SWIMMING JOTTINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 205, 18 November 1927, Page 10

SWIMMING JOTTINGS

Official Opening of Season AUCKLAND’S SIX CLUBS

By

"EIGHTBEAT”

THE 1927-28 swimming season in Auckland will be officially opened on Tuesday evening next by the Waitemata Club, which will present an attractive carnival in the Tepid Baths.

The programme arranged for Tuesday will give the swimimng public an opportunity of seing how the coming representatives are going to shape. There will be sprint and distance events for all grades. Interest will naturally attach to the distance events for men, as some ex-champions will be participating as well as champions of lower grades who have automatically moved to the senior grade owing to age. G. Bridson is the young swimmer who was intermediate champion last year, and whose phenomenal records will not easily be forgfotten. His ef-

forts against swimmers like A. E. Baird, E. V. Cunnold, J. Enwright, J. Meikle and others will be watched with the utmost interest. There will be any amount of other swimming to show what Auckland has this year to battle for the Yaldhurst Shield, and the carnival should prove a big success. SMALLER CLUBS COMING ON Throughout season the majority, in fact, most 6t the carnivals were divided between Waitemata, Mount Eden and Ponsonby, while Parnell, Grammar and Devonport were dormant. No doubt lack of funds was responsible for the poor results by the three latter clubs, and it is indeed most gratifying to know that these three clubs have entered the field again, and

with the confidence of being able to carry on through the season and stage carnivals. They are only small clubs, bust most things start in a small way, and if these bodies can only manage to keep going they will yet “make good.” The support that was lacking last season, it is hoped, will be forthcoming this year and thus enable them to make a success of any undertaking. Parnell Club should be in the bpom this year, now that the City Council has removed the mud flat from the baths. This in itself w'ill be an inducement

to swimmers, and the club should take every advantage of this fact and get busy with carnivals. There is nothing better than an open-air swimming carnival—if the weather would only behave, but like Ponsonby, that chance has to be taken. Parnell has an excellent example in the Ponsonby club, which, despite the terrible handicaps of weather which it has had to contend with, has gone merrily on and w r orked in carnivals somehow. Although that club is not yet in the position it deserves to be it is not for the want of trying. The Grammar Club was not sound financially last season, and was content to play little part in staging carnivals, but it is hoped here that the position will be so improved that it can enter the competitive field with the

rest. Devonport Club has had a hard spin, but we will hear something from here before long. A POPULAR FIGURE With the news that Mr. T. C. HobbsJones, chairman of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Swimming Association, has been transferred to Christchurch on promotion, Auckland swimmers will deeply regret his departure, which will be in a week or so. This regret will be tempered with pleasure that his services have been recognised, but, nevertheless he will be a distinct loss to Auckland swimming. Since he has been associated with swimming here, after his arrival from Napier, Mr. Hobbs-Jones has become a popular figure. Always genial and helpful, he has done a great deal to make the sport what it is to-day in this city. When he left Napier he was a distinct loss, and “Eightbeat,” who saw a good deal of his work there, only echoes the sentiments of others, when he says Christchurch is exceedingly lucky to have his services. All good luck to Mr. Hobbs-Jones, whose popularity with Auckland swimmers will never wane.