SWIMMING

Southland Times, Issue 22817, 17 February 1936, Page 7

SWIMMING

DOMINION TITLES KEEN RACES, BUT SLOW TIMES AUCKLAND LEADING (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, February 16. At the conclusion of the first day’s events in the New Zealand senior national swimming championships, which opened on Saturday, Auckland, the holders, have a lead of one point over Otago for the Yaldhurst Shield, the points being Auckland 13, Otago 12, Canterbury five, Wanganui five, Southland one. There were no sensational performances in the first day’s racing, most of the times being much slower than at previous championship meetings. The racing, however, was exceptionally good, and the indications are that the meeting will be one of the most successful held in recent years. The first final to be swum was the men’s 100 yards chamnionship, which was won by the record-holder, R. B. Frankham, of Auckland. His time was 57 l-ssec, compared with the record established by him last year of 54 3-ssec. P.

Ladies’ 220 Yards. Miss Mona Leydon, Auckland, had little difficulty in retaining the ladies’ 220 yards championship, her only serious rival in the final being Miss M. Mathieson, Otago, who swam a beautifully timed race to get second place. Miss P. Sporle, Otago, was third. The winner’s time was 2min. 49sec, compared with the record, held by Miss M. Farquhar. Auckland, of 2min. 46sec. Miss Leydon’s time at the championship meeting last year was 2.46 2-5. The finalists were Misses Leydon, Sporle, N. Hughes (Canterbury), Mathieson, N. Basstian (Southland) and N. Ludlow (Auckland). Miss Basstian was considered to be Miss Leydon’s most serious rival in the final, but she faded out over the last 150 yards, after leading in the earlier part of the race. The winner swam a well-judged race, reserving enough for a good sprint over the final stages. With only two lengths to go Misses Leydon and Mathieson were swimming together, but the Otago girl was no match for the Auckland champion in the final test. Miss Leydon won by three yards. Smith (Wanganui) had it all his own way in the men’s 220 yards breaststroke championship and won the title for the eighth time in succession with ridiculous ease. His time was 3min 6 3-ssec, compared with the New Zealand record held by himself of 3min 1 2-ssec. Reg Geddes (Otago) was second and C. W. Elliott ( Otago) third. The finalists in this race were Elliott, Smith, Geddes, F. Taylor (Auckland), J. Davies (Taranaki) and H. Callander (Otago). The six competitors all got away to a beautiful start and Geddes was in front till near the end of the first lap when he was overhauled by Smith. From this stage on the Wanganui star was never headed and won easily with eight yards to spare. Three yards separated Geddes and Elliott, the latter getting third place from Callander by a touch. Taylor withdrew after covering'approximately half the distance. The Mile Final. The best race of the evening was provided by the final of the mile. For this event Canterbury produced a surprise packet in L. Newell, about whom very little was known prior to the championship meeting. He beat the favourite for the race, J. D. O’Driscoll (Otago) in one of the finest miles seen here for a long time. Judging by his performance in this event Newell should be very hard to beat in the other distance races. Newell’s time was 24min 2 1-5 sec compared with the new record established by D. P. Lindsay, formerly of Canterbury and now of Dannevirke, of 22min 57 4-ssec. The race was robbed of a good deal of interest through the absence of Lindsay who was a last minute scratching for the meeting, as it was anticipated that the contest between him, O’Driscoll and Newell would have provided a great race. The finalists were O’Driscoll, Malthus (Southland), Newell, S. Cliff (Canterbury), R. Watkins (Hawkes Bay), the title holder, D. C. Berry (Southland). Watkins and Cliff withdrew after swimming about half a mile. O’Driscoll led out from the start and was still in front with three-quarters of the journey covered. Newell, who was moving along in effortless style, then began to overhaul him and over the last stages of the journey proved too much for the Otago champion who put in a good last minute challenge. Malthus swam exceptionally well throughout and finished strongly. Had he not let himself get behind shortly after the start he must have been well up at the finish. Berry was a long way back fourth. Newell finished with 15 yards to spare. Malthus being 10 yards behind O’Driscoll. The time for the hundred was 64.3, for 400yds smin 6 l-ssec, 600yds 7min 54 4-ssec and for the half mile 12min. Detailed Results.

100 Yards Men’s Championship.— First heat: P. Pennington (Wellington) 1 W, J. Jarvis (Otago) 2, R. B. Frankh’am (Auckland) 3. The only starters, Time 62 l-ssec. Second heat: P. Hanan (Auckland) 1, D. H. Symes (Canterbury) 2 N. Crump (Auckland) 3. Also started: E. B Tease (Otago). Time 57 2-ssec. Final: Frankham 1, Hanan 2, Jarvis 3. Won by eighteen inches. Time 57 220 Yards Ladies’ Championship.— First heat: Miss M. Leydon (Auckland) 1, Miss P. Sporle (Otago) 2, Miss N. Hughes (Canterbury) 3. Also started: Miss E. Rainey (Hawkes Bay). Time 2min 54 2-ssec. Second heat: Miss N. Basstian (Southland) 1, Miss M. Mathieson (Otago) 2, Miss N. Ludlow (Auckland) 3. The only starters. Time, 2min 59 2 Final: Miss Leydon 1, Miss Mathieson 2, Miss Sporle 3. Won by three yards. Time 2min 49sec. 200 Yards Men’s Breaststroke Championship.—First heat: L. Smith (Wanganui) 1, F. Taylor (Auckland) 2, H. Callander (Otago) 3. Also started: D. Shanahan (Otago). Time 3min 10 2-5 heat: J. Davies (Taranaki) 1, R. Geddes (Otago) 2, C. W. Elliott 3, The only starters. Time 3mm 20 3-ssec. ... Final: Smith 1, Geddes 2, Elliott 3. Won by eight yards. Time 3min 6 3“ssec Mile Championship.—Final: L. Newell (Canterbury) 1, J. D. O’Driscoll (Otago) 2, P. R. Malthus (Southland) 3. Won by 15 yards, with 10 yards between second and third. > Time: 24 min 2 l-ssec. 100 Yards Men’s Interclub Handicap.—A. H. Brown (Invercargill), 15 sec 1, C. McKenzie (Christchurch) 7 sec 2, J. W. Clulee (Dunedin) 3sec 3. AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. WOMEN’S 220 YARDS RECORD. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Perth, February 15. In the Australian swimming championships Evelyn de Lacey (Western Australia) established a national record when she won the 220 yards women’s freestyle from Kitty Mac Kay (New South Wales) in 2min 39scc.