SPLASHES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20482, 7 December 1934, Page 11

SPLASHES.

|| Notes and Comments. J i' ■—± By “PIKE." The second year of grade swimming in Christchurch was ushered in last Saturday, when one hundred ar.d fifty swimmers turned out for the first round at the Elmwood and Kast Christchurch baths. The times returned were good. Malcolm Connor, who intends to attempt to swim Cook Strait, appeared for East Christchurch against I'nited in th»" first grade “ JOO ” and quarter - mile. After leading practically all the way In the quarter-mile, he was beaten over the last length by M. R. Rattraj-, who swam well to return smin 50sec. Rattray has struck form early; a decided improvement on last year's times is already noticeable. J. Bruce (United! might well take the sport a little more seriously. He has the makings of a fine breaststroke swimmer. It is not generally known that last year, when he won the Canterbury title from E. C. Herd, he was , competing in his third race. Bruce is doing a little training now, and 3inin 12sec for the furlong should not ba beyond him. i R. Wood (C.-U.) is no sprint swimmer and to have him in both 50yds and IOOj-ds in the one afternoon was bad nTknagement, He should have been able to carry off the second grade I.2oyds—won by R. Rimmer in 2min 50sec—but was denied the chance of competing. J. Patterson has so far failed to produce his form of last year. :ie swims second grade now and should he able to keep up with the best in thin class over 220yds. The best he could do *>n Saturday was third to Rimmer (2m:n 50sec) and Xewth. A. Westerway (E.C.) 1n a diver of clans. He defeated S. Muff (Linwood) in the third grade event—no mean feat. Muff, who was runner-up in the Canterbury senior championship last year, has been doing a considerable apoun'. of good work on the boards this season. The East Christchifrch lad 3hould d<> S. Kingdon made a poor showing in his first appearance for United. In hi.* one swim—the quarter-mile—he could not secure a place and finished l’«st In a field of four. It will not be surprising if he misses a place In United’s team for to-morrow. Miss N. Hughes, formerly of Elmwood, is now swimming tor East Christchurch. She showed Miss R. Low lv w to swim a “ hundred ” in 74sec last week. Miss Low generally puts up a good performance over 100yds and, considering she has been showing excellent free-style form lately, the win of Miss Hughes is most meritorious. More should he heard of Miss Hughes later. Miss G.- Smith showed good form to win the dive for United against Kast. Christchurch. She is diving better than ever, and should be prominent this year. Miss P. M'Cprry was unlucky to be beaten for first place hv Mrs T. W. Thomson. Both women dived excellently: in fact there was little between them. Miss I. Morris and Miss J. Brewer were good performers for Elmwood. Their early form was a surprise to many. It was pleasing to see a St Albans side in the field against the Phlllipstown fourth grade team. Owing to the fact that it was St Albans opening day the strongest team was not available'. However, the margin of defeat was narrow, and it is to l»e hoped that this will stimulate St Albans to greater effort*. Australian* in City. The Australian swimmers, Reg Clark and Harry Tickle, after a successful tour of Otago and Southland, will arrive in Christchurch on Monday. They will swim at the earnivul to be held on "Wednesday under the auspices of the Elmwood Club. Clark will compete against leading New Zealand and Canterbury swimmers in three match races. The starters in the 50 yards match race which has been added to the programme because of the startling times returned in Otago, will be. R. Clark (Aust.), XV. J. Jarvis (Otago). D. H. Symen, E. M'Conville and J. S. M'Donald (Cant.). The same swimmers will compete in the 100 yards invitation scratch race with the exception of M’Donald, who will he replaced by R. M. M’Kenzie. Clark will also appear In the 100 yards back-stroke scratch race with O. Low (New Zealand record holder) and L. J. Moorhouse (Australasian record holder). The 100 yards free-style will be the deciding race of the rubber of three between Jarvis (New Zealand record holder) and Clark. Jarvis won the first race by a touch in 57see, and last Wednesday Clark turned the tables on the Otago hoy when he won by a yard in SCsec. Wednesday’s race should he a wonderful exhlbi- " Pike " forecast s that the backstroke match race will go to Low, with Moorhouse second and Clark third. Moorhouse should only have to do 69sec for the 100 yards to beat the Australian. On the other hand. Low has a wonderful chance of breaking his own New Zealand record of 66see. His coach (Moorhouse) has made preparations for & record attempt, and followers of the sport need not be surprised if the Canterbury boy covers the "hundred” in 64sec. ftrafle Competitions. The following is the draw for the second round of the grade competitions to be decided at the Beckenham and Phillipstown Baths to-morrow; Phlllipstown Bath—First Grade: Phillipstown v. Kast Christchurch. Second Grade: Christchurch United A v. East Christchurch B, Phillipstown v. East Christchurch A. Third Grade: Phillipstown v. East Christchurch A. Fourth Grade: Phillipstown v. Hornby. Fifth Grade: Phillipstown v. Hornby. Ladies* Division A: Christchurch Ladies v. East Christchurch. Ladles' Division B: Phillipstown v. Hornby. Beckenham Bath—First Grade: Christchurch I'nited v. Elmwood. Second Grade: Christchurch United B v. Elmwood. Third Grade: Beckenham v. Elmwood, Lin wood v. East Christchurch B. Fourth Grade: Lin wood v. Somerfield. Fifth Grade: Linwood v. Somerfield, Sydenham v. Elmwood. Ladies' Division A: Christchurch United v. Elmwood. Ladies’ Division B: Linwood v. Elmwood. Bye: St Albans fourth grade teanu