SWIMMING CLUB

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 7, 19 March 1947, Page 5

SWIMMING CLUB

TE PUKE OPEN CARNIVAL whakAtane prominent The Tauranga Swimming and Life Saving Club conducted a programme of events in the Te Puke Municipal Baths on Thursday evening last to which 13 local swimmers and numerous supporters journeyed by bus. The fixture was well patronised by competitors from Tauranga, Rotorua, Whakatane, Ohinemutu, Te Puke and other centres.

The various races were keenly contested and the Whakatane Club’s members participated with prominence and their successes and performances generally were very praiseworthy indeed for such a newly constituted club. The Tiny - Tot event.—once across the bath—was unsuccessfully contested for Whakatane by Masters J. Butcher and B. Morpeth. Local representatives in the Junior Girls 25 yards race were: First Heat: Misses J. Bridger, G. Bridger, G. Wright and M. Middlemas. Placings: G. Wright 1, G. Bridger 2. Second Heat: Miss B. Bigelow 3. Fourth Heat: Miss D. McLay 3.

The final of this event was won comfortably for Whakatane by Miss G. Wright. Time 20secs. Junior Boys 25 yards, 2nd Heat: C. Morpeth 1. 3rd Heat: R. Darvill 1. Final R. Darvill 3.

Open Dive, boys and girls: Misses D. McLay, M. Midlemas and Master C. Morpeth dived particularly well for Whakatane considering the total absence of local facilities for coaching in this art.

50 yards Intermediate Girls Open Handicap, Ist Heat: Miss J. Armstrong 1. Final: Miss Timihau (Rotorua) 1, Miss Armstrong (Whakatane) 2. A particularly exciting finish in this event saw the Whakatane swimmer denied the first placing by a ‘touch.’ 50 yards Intermediate Boys Open Handicap, Ist Heat: J. Chadwick 1, K. Dines 2. Final: J. Chadwick 1 easily in the good time of 32secs. Dual Relay Race: In this popular event the entries were large and the heats were keenly contested by swimmers from all parts of the Bay. The Whakatane representation, Ist Heat: Miss Bigelow and R. Darvill unplaced. 2nd Heat: Miss Wright and E. Morpeth 1. 3rd Heat: Miss Armstrong and K. Dines 3. 4th Heat: Miss McLay and J. Chadwick 2. Final: Miss McLay and J. Chadwick 2.

A very interesting and instructive feature of the programme was the polished display of free-style, backstroke swimming and race turning given by the one-time New Zealand Champion, J. Whareatua of Roto--rua.

The educative value of jthis exhibition of swimming, executed with an almost total lack of ‘splash’ and the amazing rapidity of the American back somersault method of turning should not be- lost by the Whakatane Club members who were privileged to witness this spectacle.