CHAMPIONSHIPS SOON

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1931, Page 11

CHAMPIONSHIPS SOON

BUSY TIME FOR SWIMMERS

MILE CHAMPIONSHIP, GREY CUP.

preparing for surf contests.

(By “Beltman.”) With the approach of the Taranaki provincial championships, life-saving contests at Opunake and New Plymouth and the selection of Taranaki s polo team, interest in swimming has plenty to keep it alive. Carnivals are numerous and there will-be on an average more than one a week for the next month, in the New Plymouth district —New Plymouth to-day, the combined carnival on Thursday, the championships the following Wednesday, Okato in the afternoon on February 21 and tha Ladies’ Life-Saving Club event a week later. By this means Swimming Week should be assisted to the success, it deserves. The youngsters of New Plymouth are an amphibious race and to the end of the school holidays the Weymouth Street baths were always filled with a crowd of joyously noisy children. There should be no difficulty in finding the material for tuition and there are plenty oi swimmers in New Plymouth who will be glad to assist. All that remains is organisation. . As the Veronica is in Napier harbour the main reason for the combined carnival next Thursday has disappeared, but as arrangements had already been made it has been decided to hold the carnival. There is the 880 yards Taranaki championship to be decided and this in itself will be a big attraction. The field should be- up to the standard of previous years although the titleholder A. Robson will probably be a non-starter. TO-NIGHT’S ATTRACTION. The championship relay race of Taranaki for the Grey Cup, which is on the programme for to-night, has drawn seven entries.. It is doubtful whether the practice of allowing the entry of more than one team from each club is desirable, as the necessity for heats in a race of this kind is not appreciated by swimmers who may 1 be entered in other events, and helps to lengthen the programme. Five clubs, Hawera, Fitzroy, East End, New Plymouth and Waitara are represented, and in addition East End and New Plymouth have entered B teams. The mil© provincial championship has drawn eight entries, Ryan and Jobson from Hawera, Staunton, St. George and Plumtree from Fitzroy and W. Remington and R. and N. Gardiner from East End. Ryan is well known as a distance swimmer and was second to Robson in this event last year. Jobson has yet to be tried in the distance events, although he has proved himself among Taranaki’s, best in the mid-dle-distance races. St. George is another recruit to the distance swimmers and with Jobson should set a fast pace in the early stages. A mile championship in New Plymouth would hardly seem complete without the entries of Plumtree and Staunton, but it is doubtful whether IPlumtrcJo will he a stirter. It is gratifying to see East End rep-, resented and the three entrants are all enthusiasts. If any of these three fails to gain a place it Will not be for the want of trying. The first of the season’s Dalgleish Cup polo matches will be decided between Fitzroy and New Plymouth. ,On paper Fitzroy has the winning combination, but . the New Plymouth team is a mixture of experience and keenness and may turn the tables on its redoubtable opponents. Chances for selection for the representative team will probably , be made or marred in this game. SURF LIFE-SAVING WORK. Life-saving activities axe in full swing in New Plymouth. The East End club has been doing good work In jts Shield and junior shield competitions and has decided to enter tw.O Tabor Shield teams and, a ladies’ team. Fitzroy commenced recently and will be represented by at least two team?; and work at the New Plymouth High School will commence as soon, as school teams should not be difficult to flpd. matters have settled down. Two junior ASHBURTON CHAMPIONSHIPS. Winning six out of the IT championships, Otago, by a big margin, won' the War Memorial Shield at the New Zealand junior and intermediate swimming championships, which were concluded at Ashburton .on Saturday. Manawatu, Auckland and Southland each scored two points, and Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay one. The other provinces competing did not score. This is the first year the junior and intermediate championships have been separated from the senior, and they were a success from every point of view, the carnivals being splendidly conducted by the Ashburton Centre. The times in most of the events on Saturday were very good, arid two new New Zealand records were set —one by W. Jarvis (Otago) in the 106 yards boys’ championship, which took Imin 5 2-ssec, and the other by Miss D. Dowman (Auckland) mi the 75 yards intermediate girls’ breast-stroke championship in which the time was, Imin 3sec. The outstanding performances the previous day was that of. Miss P. Sporle (Manawatu), in the 100 yards junior girls’ championship. She broke the New Zealand record of Imin 16 2-ssee by one second. This was the only record, 'broken, though Miss R. Low. (Canterbury) in her heat in the afternoon equalled the New Zealand record in the same event. The times in most events were bettr than those recorded last year at Greymouth. Descriptions of various events given by the Christchurch Sun throw light on performances. One of the best races on Friday was the 220 yards intermediate boys’ championship, in which P. McGrath (Southland), who has not previously been heard of in championship swimming, • fought out a great finish with N. Redman (Hawke’s Bay) to win by a couple of feet. It is some years since Southland has been represented in the intermedi* | ate championships. McGrath has a fine I distance stroke.

