Swimming Match between Nuttall and Finney.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6705, 19 November 1889, Page 4

Swimming Match between Nuttall and Finney.

, , — «- The match between these great English swimmers was decided in the sea on Sept. , 21. The distance was a mile with two turns round a moored boat. Nuttall, as be mounted the side of the boat, was unsteady for a few seconds, but at last the starter seized a favourable opportunity and dismissed them evenly, though Nuttall touched the water first. Bismg to the " surface, Nuttall at once led, but as one man swims on his right and the other left they were unable to see each other. Going rapidly ahead Nuttall increased his lead, and at 150 yds was five yards ahead. For a few strokes Finney slightly improved his position, but Nuttall, frequently looking up, widened the gap. Fiercely the contest proceeded, Nuttall making strenuous efforts to get as far as possible from hia dangerous rival,but Finney went after him resolutely. Iv 6min 30sec Nuttall rounded the flag boat, where Finney arrived CJsec later. At this point the latter shot round like an arrow, and very much quicker . than his rival. Straining forward to catch eight of Nuttall, the rearmost man spurted grandly, and so fast did he swim, that when another fifty yards had been traversed he was level. Two more strokes and he led, but Nuttall pluckily remained in close company, and disputed the issue gamely enough until Finney, another hundred yards on the journey, commenced to draw rapidly away. Nuttall how dropped hopelessly behind, and it was aelf-evident that pursuit was useless. Still he continued with a half -breast stroke for 700 yds, and left the water, after swimming llmin ; 35aec. Finney continued with his long sweeping stroke, when hia attention was attracted by Taylor, who communicated to him the fact that Nuttall had stopped. Bounding the life -boat (time — 16min 15bcc), he again went up the course at a great pace, reaching the three-quarters of • a mile mark in 2imin 41^sec. Back he came in magnificent form, and finally completed hiß journey in 35min 42£ sec. Finney (says an English, paper) never • swam better in his life— certainly inform ' superior to anything he or any other man has exhibited in the Sea. That he stands at the head of hia profession as an ocean swimmer must be universally admitted. When fairly on the journey Nuttall swam forty-two strokes in a minute, and Finney thirty, which he maintained, finishing up with twenty-eight. Notwithstanding a : little partisanship, there was always a strong deaire manifested by each Bide to i see fair play meted out, and the best man ! win, » fl d frequently it has been shown ] that Nuttall's style of swimming is com- j paratively useless for racing in rough ] water, more especially if it is cnoppy, « whilst Finney'e method ia certainly the i only one of any practical value. Nuttall ] iB far too high on the water, and offers t more resistance; but Finney, by keeping ] well submerged, avoids the action of the ' rough element, and shoots through the ' | wava like a torpedo boat. It was a grand » exhibition of swimming under great difaoaltieß^andeveiLNxiti^'^j^gcgdiersiwexe,,