SWIMMING

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13828, 13 February 1909, Page 7

SWIMMING

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The swimming carnival wliich opened in Timaru on Thursday, was concluded yesterday, when the remaining championships were decided. 'iher.-. was a good attendance, b-*.iutiful w.-hlhcr prevailed, and everything i. smv! under the happiest aus.-n-es. The 440 Yar'is Champions.r'p »• ;is ui—eseu '• . Reg Healey of v\ r ellin,to'i. B«.lcy did n.ot go for the 100 Yards Championship which was fought out between Champion and Ronayne. Champion finished first, but omitted to comply with the rule which says that every man must touch the top of the bath as he finishes. Ronayne was only a few inches behind him, and popping his hand up first he sained the victory. The world's record for the distance is 55 2-osec. established by C. M. Daniels of New York. M. E. Champion held the New Zealand record prior to yesterday, and the standard time was 65sec, . but Ronavne cut the distance out in 66 4-osee. The world's record for the mile Slmin. 11 2-ssec. was established by R. Cavil 1 of New South Wales, and the Now Zealand record-was held by A:-McMil-lan, of Otapo, whose time was 28min. 17 !-js=op. The first, second and third men all heat this yesterday, Manhire's performance in covering the distance in 27min 25 4-OBec. being specially meritorious, as he is only 17 years' old. ■The times of the three placed men for the half distance were —Healey 13min. 12sec, McMillan 13min 41sec 2-osec, Manhire 13min. 40 2-osec. Healey's times for the hundreds were as follows: 200 vards 2min 44sec, 300 4min 15sec, 400 smin 46 3-ssec, 500 7min 20sec, 600 Bmin 53 2-ssec, 700 lOmin 25sec, 800 12min 57sec, 900 13min 29 3-ssec, 1000 losec 2 l-ssec, 1100 16min 34 3-5 pec, 1200 ,18min 7sec, 1300 19min 39 3-ssec, 1400 21min 12sec, 1500 22min 44sec, 1600 24min 17sec, 1700 25nu'n 50sec, 1750 26min 38 3-ssec, remaining--10 yards, 7 sec. The water polo championship "was taken by Cantcrb lry No. 1 after a really good contest. Ihe meeting was well conducted smd the local officials are to be heart'l" oon gratulated upon the success achieved. 100 Yards Inter-Club Handicap, trophies, value £2 2s and £1 is. First ileal —K. -Evenson 12sec 1, A. Held bsec 2, A. Russell 2scc 3. K Robertson I2sec also started. Won very eas'ily. Time 83 2-osec. Second Heat — G. Gemmel 4sec 1,-.A. G. Sanderson 12sec 2, S. Bracefield 15sec 3. A tiptop go between Sanderson and Gemmei the latter winning by a couple of feet. Time 75 2-ssec. - Third Heat —M. -O'Donoghue lOsec 1, L. Hales 4sec 2, I>. Dodge 3sec 3. Won by four yards, a close finish for second place. Time 79sec. Fourth Heat—J. H. Nicholls lOsec 1. F. Brqwn llsee 2. G. L. Bull scr and J. Lockhart 4sec also started, but were both disqualified for Fouling. Nicholls won bv a yard. Time 78 2-ssec. Fifth Heat—H. H. Fraser lOsec 1, C. Bryant 6sec 2, 0. G. Aylen 12 sec 3. Fraser swam a splendid race and won with a yard to spare. Time 83 2-ssec. Semi-finals—First Heat—Evensen 1, Hales 2, Gemmel 3. The only starters. An exciting finish. Time 83 2-osec. Second Heat—Nicholla 1, Fraser 2, O'Donoghue 3. A close finish, Nicholls just beating Fraser with a very little to spare. Time 77

2-ssec. Final — H. H. Fraser (Timaru) 1 J. Nicholls (Timaru) 2 R. Evenson (Wellington) 3 Hales (Addington) also started, and though he made a big effort to catch the leaders he was unable to do so, his handicap being too great. Nicholls and Evensen got away well, but Fraser who was in great form, went in hot pursuit and at the end ot 75 yards he had the race in hand. Going on in fine style he claimed the victory with a yard to spare, a similar distance separating second and third. Hales was four yards behind, last. Time 77 2-ssec. 440 Yards Championship of New Zealand; first prize gold medal, value £3 3s'; second trophy, value, £1 Is. R. Healey (Wellington) 6min. 8 M. E. Champion (Auckland) 6min. 16 3-osec 2 F. E. Dodge (East Cliristchurch) 6min 18 2-ssec 3 H. Rich (Opawa) 6miu 27 l-ssec also 6wam. The quartet, after a false start, came hack and when next given the word, jumped off in even line and immediately settled down to work in dead earnest." At the end of the first 60 yards Champion had a slight advantage, and Rich had begun to lag behind. At the hundred Champion was ' leading by a couple of yards. Healey being second, and Dodge close up, third. At the end of 200 yards Champion, swimming well, still maintained his lead, but seventy-five yards further on. Healev caught and passed him. Dodge being "ow five yards behind Champion, and Rich twice that distance away. At 300 yards, the Wellington-

ian, cutting through the water at a great rate was leading by three yards and from this on he continued to increase his lead, finally touching the tape first with a good ten yards to spare amid the hearty applause of the onlookers. Dodge hung on to Champion and it looked not unlikely towards the end, that he would beat the late champion for second place, but Champion held his own long enough to claim second honours with a couple of yards to spare. High Diving Competition, for a trophy value 10s 6d.

