results: — 25 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 11.) S. Jarvis (Albany Street) .. 1 E. Simpkin (Kaikorai) .... 2 R. Buswell (N.E.V.) 3 Only starters. Won by four yards, Time, 19 2-ssec. 25 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 12.) W. Jarvis. (Albany Street) .. 1 S. Jarvis (Albany’ Street) .. 2 M. Macassey (St.Clair) .... 3 Five starters. Won by two yards. Time, 17 2-ssec. 33 1-3 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 13.) R. Geddes (Moray Place) .. 1 W. Jarvis (Albany Street) .. 2 S. Jarvis (Albany Street) .. 3 Five starters. Won by three yards, with two yards between second and third. Time, 20 l-ssec. 66 2-3 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 14.) R. Geddes (Moray Place) 1 A. Buckland (Albany Street) 2

Only starters. This was the best race of the evening. Geddes turned first, and,

going up on the final lap, drew away to win by six yards. Time, 45 3-ssec. BREASTSTROKE CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 14, 50 yards.) R. Geddes (Moray Place) .. 1 C. Elliott (Macandrew Road) 2 J. Roydhouse (High Street) 3 . Only starters. Won by five yards, with six yards between second and third. No time taken. 33 1-3 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 14.) R. Geddes (Moray Place) .. 1 W. Jarvis (Albany Street) .. 2 A. Buckland (Albany Street) 3 Five starters. Won by a touch. Time, 20 3-ssec. 100 YARDS CHAMPIOI ... . (Boys over 14.) First heat: V. Frew ■ meet) 1, K. Murdoch (Normal) 2, P. lb col son (Albany Street) 3. Four starters. Won by 15 yards. Time, Imin 29sec. Second heat: J. M’Gregor (Arthur Street) 1. J. Wood (St. Clair) 2, A. Benfell (Normal) 3. Four starters. Won by 20 yards. Time, Imin 25 2-ssec. Final. J. M’Gregor 1 V. Frew 2 Won by three yards. No time taken. RELAY CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 12.) First heat: Albany Street 1, High Street 2. Musselburgh 3. Second heat: Arthur Street 1, St. Clair 2, North-East \ alley 3. Final. , Arthur Street j Albany Street * ’ o High Street 3 RELAY CHAMPIONSHIP. (Boys under 14. 33 1-3 Yards). Albany Street ] % Arthur Street 9 St. Clair ’ 3 Only starters. Time, Imin 36sec. (Standard IV Boys. Width of baths). Normal 1 St. Clair 2 Macandrew Road ■ 3 Also started: Albany Street, High Street. Kaikorai. Time, 42sec. MIXED RELAY, 66 2-3 YARDS. Albany Street 1 Arthur Street 2 George Street 3 Also started: Macandrew Road. Time. Imin 52sec. BOYS’ NEAT DIVE. ' R. Geddes (Moray Place) .. 1 P. Mathieson (St.Clair) .... 2 W. F. Clark (Arthur Street) 3 Ten competed in the dive-off. WIDTH CHAMPIONSHIP. (Girls under 12).

Semi-finals.—First heat: E. Green (Kaikorai) 1, L. Abbott (Kail orai) 2, J. Eastgate (Maori Hill) 3. Second heat: J. Thompson (Normal) 1, M. Pockson (Kensington) 2, J. Hainer (High Street) 3. Final. J. Thompson 1 E. Green 2 M. Pockson 3 Won by a touch. ® 25 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Girls under 13). J. Thomson (Normal) 1 J. Gillies (N.E.V.) 2 J. Gardiner (Normal) .... 3 Five starters. Won by a touch. Time, 21sec. 66 2-3 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Girls over 14.) P. Taylor (Macandrew Road) 1 E. Beck (Normal) .. .. 2 G. Winder (Normal) .. .. 3 Four starters. Won by 4 yards. Time, 60 2-ssec. GIRLS’ DIVING. M. Ross (Forbury) .. .. 1 M. Bewley (Macandrew Road) 2 J. Gordon (Forbury) .. .. 3 Twenty-two competed. 33 1-3 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. (Girls under 14). M. Bewley (Macandrew Road) 1 A. Angel (High Street) .* 2 E. Morgan (Normal) .. .. 3 Four starters. Won by 2 yards; a yard between second and third. Time, 27 2-ssec. RELAY CHAMPIONSHIP. (Girls under 14; 33 1-3 yards). Normal 1 Albany Street .. .7 .. .. 2 Macandrew Road .. .. .. 3 Also started: George Street, Moray Place. Time, 2min 4 4-ssec. OLDS CUP R*ELAY* (Standard IV girls). Arth.ur Street 1 Kaikorai 2 Normal .. .. ._. ..3 Nine starters. BEGG CUP. Albany Street (40 points) ... 1 Moray Place (25 points) .. 2 Normal (21 points) .. .. 3

