SWIMMING NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23380, 11 December 1937, Page 15

SWIMMING NOTES

TEAM SUGGESTED FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

(By LIFEBELT) COMING EVENTS January 8, 10, and 12.—New Zealand senior national championships, at New Plymouth. January 15, 17, and 18.—New Zealand intermediate and junior championships, at Nelson. At the last meeting of the Southland Swimming Centre it was decided to hold the centre’s senior championships on the Thursday of the first week in February. The selector for Southland’s touring team has no enviable task this year as with the national meeting only four weeks off there has been not one race held in Southland which would offer him any guidance as to the competitor’s form. In any case the team will not be large but it is necessary for the centre to be represented as ably as possible as it is hoped to secure the senior national meeting for Invercargill in 1939.

To be wise after the event is always easy but it is no credit to the centre or the clubs themselves that this senior team will have to be picked on guesswork. Even now it is not too late to arrange a series of trials and this would appear a necessity. With the exception of P. R. Malthus, who swam an outstanding race in the quarter-mile in Dunedin last month, no other male swimmsr has any performances up to the requirements. K. Shaw on the breastroke should be good enough but has shown nothing as yet. Miss Claire Lynch for the ladies’ breastroke is a logical candidate but has not done much serious training yet and can hardly go to swim a 220 yards race on intermediate 75yds form of past seasons. She should be given a trial over the longer distance. BACKSTROKE SWIMMERS

In the men’s backstroke division Martin, Berry and Brown are good performers and quite worthy representatives but there again their longest swim this year is 100 yards and neither has yet broken 71sec for the distance. How the boys will perform over the longer distance is quite unknown. Arnold Branks would appear to justify selection as he is training assidously and performing all the difficult dives. As he is also the only diver in Southland attempting the real dives and making a success of them, he should go, even if only for the experience, which would be invaluable to him in the future. Miss Moira McGrath is our only lady freestyle performer and on last year’s performances when she defeated Nancy Basstian over 440 and 100 yards and was just beaten in the furlong gives her very strong claims, particularly her time over the quarter mile of 6min 13 2-ssec, which was established in a broken season with very little training. The mere fact that she was able to defeat Miss Basstian who was always a problem to the northern swimmers, gives her a strong claim, as that practically ensures her of a place in every final. This girl also has no performances further than 110 yards, her best performance being in Dunedin where she swam about 2-ssec slower than Islay Purdie. She has been swimming the 100 yards consistently in about 70sec and as she is in hard training she will probably better this time. From past experience it is fairly safe to assume that any woman swimming 70sec for the 100 yards, 3min for the furlong and 6min 30sec for the quarter* will participate in the finals. If Miss Macdonald gains a place in the Empire Games team she will probably be nominated to swim senior in January. In that case her distances would no doubt be the backstroke event and the 100 yards freestyle. This would leave Miss McGrath for the distances which suit her better, the 220 and 440 yards. SUGGESTED TEAM Summing up, the best team would appear to be: Ladies breaststroke, Miss Lynch, ladies backstroke, and 100yds freestyle, Miss Macdonald, all ladies freestyle events, Miss McGrath; men's 440yds, 880yds and one mile, P. R. Malthus (if available), men’s breaststroke, K. Shaw, dive, A. Branks, men’s backstroke, ‘ the winner of a trial between Berry, Brown and Martin. No other male freestyle swimmers are up to the required standard. No doubt finance will again be studied but it should be remembered that a strong representation this year should probably decide Southland’s claim for the following year’s meeting. “Learn to Swim Week” opened in very warm weather and started well, the instructors being keen and the pupils numerous. Apart from the general public the primary schools classes are attending during the day and are receiving instruction from the baths staff. As there was no room for them the South School will carry out their course of instruction next week.

A feature of the racing on Monday night was the exhibition of butterfly breaststroke given by V. Osmond, who won his heat and semi-final in 33sec and the final in 32sec which must be the fastest time yet recorded for breaststroke in Southland. Also noticeable was the consistent swimming of Leila Gellately who swam very well indeed to gain a place in the final with her third swim.