As was generally expected, R. Geddes (Otago) had little difficulty in winning the 100 yards intermediate hoys’ breaststroke championship. Last year Geddes won the junior boys’ breast-stroke championship. The 75 yards junior boys’ breast-stroke went to Walter Jarvis (Otago), with D. S. Thomas (Canterbury), who has done very little competitive swimming, second. The 100 yards junior girls’ championship in which Miss P. Sporle won so brilliantly was her first appearance in championship swimming, and she showed herself a brilliant yomister, with a very nice stroke. The Canterbury girls did much better than the boys. The province’s only win was scored by Miss Shona Campbell, who has shown tremendous improvement this season, in

the 100 yards intermediate girls’ championship. She led all the way, winning by five yards. ” ' . The 220 yards junior boys championship was. won by N. Crump, the Auckland boy who has been showing such good form this season. W. Jarvis (Otago) was a very good second, but Crump appeared to have the race m hand some distance from the finish. On Saturday the 75 yards intermediate girls’ breast-stroke championship brought to light a fine breast-stroke swimmer in Miss D. Dowman (Auckland), who beat the holder of the title, Miss M. Matliieson (Otago) very comfortably, holding the lead throughout. Miss. Bowman’s time, Imin 3sec, was faster by 12-ssec than Miss Mathieson s record. ' ‘ , The 220 yards intermediate girls championship was a great race between Miss Shona Campbell (Canterbury) and Miss M. Mathieson (Otago), the Otago girl just getting there on the touch. Great interest was aroused by the .50 yards junior girls’ championship, which resolved itself into a duel between Miss P, Sporle (Manawatu), who swam so well on the previous day, and Miss R. Low (Canterbury). Miss Low touched first at the end of the first lap,, but she lost ground on the turn, and in a great race to the rope Miss Sporle won by a touch. W. Jarvis (Otago) and N. Crump (Auckland) had the finish of the 100 yards junior boys’ championship between them, the Otago boy . winning by a foot in Imin 5 2-ssec, which is 2-ssec faster than R. Geddes’ previous record. M. Redman (Hawke’s Bay) scored. a comfortable win in the 440 yards intermediate boys’ championship. The time was 6min 14 2-ssec, which was considerably slower than the time put. up by C. Bullivant (Wanganui), who finished second in the final—in his heat in the afternoon. The intermediate boys’ diving championship, as was generally expected, was won by R. McLay (Otago), holder of the title. The form shown in the compulsory dives in the afternoon was rather disappointing, but the competitors did much better in the optional and post dives in the evening. One. of the post dives, a forward, step running off the high board, one foot take-off, proved a surprise to most of the competitors; it is very unusual for this dive to be set in a championship. R. Frahkham (Auckland), who finished second, gave a good display, but McLay must have won by a fair margin. J. Macdonald (Canterbury) was third. OFF THE DEEP END. Gordon Bridson, New Zealand champion free style swimmer over all distances from ICO yards to the half-mile, was the idol of the crowd at a carnival held in Gisborne on Anniversary Day night. He equalled his own Dominion record in the 150 yards sprint, winning from Jimmy Miller (lOsec), by Sy, yards in Imin 33 l-ssec. « * =» a ' *

Misses Dorothy Grant and Edna Champion, the two Auckland swimmers, are back in the sport this year after a temporary retirement. Both/ are useful performers up to 440 yards; Grant. represented Auckland at the national championships at Wellington two years ago, and Miss Champion holds the New Zealand intermediate girls’ 220 yards record of 2min 52 2-ssec. She is the daughter of Malcolm Champion, who won many honours as a swimmer in his time. * # * . ® "

Hawaii wants .to know what can ba done to prevent United States clubs luring away its swimmers, descendants Of generations' of native The Hawaiian association of the American Amateur Athletic Union wrote today to the national registration committee in New York asking. transfer from the Hui Makani Club, Honolulu, to the Hollywood Athletic Club of Manuella and Malola Kalili and Johnny Wood.' The local association said it was not protesting officially, but wished to retain its athletes,; if possible.

