IN BATHS AND SURF

Taranaki Daily News, 12 February 1931, Page 3

IN BATHS AND SURF

SWIMMERS IN LIMELIGHT . CHAMPIONSHIPS NEXT WEEK. 1 TABOR SHIELD AND PENNANT. (By ‘‘Bellman.’’) The swimming season seems to be well into its stride now, although somewhat later than usual. There is still a formidable list of carnivals and competitions. Nights have been chilly and the water has not been too favourable for good performances. The Stratford carnival on Thursday night was marred to some extent by the state of the atmosphere, but otherwise was very successful. Hawera’s meeting on Friday in aid of the earthquake relief fund was successful although swimmers from North Taranaki found themselves unable to travel oh account of the northern carnival the following night. Len Smith, New Zealand' champion breaststroke swimmer, returned the excellent time of 74 2-ssec in a 100 yards breaststroke event. ...

The New Plymouth clubs’ carnival on Saturday was worthy of a good,attendance. The mile championship.is always an attraction, the fact that siich a race comes' only once a year enhancing its interest. The ■ Grey Ciip was ail - exhilarating scramble in which,the speed of Hawera’s first two men' won the team the race. ■ Considering that St. George had not long before won the mile event, the way he prevented Anderson from drawing away over the last -lap was a good effort. New Plymouth, as expected, was no match fdr Fitzroy'in the polo and was overshadowed in weight, experience and ability to withstand cold. Three of the New Plymouth players.and; one Fitzpoy man were forced to retire'. As far as the game itself is concerned, the ball 'at times did not. receive its fair,share of attention,'but from a spectator’s point of view thfe match was a good one. H. J. Thomas is dangerous from anywhere within halfway and C. Campbell was another who ‘ went well to score . two goals. - FITZROY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS. The weekly evening practice? -of -the Fitzrby Surf Club will culminate . on Tuesday in the club championship night, which- will be a minor’ carnival.. The programme will include 100 yards npens championship,'so yards' junior ' girls’ championship, (under H 1).,. 5Q yards ladies’ breaststrqke championship, men’s diving championship, junior men’s.diving championship; (under 17)', ladies’ diving championship,., junior ladies’ diving championship, ladies’ 50 yards championship,, junior men's -50 .yards championship, ladies’ 50 yards invitation race handicap, 50 ; yards senior men’s championship, 50 yards men s invitation race handicap/100 yards junior men’s championship. ■ This will not be the end of the club's season, however, -as it- is- -intended to continue: aggregate races 'for somfc> weeks.*./;./ : ’, , , . .. ' BRIDGE-TO-BRIDGE RACE ' Twenty swimmers competed on Saturday- in - the -annual • bridge.-to-bridge in the Wanganui River.’Conditions were not satisfactory for although the sun was shining a strong southerly wind and a' fast outr.r.unning tide created choppy water,.which, as the competitois neared the finishing line, developed into a heavy sea. Under these-circumstances the swimmers who completed'-the.course —and there were only, five or six who did not do so—put'up a meritorious-perr forniance. ’ . './ • -/ - - . , Fastest time went td-.R: J. Webster, Auckland, who finished ■ eighth, and ,he. must be/considered'..somewhat lucky for the winner of the race, IC. 'Biillivant, took only , two seconds longer.; For the last half mile Biilliv'ant .the Jead and consequently had,iip.,assistance froth pacemakers, whereas Webster had many to help him. . Bullivant’s performance marks him as a worthy Wanganui representative for the Annette Kellerman Cup race of 3J’miles on March 6. Of the ladies..'Miss D. Anderson swam best, completing the distance in the eighth fastest time! .The. order, at the finish was:-—C. .Buiriv.ant.- (2'2osec), min 42?ec, 1; A. Haworth (170sec),;3a min 4Ssec, 2;-J- Garde (2'3osee), 37min, 3; Miss D. Anderson (olOsec), 39min 10„ sec/' 4. ; R. WEBSTER’S PREPARATION ' ■’ \ '■ • '"/ g v \ ’ (■!*’-• '*■ The-rigorous winter ■ was not allowed to interfere with- the .training, of R. J. Webstqr, the Tohg distaflee swimmer, Who since ' March'/has ;been training steadily-with' a view* to /attempting the Cook Strait. siylni..’ about. the midd'le of this month.. With - ice on backwashes ahd ’ rain-puddles' 'and;. sometimes with snow on the. ground,. Webster -cou(d. be seen clad/only .in; Bwimming. , shorts, making his; way across, the paddocks ioi his: daily'hwim'in -the Buller /River. Two..years .ago, -when-. Webster made his first ‘at'tenipl;; the'cold water, proved too much for him aild he gave up after eight miles'.i Dethiraiued '.to.'.become -accustbnied./ tp / the: co;ld ; . water,..Webster went- to - the -Midland railway construction works' at' Owen Valley and daily after, w’prk;'-'in ’afiy the rivei- iii. any. condition, .he plunged into ' wa.tet'./direc.t/froni- the - Against.Mjie current prould. swimjor half, hour' period's., . . .. ■.. - During the spring and sumniei he has been'Active, and 'last' Saturday iwas a competitor: in ./the .annual' h/jdge-to-brid-re race .on .the.- Wanganui Starting - ’from scratch ’he. mto eighth- place and. secured fastest time, 3 ° Strait • swim/ Webster will attempt' .'to 'break, the, New-Z.ealand distance record' of 38- nules rt recently Established bn the-'Waikato/River by Miss Lily Cbpplestone, and- following the .New Zealand championships and Annette Kellerman <jup race Webster pate ini a race against E. C. Clarldge from - Somes Island to; Days Bay in Wellington harbour. OFF THE DEEP END. The record for the Taranaki. 880 yards champidnship, the 1930 race for which is to night, is held, by K. Staunton, whose time , in 1929 was ,13pm 42gec. Last year’s.winner, was A. Robson, who also won the mile race and the Flanpagan Cup, and his time was 13mm 4a l-ssec. - -. '-/ - : # * * * The Auckland . Swipming. Centre has forwarded to the Royal Humane Society for official recognition particulars of a rescue of a young man .frop drowning at Muriwai- beach in December by Mita G. Pidgeon, the New Zealand, breaststroke champion, and her, brother, R. Pidgeon. . . Another- illustration of the readiness of small country clubs to. give members the advantage of. scientific