H. E. Sherwood (Sydenham) 1 H." Wilson (Addington) 2 There were eigilt competitors, and they gave a, pretty exhibition, all doing their work very cleverly. 100 Yards Championship of New Zealand; first prize gold medal vaiue £3 3s, second prize trophy value £1 Is. (Run in one heut>. R. H. Ronayne (Wellingtou), 66 4-5 sec ' 1 M. E. Champion (Auckland) 67sec 2 F. E. Dodge (East Christchurch), 69see 3

J. D. Stewart (Auckland)' 70 4-5 sec, and R. Easthope (Auckland), also swam. Right from the jump. the race was made a very willing one, and it provided a very exciting finish. s ' At "the" half distance Ronayne had ~a slight advantage, but just after this ClianiI pion made his effort, and 'he caught and passed the' Wellington man, but only gained a' slight advantage. Twenty-five yards from home Champion, Ronayne and Dodge, were pretty well in line, and at this stage is looked as though Champion would win, as he was going very strongly, but Ronayne came again, and a very exciting final struggle ended in a victory for him. Champion got, to the end first, but Ronayne was first to touch the top of the bath, with his hand, and was therefore declared the winner. Dodge was interfered with by Easthope crossing him, and for this the latter was disqualified. The referee stated that Ronayne was also fouled by Easthope. 200 Yards Relay Race (inter-club); prizes, trophies £2 2s and £1 Is.— First heat—East Christchurch A.S.C, No. 1(2), and East Christchurch A.S.C. No. 2.(4 sec), equal, 1; Timaru Rowing Club No. 1 (lOsec), 3. Times, 2min 17 sec and 2min 19sec (for the two winning teams). Second heat—Oamaru A.S.C. (24sec) .1; Opawa A.S.C. (2sec), 2. Timaru A.S.C. (20sec), and Timaru Rowing .Club No. 2 (28sec), also competed. Timaru A.S.C, after a really good go with Oamaru, finished first, but were disqualified for crossing. Time, 2min 38 2-5 sec. Final— East Christchurch No. 2 (W. .7. Dodge, F. E. Dodge, W. Cookson, and B. Rhind) 1 Oamaru A.S.C* (F. Williams, R. King, J. Warner, and L. S. McDonald) 2 East Christchurch No. 1 (C. Bryant, T. Sinclair, H. Williams, and V. Drake) 3 A great race. Twenty-five yards from home Oamaru had the lead,, but the East Christchurch No. 2 man caught and passed the Oamaru man just at the finish, after a very exciting struggle. Time, 2min 18sec. 50 Vards Cigar and Umbrella Race, for a trophy value 10s 6d. A. G. Sanderson 1 D. Cowan 2 There were six starters, and the event created much amusement.

One Mile Championship of New Zealand; first prize gold medal, value £3 3s, second, trophy, value £1 Is. R. Healey (Wellington) 26mm 45

2-ssec 1 W. Manhire (Addington) 27min 25 iSscc 2 A. McMillan (Dunedin) 27min 28sce 3 H. Rich (Opawa.) also started. M. E. Champion (A«t-kland) was scratched. The lone race was the most interesting one of the carnival. McMillan was the first to touch at the end of 50 yards, but he was never afterwards in the lead. Though ■ he started as the then holder of the New Zealand championship, it was easily seen that he would have to give it up, being in too good condition.to tackle such a. distance. Turning at the eighth lap the redoubtable Healey was showing the way followed by McMillan and Manhire, the two latter being in line. Rich was by this time, the length of the baths behind the leaders. So the race went on until at the fourteenth lap Healey was 150 yards ahead of the last man, Rich, and the latter now became a. nuisanco to the other swimmers by unintentionally getting in their way; after covering 800 yards however, he drew out of the race. Healey. though far from well, having caught a cold on the boat from Wellington, continued to glide gracefully through the water at a good pare, keeping up a kiid of perpetual roll and at 1000 yards he was still truing strong, frhile Manhire and McMillan were fttill keeping on terms and were now the cynosure of all eves as it was recognised at this stage that a battle royal would be fought out between this pair for second place. Manhire was smartest at the turns, and at the 1300 yards he began to draw clear

of his older and heavier opponent. When only 250 yards remained to be covered, a. cry was heard from Healey that he had a touch of cramp and from this on he was anxiously watched lest he should be compelled to throw up the sponge. Not so, however. He stuck to it gamely and finished with a good sprint to the accompaniment of hearty cheers from the crowd. He won with 80 yards to spare. There was a great rac/<j For second place which ended in a victory for young Manhire, who, after making a false stop (thinking he had -finished) wont on again and beat McMillan by a yard. All three men were cheered again and again for the splendid performance they had put up. Water Polo Championship of New Zealand. Final — Canterbury No. 1 1 Swifts A.S.C. (Wellington) ■ 2 The winning team was composed as follows: —Goalkeeper, G. GemnW ; fullback. W. McCracken; halves, H. Williams and V. Drake; forwards, L. Hales, L. Penrose and A. Russell. This was one of the most attractive items on the rarogramme, the queer situations in which the players were constantly forced into in working the leather over the water, causing endless merriment. In the first spell Canterbury scored three goals and Wellington one, and when the whistle Founded " iu> " the scores were—Canterbury 5. Wellington 3. Cheers were given for the ohamTHons and the carnival ended shortly after 5 o'clock.