SWIMMING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14510, 13 November 1909, Page 5

SWIMMING.

(By " Crawl.")

Any notes of interest which secretaries of clubs and others may nave for insertion in this column should reach "Crawl" not later than Thursday. I Matters in swimming circles locally are keeping very quiet, and nothing definite has yet been arranged regarding tho season's programme of the New Plymouth club. From what I can gather the club will run three polo teams this year. The "beach;" combination will have a big advantage, inasmuch as its representatives will be drawn from both the East and West End teams.

There is still nothing definite to report with reference to the formation of a Taranaki centre. lam assured, however, that the question has not been lost sight of, and that a bug effort will be made to bring about this desirable change in the present arrangement. Everyone will readily admit that the Wanganui oentre, >at it at present exists, is too scattered, making it very hard, on clubs at this end. With the three Taranaki clubs now in existence snd the prospect of another strong club being formed at Inglewood, there is sufficient material to justify the formation of a centre for this province. 1 An amateur swimming dub has been formed at Dunedin, and efforts are to be made to push ahead the public baths scheme in the city. Ronayne v the present New Zealand 100 yards champion, has taken up his residence . in Auckland, but -may not take an active part in the sport until after the coming hoUslays.

The Oounefi et trie New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association has adopted the following revised standard times: 100 yds., 66sec. ; 220 yds., 2min. 4«sec.j 440 yds., 6min. 15sec. : 88Qyds., ISmih. ; 1 mile, 27mm. ; 220 yds. breast stroke, Smin. SOsec.

The members of the Canterbury Centre of the N.Z.A.S.A. recently presented Mr. Walter Johnson with a handsome afternoon tea set and silver tray, bearing a suitable inscription in recognition of his 80 years' association with swimming sport. The presentation was a very fitting recognition of Mr. Johnson's services, and the feelings -which prompted it will be re-echoed. by many- swimmers outside of Christohurch.

A suggestion comet from Auckland that the New Zealand Council procure a shield, similar to the Reran Memorial Shield, to- be competed for .annually at the Nsw Zealand championship carnival, tho province gaining the most wins in championship events to be the holder.

At the Southport Club's swimming gala, T. S. Battersby made an attempt to lower the 300 yards record of 3mm. 34tsec., created by R. Cavill at Liverpool in 1902. Messrs. J. R.. Mettody and C. Snowdon were officials in charge of the event. The bath is just 25 yards long. Battersby proved in great form, and covered the distance in Bmm. 31{sec. His suocess was hailed with tremendous cheering. H« various times were:— 6o yards, SOsec. ; 100 yards, 66sec. ; 150 yards, lmm. 40sec. ; 300 yards, 2min. ITsee.; 350 yards, 2min. 65sec.— Manchester Sporting Chronicle of September 4.

Says a New York writerj-'The One Mile Amateur Swimming C^mpionsbip of America w« decided on Saturday, September 11* •* Verona Uk«, New Jersey- There w^ eight competitors, and «» result w« intatf *ta *o* <U M. Daniels (N.Y.A.C.), J. H. Reflly (N.Y.A.0.) being second, and Hanulta© Brown (Princeton Ufcnrerwty) third. Daniels was in grand form, and cotero dthe distance in Stain. lMsec., thus beating his own. record, made m 1906) by 22J*ec Bod Goodwin, who had Been swimming wonderfully fast in training, and promising to defeat theChampion, did not compete." Daniels mile, record figures are 28mm. 40fsec. (87 turns), established at New York in 1907. On September 18. under the auspices of the Port of Plymouth Swuriming Association, W. J. Hobbs,off the Promonade Pier. Plymouth, attempted to lower J. Nuttall r s record for the mile in the open sea. Nutfalls record ja» made at Brighton 6n August 30, 1890, the time being 28mm. 7|sec. The conditions for the attempt were by no means ideal, there being a nasty top on the water, with a strong tide across too course. Mr. T. Woods acted as timekeeper, and Mr. J. H. Hayes as starter. Hobbs' started at a good pace, adopting the trudgeon stroke, which he maintained throughout. At toe outset he did well, swimming strongly and m a good course, but aftof traversing half the distance, he dri£ted~r*t times some yards— off the direct course, •. jntpkfting the mile, plus ten yards, in 28nun. 45tsec. . . . The 100 yds. Championship, which was. decided recently at Hull (says the London Sportsman) produced some exoting racing, and in the end the honours i went to P. EadmfloTic, the well-known Weston-super-Hare swimmer, who qualified for the final as fastest loser, and beat the holder, H. Meyboom, of Brussels, by three-fifths of a second. None of the men approached the record tune of 55{sec. made by C. M. Darnels at Manchester in 1907, but all the winners of heats got well inside the standard time of 68sec. Originally Bf 00 ™ 10 *^?/ the South-east London B.C. in 1878, the winner now holds a perpetual challenge cup, presented by the Otter B.C. in 1895. Of the fifteen entries two failed to turn out, these being C. G. Stimson, Bedford and Cambridge Cnjreraity, who had met. with an accident, and G. Dockreß, the Irish ohamPl °*Leander," of- the London Sportsman, says:— "An attempt is about to be made to restrict the height from which dirers will be allowed to give exhibitions at swimming galas. It is unquestionable that graTß risks are often taken by direiaL and that sooner or later there will be a serious accident. Diving from the roof into seven feet of water is all very well in its way, but, as under such oircumstances a graceful entry is ail but impossible, the trick is merely one that shows individual pluck or foolhardiness —call it what you will. The idea at present is to allow dirers to use twice as much air space as there is water: in other words, a man who wishes to dive twenty feet must have ten feet of water to drop into."