Although the attendances at water polo practices in Wellington have not been large, there have been quite a few of the younger pldyers who are showing interest in the game and are desirous; of learning its-rudiments, says the To encourage them, the centre has decided to' call for entries for a junior competition, which will commence at as early a date as possible. The idea of encouraging the juniors is a sound one, and it is believed that all the .clubs will enter teams. The senior players may feel that'-they are left out in the cold somewhat, but such is not the intention. Actually the Lyall Bay and Maranui- Clubs are the only two that can field senior teams, and for the present it is not thought advisable to provide a competition for two teams. With a view to selecting a strong combination for Wanganui, the selector will no arrange for the seniors to meet one another as often as possible.

When Bill Cameron went to Sydney last season hfe broke two State records and was, included in the Australian team for the Empire Gaines. "This summer lie is finding it hard to hold his own in the best coippany. He was regarded as a certainty for the 100 yards New South Wales backstroke championship, in which he created a record last year, but he was beaten into second place by Victor Besomo, a novice at the style, who reduced Cameron’s record to 68 3-ssec — the New Zealander’s time was 70 3-ssec. Cameron also .contested the 100 yards free style championship but finished fifth with only one man behind him. The event was won by Cecil Light, holder of the title, in 55 3-ssec. Hooper and Robertson (second and third) both went better than 57sec.

In other, older and less enlightened days, Australia had freak endurance contests. They lapsed. Which - was the fate they deserved. Now Sydney is suffering an eqdurance swimming contest, says the Sydney Referee. Certainly it is not so stupidly futile as the treesitting, pie-eating members of the same alleged endurance family. But it is a piffling kind of cheap jack show that is probably harmful to the individual, useless to sport, and judging by the attendance, of little interest to the public. They may be of no tangible value but endurance swims proper do have an appeal to the red-blooded. 1 There is at least no cheap jack showmanship about a channel swim or the conquering of the Straits of Gibraltar. Those are definite, virile challenges to Nature. But greasy, drum-banging spectacles such as the marathon endurance swim at, Manly are. neither use nor ornament. Australia does not want them. AUSTRALIAN SPEEDSTERS. Final results are available of the Australian national champiopships held at Brisbane—the concluding events of the series. As expected, Noel Ryan won the 880yds apd Frank McCure, the 220yds and 440yds breaststroke events, thus gaining for New South Wales the Kieran championship shield, which that State now holds for the twelfth time. Two carnivals were held, on Wednesday and Saturday, January 21 and 24. The star event of the Wednesday programme .was the natjcma.l 100yds, won by A. Sousaari in 56 l-ssec, with T. Boast, P. Hooper and Cecil Light next, each limed at one-fifth of a second worse. Opinion was general, however,

that not l-ssec separated all the first four. Noel Ryan won the 880yds in llmin 6 4-ssec, followed into second place by 15-year-old Victor Besomo. D. Hellmrich, Besomo’s manager, did not wish th© boy to swim but eventually gave' permission, providing- he sw»m to instructions. He made no attempt to chase Ryan till ordered to, and the order did not come till 400 yards had been covered. Then the younster settled down and finished in llmin 13 1-5 sec, a remarkable achievement. The swimming of the 220yds breaststroke was marked by an extraordinary blunder. F. McCure led from the start and after turning at the 200 yard mark looked in vain for the finishing beam. Waved on by his manager he continued to 300 yards and finished yards ahead of the rest. It transpired that officials had not been able to get the beam in position in time and a re-swim was ordered. This resulted in the pjacings being the same, McCure’s time being 3min 6 4-ssec. McCure on Saturday won comfortably the 440 yards breaststroke in 6min 30 l-ssec. As expected, the 100 yards backstroke, swum at the same carnival, was retained comfortably by Tom Boast in SO 4-ssec. Competing in a specially staged 220yds handicap, Noel Ryan swam the distance in 2min 9 l-ss"ec and in a 50 yards handicap P. Hooper was timed at 23 2rssec, the fastest time ever registered by an Australian. No official application had been made, however, and the time will not receive recognition as a record.

An ardent swimmer cannot be kept from the water. Mr. M. McLeod, Wellington, although well past his 70th birthday, never misses his daily plunge in the swimming baths. On a recent Sunday morning he covered a mile before breakfast without turning a hair.