SWIMMING

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 14

SWIMMING

AROUND THE RESORTS. (By “Trudgeon Crawl.”) The Otautau Carnival will take place on Wednesday afternoon. A local swimmer who visited the pool said • the water there is clear and still, and arrangements for diving are good. There is always enough water to get a swim in. Aquaticians should do their best to get along. Mr J. Morrison, hon secretary of the Bluff Swimming Club, informs me that Captain Nicholas has kindly donated a cup for school girls. The Club is holding a series of races—five or six—the first race of 25yds to take place to-day (Saturday). The winner of each race will be given a prize of 5/-, and second 2/6. Points for the cup will be allotted as follows: First place 8 points, second place 4 points, third place 2 points for each race. The Club will accept outside entries, no entry fee. We wish the .Bluffites every success. They deserve it. Despite the fact that Bluff has no end of sea-water it is not yet well equipped as a bathing place, other than beach bathing, which does not tend to swimming. The port has turned out excellent performers, and is lucky in having Ernie Budd on the spot. Ernie, who is a footballer, diver, swimmer and vocalist of the first class was at one time a pillar of the North Club at Waihopai pool, and used to drive all the way from Clifton to get off the 20 foot diving board. When he was in Timaru and a member of the Timaru Club he competed with some of the world’s greatest swimmers. Ernie is a Councillor of Port of Bluff, and earns his crust by running a general store. He is without doubt the most versatile person in Southland swimming circles, and many will remember his comic stunts at the past carnival at Pleasure Bay when Sid Lindsay was his associate.

Pleasure Bay and Avenal have been busy during the week although the high wind was not conducive to good swimming. It’s a pity that our resorts, including the beautiful Riverton Beach, all face due west, and get the full benefit of the prevailing weather. Waihopai pool is well sheltered, but it is in bad grace, and will now r be used on special occasions and then only by good swimmers. The weather has been very encouraging to swimmers lately, and the beaches have been the city’s most popular resorts, says “Neptune” in the Otago Daily Times. Two life-saving teams were practising assiduously during the week-end, and on Sunday they paraded up the beach and gave a fine display of their work. There is no doubt that they will make a creditable bid for the Nelson Shield, which is to be competed for in Christchurch shortly. An electric light carnival will be held in the Oamaru baths on Saturday evening, and a large number of Dunedin swimmers will travel up there by car. A proposal is on foot to issue a new hand-book. It is high time this was done, as the last one was issued in 1920, and in some aspects it certainly does not conform to modern requirements.

The Otago championships have been fixed for February 5 and 7.

Bathers would do well to look after their belongings when at St. Clair or anywhere else for that matter. Only the other day two young ladies were robbed of portions of their clothing, and there have even been cases of theft from the Municipal Baths. Patrons should hand any valuables in their possession to the attendant for safe keeping. We are surprised to hear of such happenings in such a respectable Scotch city as Dunedin. It soon won’t be a safe place for rich people to live in. It’s getting more like New York every fifty years or so. Auckland has unearthed another promising swimmer in A. Fairburn, who was timed to do 27 1-5 for the 50 yards. This was his first appearance as a compel tior. For a novice the time is very much above the average. The New Zealand Swimming Council has decided that in future the National Championships shall be concluded by the end of January. This should meet w h the general approval of all centres as be rg the the most convenient date to hold th.j meeting. The Auckland Provincial Championships are down for decision the first week in February, and some stirring contests are predicted.

Simpson, McLean and Bailey are in training for the forthcoming championships. Lewis should give a good display in the breast stroke, and the competition at the meeting will no doubt be very keen. The first section of the Hawke’s Bay provincial swimming championships, controlled by the Hawke’s Bay Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, was swum in the Napier Municipal Baths on Saturday evening. In the 50yds Hawke’s Bay Provincial Championship, C. Lound (Napier Club) again lowered the Hawke’s Bay record from 27 l-ssec (his time last year) to 26 2-ssec. This was the only record broken during the evening. Blewden, Ross, Davis and D. Ellingham started in the first heat of the 50yds Hawke’s Bay Provincial Championship. Elligham was first from the start, but Rose and Blewden drew ahead when nearing the end of the first length. Rose had the turn and maintained his lead to the rope. Lound. M. Ellingham, Beer and McKeague started in the second heat. From a good take-off, Lound drew ahead, followed immediately by Beer, who stuck behind him for the entire race. After Beer came McKeague, then Ellingham. Lound was first at the turn, and the same order was preserved right to the rope. It was in this heat that Lound lowered his record by four-fifths of a second. The final was a splendid race, and a very close finish. Lound was a little in front all the way, with Rose, Blewden and Beer close behind him. Lound was the first to turn, and he managed to finish the last few yards’ sprint in the lead. Sam Kahanamoku, one of America’s fastest sprinters, defeated the Sydney champions decisively in the 100yds State Championship. Doyle, who is not yet 17 years of age, did splendidly, being beaten by only two yards, and accounted for the holder of the title, Coppleson. There were some pleasing features in the afternoon’s sport, which auger well for the maintenance of Australia's position in the swimming world. In the first place, the junior champion of last season, Frank Doyle—a huge, fairhaired youth—not only proved himself the State’s best sprinter, but gave the celebrated Hawaiian champion a stirring straggle. Kahanamoku frankly admitted that Doyle is a future world’s champion, and had him worried for the first 75 yards. Moss Christie demonstrated that hie Olympic experiences had added to his swimming capabilities, and the popular Drummoyne swimmer won the Australian half-mile championship in hollow fashion. Six champions competed in the 100 yards e.hampionship, the dark figure of the Hawaiian champion, Kahanamoku. emerging ahead of the other starters. Doyle sprinted immediately, and showed the way 30 yards by a foot from Kahana-

