SWIMMING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14133, 12 February 1910, Page 8

SWIMMING.

(By n Crawl.”)

Entries for the West Coast championship carnival which is being held at Ponding to-day, closed last Monday and taken on the whole c|in bo considered satisfactory. The meeting should bo one of the most successful held for some years for there has been a great deal.of enthusiasm manifested lately. it is unfortunate the New Plymouth Club is unable to send a team. This does not arise, however, through lack of interest on the part of the club itself or its individual' members. I am told they were anxious to scud a team but certain difficulties cropped up which prevented the men getting away. Last year, it will bo remembered, the New Plymouth representatives had a strong team tailing part in the meeting ana carried off the water polo championship for the -West Coast. Had the men been able to get away a better team than last year's could have been chosen this year; a team that would, I think, have just about succeeded m retaining the honours. .

The New Zealand championships will bo hold on the 19th, ‘23rd and 2uth inst. at Auckland. At this important fixture, too, Mew Plymouth ivill.be without its representatives. The Club’s leading men have been looking forward to the meeting with a great deal ot interest, and have been .training for it. It was a keen disappointment _to them that the proposed tour had to be abandoned. .

Hnwera, I am led to understand, will only have one representative at the , fixture—Grant. Provided be is fit be may bo relied upon to render a good account of himself-. The Wellington Centre hold a meeting a few days ago and very wisely decided to be represented at the fixture. Hog. Hcaly is the AVelhngton candidate. The delegates freely admitted that they had made a mistake in quibbling over the championship meeting being allotted to Auckland. A polo team will probably be selected also. , , ■ The following is the team to represent Canterbury in the polo match at the New Zealand Swimming Championship Meeting;—Goal keeper: G. Gemmoll; full-back: H. Rich; halt-backs, H. T. Williams, W. G. Cookson; forwards: Schwartz, Atkinson and-Hales; emergencies: Drake, Russell, and Mason.

The selections made by the Canterbury Centre for the various events has caused a lot of discontent, and from what has since transpired it is very evident it was justified'. Rich was selected as the distance representative but was immediately challenged tor the honour by Dodge and Maiuurc. The trial came off at the earhest_opportunity and the result was that Rich was beaten by both his challengers. Then for the breast stroke championship A. M. Russell was selected. He, too had a couple of challengers mT. Atkinson and W. Cookson, last ybar s runner-up. Again both challengers succeeded in defeating- the selected man. . '

F. Beauvopaire again asserted his claim to the championship of Australasia bv winning the 220 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards and one mile events at the Australasian championship meeting. Cecil Healy won the 100 yards championship.