SWIMMING HARBOUR RACE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22202, 20 February 1942, Page 7

SWIMMING HARBOUR RACE

CUNNINGHAM WINS HALF-MILE Swimming a lone race from the scratch mark, D. O’Rourke gained fastest time in the half-mile harbour race last evening. He covered the distance in 12min 21sec. The winner was R. Cunningham, off the smin 30sec mark, who took 15min 43sec for the journey. Conditions were ideal for the swim. The water was as smooth as glass and a slight breeze did not hamper the competitors. First off the mark was L. Hitchcock, with two minutes on Cunningham and three minutes on J. Lewis. There was no change in the order as the field rounded the buoy at the quarter, and it was not until 600 yards had been covered that Cunningham took the lead and Lewis swam into second place. The back markers, N. Belcher (2min) and O’Rourke (scr) made up some leeway, but there was no change in the placings as Cunningham finished 100 yards in front of Lewis. O’Rourke was 200 yards back and finished strongly. Hitchcock, who is just out of primary school, swam a good race to finish third. The placings and actual swimming times were as follows: R. Cunningham, 15min 43sec 1 J. Lewis, 15min 23sec 2 L. Hitchcock, 18min 21 sec 3 N. Belcher, 13min 13sec 4 D. O'Rourke, 12min 21sec 5 The trophy, a challenge cup given by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs W. G. Tweedy) was presented to the winner by Mr H. H. Fraser, president of the South Canterbury Swimming Centre, and cheers were given for the competitors.