moku and the others, who were bunched about half a yard behind. At 50 yards Doyle had increased his lead to a yard, and it was then that the visitor made his great effort, overhauling Doyle at 65 yards, and passing to win comfortably by several yards in the fast time of 55 2-ssecs. Doyle finished second, his time being 57 l-ssec, and the others, close on his heels, were so bunched that the judges had to consult together before finally announcing the order.

The time, 55 2-ssec, was not equal to that put up by his brother, “Duke” Pao Kahanamoku, in the same event on January 2, 1915, 53 4-ssec. Nor is it as fast as the time put up by W. Herald and Arne Borg, who dead-heated for first place in 55sec. The 100 yards record stands to the credit of John Weismuller, put up in a 25 yard tank at Honolulu in 1922, 52 3-5 sec. Sam was exceedingly keen on lowering his brother’s figures. On being asked whether he had found it a hard race he said, “I am a bit disappointed with myself. I could not get my proper leg action until the last 25 yards. Doyle is a coming champion. He went very fast at the start, and bothered me till after half way. I hope to do well in the 220, but 440 is not my distance. However, I’ll do my best.” It is only fair to state that Doyle was in the most unfavourable position. Both swimmers had to finish in shallow water, Doyle’s last 20 yards being not more than 3ft in depth. It was a distinct disadvantage, and there is no doubt that had the two champions swam in any of the other lanes, their times would have been faster. Despite the fact that Christie. w r on by 40 yards he was cheered to the echo in h’s final spurt down the last lap of the 880ycls Australian championship. The public appreciated the sportsmanship of the Olympic representative, who so freely and readily assists at every carnival in contra-distinc-tion to other champions. Owen Griffiths swam in good style, and won second place for New South Wales, while H. Taylor (West Australia) secured a place for his State. W. (Bill) Longworth and E. Cormack (Victoria) spurted together for the last 30 yards, but the Victorian won by the merest touch. Miss Wehselau promises to be just as popular as her compatriot, Sam Kahanamoku. The world’s champion was introduced to the crowd, much to the delight of Kahanamoku, who has a dread of such public functions. Ernie Budd, of Bluff Club, has had the honour of swimming against Kahanamoku, and consideres him a perfect wonder. A most important innovation, in the shape of swimming lanes, will be introduced at the big carnival at Manly. There will be six lanes, seven feet wide, formed by stretching cork-supported ropes from end tod end of the course. Each lane is to be numbered, and competitors will therefore be confined to the one lane throughout a race, and consequently more easily recognised by the public. This is a step forward, and we know how hard it is for swimmers to keep a course unless it is well defined. This has always been a supreme difficulty at the local resorts, and it used to surprise us to see the course certain competitors would take. We all recognise this difficulty, but it seems that only large clubs with the best equipment at their disposal can overcome it.

An official welcome was tended Kahanamoku and the visiting inter-State swimmers by the New South Wales Swimming Association. In the course of the proceedings Mr 0. G. H. Merrett spoke feelingly of the disappointment to the public the withdrawal of Charlton and Henry from the carnivals had occasioned. These men had enjoyed a world-wide tour at the public expense, and it w r as up to them to show their gratitude by appearing in the championship events. “Kahanamoku,” Mr Merrett went on, “was also disappointed. He had journeyed to Australia to meet our best, and it was discourteous to the celebrated swimmer that he could not compete against the Olympic representatives. I am glad that Miss Christie and Dick Eve, both in such great form, are showing the right spirit in giving the public the opportunity of nothing the improvement gained abroad,” were Mr Merrett’s final words.

There is no mistake that exchange of ideas is as important in swimming and diving as in anything else and that’s why “Trudgeon Crawl” would like general support given to all Southland competitions. Outside visiting is a swimmer’s best education.