Can Auckland Lift the Yaldhurst Shield?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 7

Can Auckland Lift the Yaldhurst Shield?

Not two months since competitive swimming began in earnest for the season in Auckland, swimmers will be racing for Auckland championship titles at the Tepid Baths on Monday and Tuesday evenings next. Admittedly a late start was made in competition. Up to the Parnell Club’s carnival last Tuesday, the interest in the soprt, even among the entrants, disappointed. Now there is a new lease of enthusiasm. One point is quite definite — : the centre will have an efficient team representing Auckland at the national j championships in Wellington early in February. Capable swimmers are J plentiful. The ablest competitors are at, or have practically reached, the top of their form. They are well defined from the mediocre bulk of entrants. It is certain that the three selectors, Messrs. H. Moore, L. Brighton and O. Gibbons, will not regard near-form seriously. They will have to assure ! themselves that the chosen team will be fit when the national championships are being decided. Over 20 will probably be in the team, and several clubs may go to the extent of financing special representatives who have been excluded from the team. CLASS SPRINTERS Competition for the men’s sprint title will be open, tJ. W. Farrell, of Waitemata, the champion, is in form, but he has several challengers. One of these, R. H. Sellars, the Helensville star, has been showing exceptional dash off the scratch mark. Sellars is of average build and his strokes are clean-cut. He shows judgment comparable with that of the Waitemata veteran, Jack Enwright, who is the headiest swimmer in Auckland. Enwright is still in good form and has had as much success as anyone lately. But he is past his best. Mount Eden Club is hoping to produce a champion in IS-year-old D. Plank, who has been impressing everyone since he came faom the East Coast. It may he too early for him to win a title. Ren de Loree, Mount Eden’s efficient handicap swimmer, will be a contestant. He is remarkably powerful. Then there is L. Fairgray, who is still representing Waitemata, and he should add interest to the race. A. W. Raper, of Pousonby, has been placed on back marks over the sprints at the carnivals. He has acquitted himself with honours. Mass opinion leans toward the | belief that the sprint honours will lie between Farrell and Sellars, I with strongest opposition from Plank and Raper. BRIDSON’S CLAIMS Gordon Bridson, of Grammar Club, is certain to gain inclusion in the representative team as swimmer in the 220yds. David Eindsay, ex-Canterbury, Wellington and New Zealand representative, is coming to Auckland, of course. But chances of his competing at the local championships are slight, for official formalities are still proceeding. Lindsay is the best distance man New Zealand has seen for some years. He may be able to represent Auckland at the national championships. The fact should not interfere with Bridson’s inclusion in the team, since he broke the salt-water record for ,220yds I by three seconds on Tuesday evening. | Bridson is only 19 and has all his swimming ahead of him. He is a

brilliant product of intermediate swimming and owes much of his Success to the way he has heeded expert advice. ’ Without Lindsay he should have the easiest of wins in the 220yds. De Loree, Sellars, Plank, Enwright and E. V. Cunnold will fight out the remaining positions. Enwright can outgeneral De Loree, although the Mount Edener has impressive times to his credit. Lindsay is practically certain to race for Auckland at the national championships, but it Is said that he will be able to stay in Wellington only long enough for the 220yds and the mile. N. K. Sylow, the breast-stroke champion, will defend his Auckland titles

although he will he in Sydney on holiday by the time the New Zealand championshijjs are on. T. Lowe, of Devonport, and Jimmie Magee, of Parnell, are next in order. Magee was responsible for a surprise defeat of Lowe this week. Cunnold, E. Bruton (Ponsouby), and F. Ansel] (Waitemata) have chances of places. Wilfrid Hassan, of Ponsonby, has been proving himself to be the most prominent diver in Auckland. There is a chance of competition from Barry

Young, of Fonsonby, tlie ex-New South Wales diver. In his absence Hassan would surprise if he did not win. Ponsonby has the best set of divers in the city this season. Waitemata has versatile Viv Cunnold still in action. H Neale and E. Bruton are two Ponsonby hopes. Remarkable increases in the popularity of women’s swimming have been noted since the war and in this now important part of the sport, Auckland has most claim to recognition as the city which has produced the best girls. The New Zealand public is perfectly well aware that the Dominion girls

can more than hold their own with the Australians when the men are obviously behind the Australian calibre. Last season, it was Ena Stockley, present Auckland champion, and Kathleen Miller, then of Dunedin, and now strengthening Wellington’s championship team, who jolted the Sydney champions from the pedestal on which they had been placed. The

groundwork ot the Misses G. Shancl 'Canterbury), V. Walrond (Auckland), P. I-loet’t (Auckland), Glactys Pidgeon (Auckland), and Piri Page (Auckland) is being carried on better than ever. Outside Miss Miller, in the 220yds, Miss Hood, of I-lawke’s Bay, and Miss Foote, of Otago, in the diving, and two youthful Wanganui girls. Misses Natalie Stratton and Zena Howartli, in the Junior and intermediate events, Auckland’s women swimmers seem likely to be the greatest force at the championships. DORIS MAGEE’S CHANCES To get nearer home, opinion is divided as to the merits of the two best Auckland sprint swimmers, Ena Stockley, of Grammar, and Doris Magee, ot Parnell. Miss Magee has had most success this season and, on Tuesday evening, conceded Miss Stockley half a second in the 66 2-3yds event to finish with Miss Stockley in what was virtually a dead-heat. Both swimmers are in excellent form, and interest will run high when they decide the sprint championship. Miss Magee has a wonderful chance of repeating her form at the last title races securing the championship. There is the barest margin between the pair. Both girls will probably go to Wellington. The tussle for third place will be between Misses P. Robertson (Parnell), M. Farquhar (Waitemata), D. Grant (Grammar), and E. Champion 'Mount Eden). Miss Champion, further. is expected to show great form in the 220yds. Miss Stockley should be able to retain her back-stroke title. From the junior girls, Misses M. Smith OVaitemata) and Berenice Hanlon (Waitemata) stand out as the possessors of the best chances. Miss Smith has been swimming particularly well. Other promising girl swimmers are Misses M. Ellworth, of Devonport; S. Grange (Blount Eden) ; and D. Harvey, Parnell. Handicap events will be featured at the championships and large fields will be the rule. Especially prominent in handicap races have been D. E. Keane, R. Colebrook, A. Oolebrook, W. Ramsay, Bf. Wilson, W. Clarkson, G. Clouston. J. Perrin, R. Lane, R. E. Lynch, R. Skinner, R. Porteous, W. Obsahr, and S. Brooking. Ronald Pidgeon, of Parnell, has considerable claim to the junior boys title, although ,T. Magee (Parnell), and the Mount Eden pair, J. Davey and J. Bickerton, are formidable.

Water polo lias had its ups and downs in Auckland, but a big effort is being made to select an efficient team for the national championships. Canterbury has won the title for years past.

Hopes are bright for the national title quest and the chief stumbling block in Wellington, from Auckland’s point of view, will be in the men’s sprints. W. Cameron, of Wellington, and Norman Dowsett, of Wanganui, are likely to fill first and second places, respectively. Kathleen Miller is in the women's 20yds, and the water polo will be hard. Auckland should bo able to send away a fast flying squadron. Canterbury will depend on Leu Bfoorhouse in the sprint. Cameron is swimming brilliantly, and no one will be surprised to see him become champion. D.C.S.T.