Swimming Hopes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 531, 7 December 1928, Page 10

Swimming Hopes

Auckland’s Chances Good When N.Z. Champions Compete DISTANCE MEN WANTED What will Auckland do in the national swimming championships? Firstly, the contests will be held ir. Wellington, a recognised stronghold of swimming and a centre which certainly has every chance to carry off Dominion honours. Te Aro baths are to be the meeting place of the Dominion’s best. Those who know Te Aro will agree that the choice of the baths is excellent. There are first-class appointments. Further, the Wellington officials are competent organisers. It is evident that Wellington expects Auckland to make a strong bid for supremacy. If anything the Southerners have been earlier training this season than the Auckland swimmers. The season has been surprisingly slow to move so far, but from the beginning of December there will be a sufficiently good array of club meets to test the mettle of Auckland’s talent. Until then, there will be no reliable guide to form. * Over the sprints Auckland will shine. J. F. Farrel, the present champion, will be out. Then there are L. Fairgray, J. Enwright, H. Watson. Gordon Bridson, R. de Loree and H. V. (Junnold —a formidable set. Wellington can produce W. Cameron, who is certain to be first string, Rix-Trott, C. Claridge and McHardy, who is showing promise. Canterbury has also to be considered in the sprints. Carlyle Atkins has gone to Napier, but there is stated to be a host of talent to work on. Then Wanganui can produce Norman Dowsett, who is as consistent a sprinter as New Zealand has produced for several years. Dowsett, unfortunately, does not get the right competition in his home town. N. K. Sylow, the Ponsonby star, its rather above the rest of the Dominion’s breaststroke swimmers. The exchampion, B. C. Heard, Canterbury, and Les Smith, Wanganui, are the only ones in sight at present to trouble him. Auckland’s most urgent need is distance swimmers. Bridson is promising but Cunnold’s future work is doubtful. De Loree may claim attention in the distances, but Canterbury’s pair, Dave Lindsay and A. Stokes, seem to be the Dominion’s best. Lindsav. of course, may yet settle in Wellington. Wellington’s hopes in the distance events will fal on Claridge, Pelham and Rix-Trott. Aucklander Fair gray will be a serious contender for the backstroke title. Len Moorehouse, of Canterbury, has, however, a wealth of Olympic experience. No centre will be able to rival Auckland in girl swimmers. Ji,na stocklev us expected to compete over the 100yds again and other Auckland girls from whom great things are expected are fidna Champion, who should test Kathleen Miller over the 220yds and 440yds distances, Peggy Robertson, Dorothy Grant, Jean Thomson, Doris Magee, B. Hanlon, M. Smith and N. Coutts. It seems very certain that Kathleen Miller will leave Dunedin for Wellington, which is sorely in need of girl swimmers. Wanganui has a good pair in Natalie Stratton and Zena Howarth, a junior, both of whom have been prominent in the Dominion champion - ! ships. ' Outside these girls, the Dominion is rather badly off for women swimmers of ability. Auckland is certainly the centre which has done most to foster swimming among women. In water polo Canterbury, Wellington, Otago and Hawke’s Bay are all expected to do well. Auckland has 1 failed in this department to a surprising extent in the past, but all the clubs are settling down to as much training as is possible. Should the sport be placed on a sound footing in interc.lub competition, there seems to be no reason for failure to produce a champion team. As far as Auckland is concerned, the sooner the clubs settle into their regular competitions the better they will be pleased. Preliminary work is irksome and unreliable and the centre officials themselves will be anxious to determine who will be the city’s best.