DAMAGING RUMOURS. SWIMMER’S CHARACTER IMPUGNED. AUCKLAND, November 28. “ I do not care about anything else as long as my name and my character are cleared,” said Miss Ena Stockley, the New Zealand representative swimmer at the 1928 Olympic Games, as she handed to the New Zealand Herald a sheaf of documents dealing with the rumours of which she has been made the subject since her return to New Zealand. Miss Stockley said that unfounded suggestions had been made regarding her. She had brought these to the notice of the New Zealand Swimming Association, and she had also gone to the trouble of obtaining certificates from her medical advisers in England and in New Zealand. The certificates and reports produced by Miss Stockley show that any report of the nature mentioned by her is baseless. It appears that the name of Mr H. Amos' manager of the Olympic team, was connected with the rumours, but in a letter to the Swimming Association Mr Amos

denies any connection with them. The letter was forwarded after representatives of the association had waited on the New Zealand Olympic Council, and says:— “The chairman of the New Zealand Swimming Association. Dear Sir, —I gather from statements made by your representatives to the New Zealand Olympic Council this morning (November 1) that I am accused of having made remarks derogatory to the character of Miss Ena Stockley during the tour of the New Zealand Olympic team. I have not made any such remarks, nor do I kn w of any grounds on which the character of Miss Stockley could be impugned. If any remarks made by me have been misconstrued by any person I very much regret the fact, and express my regret to Miss Stockley for any such mis.'x nstruction. — Yours faithfully, H. Amos, manager New Zealand O 1 ynipic team.”

WEISMU LLER’S TOUR. ARRANGEMENTS WITH AUSTRALIA CANCELLED. CHRISTCHURCH, November 27. The New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has decided to cancel the arrangements made with Australia for a tour of New Zealand by Weismuller, the world's champion sprint swimmer. This decision is due to the fact that the Australian Union has been unable to give definite information whether Weismuller is coming to New Zealand. OLYMPIC SWIMMERS. TREATMENT OF NEW ZEALANDERS. CHRISTCHURCH, November 29. Definite complaints against the treatment of the Olympic swimmers on the tour to Europe were before the New Zealand Swimming Council at its annual meeting to-night. The secretary, Mr B. O’Neill, produced correspondence which showed that prior to the departure from the Dominion of the Olympic team, the Swimming Council had ‘arranged for J. Hodgson, its representative in England, to accompany the team to Amsterdam to look after the swimmers. Mr O’Neill said that Mr Amos agreed with this plan. The council had before it a report from Mr Hodgson. It stated that Mr Amos had ignored him, and the swimmers were given no reasonable chance for proper training. Mr Hodgson stated in his letter that he was excluded from the official party to Amsterdam and that the ladies were left to train in “ a filthy oily dock.” At the games he learned that the dock earned the name of “ typhoid pool ” owing to its odour and the nasty taste of the water The American and German swimmers were forbidden to train there. Mr O’Neill said that .the Swimming /Association and Mr Hodgson had been submitted to a series of indignities which would not be accepted without the liveliest resentment. Had the Swimming Association known that the swimmers would have suffered under the handicaps which Mr Amos’s management permitted, it would not have allowed the team to depart. The council decided to demand a full and immediate statement from Mr Amos and the Olympic Council, and further action was deferred in the meantime.

NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. CHRISTCHURCH, November 29. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Swimming Council to-night the following officers were elected:—President, Mr W. E. D. Bishop; vice-president, Mr A. R. Jacobson; North Island representative, Mr P. Coira; treasurer Mr F G. Dunn; representative on the International Federation, Mr John Hodgson; handicapper, Mr P. Coira; auditor. Air R. L. Hicks; secretary, Mr B. O'Neill; delegates to Olympic Council, Messrs P. Coira and A. R. Camp. WIN FOR MISS EDNA DAVEY. SYDNEY, December 2. At Coogee the women’s half-mile swim resulted as follows:—Edna Davey 1 Betty Taw 2, M. Mealing 3. Won by 45 yards. Time, 12min 54j|sec. A NEW WORLD’S RECORD. BRUSSELS, November 27. The Dutch Olympic swimmer, Mlle. Baron, swam the 400 metres breast stroke in 6min 45 3-ssec—a world’s record, neincr Isec faster than that established by the holder, Fraulein Schrader.—