AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 380, 4 November 1897, Page 8

AQUATICS

Erney Cavill evidently had a tough contract in beating the American champion (McCusker) in the.quarter of a mile swimming ma'ch at the Westminster Swimming Baths on October 27th. The match was originally for a stake, but the American’s backers did not come up to the scratch, and Cavill and McCusker agreed to swim for the gate money. The men went away together, and then Cavill went to the front and was soon leading by four yards. In the fourth lap the American began to draw on the Australian, and in the fifth they were level. A most exciting race now ensued, and although Cavill frequently spuried, the American hung on to him, but just at the finish Cavill made a supreme effort and got home a winner by three yards, amidst great cheering. The time for the journey was 6min 26sec. Hellings, the fast Sydney swimmer has met with a reverse, but the cable accounts for his defeat bv explaining that at the time of the contest Helling? was sick, and it was against the injunctions of his medical advisers that he swam. The match was of 100yds against Derbyshire, who has been repeatedly defeated by Percy Cavill. Hellings led by a yard in the first length of the baths, but .Derbyshire quickly overhauled him and finally won by four yards in 61Jsec, a record for the distance. On the same day, October 28th, Tyers, Linderberg, and Stiatton competed in a mateh of over four lengths of the Westminster Baths, Tyers conceding his opponents 12sec, but. nothwithstanding, be won, Linderberg being second.