SWIMMERS DISSATISFIED

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1933, Page 9

SWIMMERS DISSATISFIED

FAULTS IN CHAMPIONSHIPS “JUNIORS NOT CATERED FOR.” STANDARD OF DIVING CRITICISED. Dissatisfaction with the present programme provided for the Taranaki Swimming Championships was the subject of discussion at the annual meeting of the East End Surf Club at New Plymouth last night. The remit to the Taranaki Swimming Centre submitted by Mr. J. W. Moorhead (Fitzroy Club) was received.

Mr. Moorhead’s notice of motion was:— “That the Taranaki Swimming Championship as controlled by the centre be divided into two groups comprising (1) senior events and (2) intermediate and junior events, the latter being enlarged to cater for the requirements of junior swimmers; and that the venue of each group be arranged alternately in each season for New Plymouth or Hawera, the senior events for the coming season to be decided at the southern centre and the junior events at New Plymouth.” The East End Surf Club agreed with the suggestion, and decided by a unanimous vote to support it. The idea outlined was very sound, said Mr. N. Berge. The junior programme at present provided was far from satisfactory. He was supported by Mr. A. Henderson, who agreed that in Taranaki there was little encouragement for juniors. The traces provided at the championships were not sufficient to cater fully for the boys and girls; they did not allow competitors to have experience of the type of event for which they would later compete as seniors, and which was provided at the New Zealand championships. For instance there was only one intermediate event, a 50 yards race, in the Taranaki championship, while the programme for the New Zealand championships included races of 100, 220 and 440 yards. Further comment on the Taranaki championship programme was made with regard to the diving section. Messrs A. Henderson and R. Williams moved “that in order to improve the standard of diving in the province the compulsory dives in the championship meetings be made more difficult, i.e., that they be the same as those stipulated for the New Zealand championship.” This would be an incentive to club members to make an effort to attain a higher standard of efficiency than at present existed in the province, it was stated. Mr. Henderson in supplementing the motion said that in Taranaki the “Taranaki hunch” and the “pike” were practically the only dives seen. There were a number of good divers in the province, but too many were content to do the same ordinary dive. To bring diving in Taranaki up to championship standard and to give Taranaki divers a chance in outside events, he said, some definite and immediate action would be necessary in modifying the existing regulations. The motion met with general approval, and was to be submitted as a remit to the Taranaki Swimming Centre.