SWIMMING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 561, 26 November 1915, Page 2

SWIMMING.

NEWS AND NOTES. Though Christmas is barely a month distant, there is very little activity in swimming locally. The weather has been fairly favourable during the last few weeks, but there appears to have crept in a peculiar le.thargy that will take a lot of shaking off. The absence of so many swimmers at the war is having a marked effect, and a dull season is inevitable. The East .Christchurch Club set the ball rolling last Monday evening with a 33 1 -3yds handicap, the result of which was as under: First heat: M. McNeeley 1, .B. Wheeley 2, G. Cattermole 3. C. Sheppard and C. Stafford also started. Second heat: B. Davies 1, O. Turpin 2, D. Coulter 3. P. Hill and E. Collins also started. Pinal: D. Coulter 1, B. Davies 2. Much attention has been attracted during the past season in the United States by the doings of Ludy Langer, the Los Angeles distance swimmer, and the best man over distances above the furlong that America has yet produced. His swims include a half-mile in llmin 46 2-ssec and a quarter in smin 22 1-5 sec, Doth accomplished in a 75yds bath.

Kahanamoku has also registered some excellent performances in America. Prior to going to the States and shortly after his. return from Australasia, however, he did some big things, in Honolulu. . He swam 50yds in 23sec and 100 yds in 53 l-ssec, both phenomenal figures and both world's- records. In America the big Hawaiian reversed the beating that-Baithel had given him the: previous year; accounting for the Illinois Athletic Club man' in 50yds and 220 yds events. In the 50yds the watches showed 24 l-ssec, three Hawaiian men—-Kahanamoku, Lane, and -Cunha—filling the places in the order named, with Baithel fourth. In the 220 yds race Duke accounted for the much talked of McGilliyray, winning by a yard in 2min 26 2-ssec, Cunha being third.

:- Kahanamoku's comment on the American crawl is of interest. He said:— "I have■ observed that many of -your fastest swimmers here use their feet on the surface, splashing a'great deal. L, on the contrary,, keep my feet underneath;, ,1. believe that gives me much more driving force in the ; crawl strokes. No energy is lost.''

Ex-champion F. E. Beaurepaire, who has recently recovered from an attack of appendicitis, expects -do leave for Egypt early in January with Mr Crosby,

president of the Victorian- Young Men's Christian Association. Beaurepaire, : who has practically discarded racing, is now the military service: secretary 6£ the T.M.CIA. , At'present he is engaged in organising a large military sports meeting in connection with this assoeia-; tion, which is to.be held on December 18. ' ' •'"" '. l ';