SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 12

SWIMMING.

(By Splash.) CARNIVAL DATES. February 20. —Wellington Cnruival. March 6.—Thorndon Carnival. Maich 20.—Centre Camival. v

Tho star performers in the Thorndon Club's 100 yards: final—Healy, Ronayno, and-Rob-erts—gave . a great; display, ltonayne winning an oxoiting raco from Roberts in the last few. yards. ..At the.end:of the first strptchßoberts arid Rohayne .were about equal, ; .but in ' tho turn Roberts got Vclear , away, whilst. Roriayne and Hea.ly.camo into collision. With 30 yards' still, to .go, Roberts appeared to have the.wco fairly ;well;in hand, Ronayno being .next -i.a'nd Healy. coming .along ..fast in' the rekr,'; When/ it.looked to be all over , bar shouting tho name of -Roberts as" the, winner,' Ronayne put in ;a strong challenge, and; flu-.' ishing witn a brilliance that has characterised his racing this Reason., caught. Roberts within" a few foot of tho finishing-post and'won. by. ,a narrow margin. 1 .Roberts, had not.a spurt, left in him when Ronayne's challengo came,' this probably being the result of the pace the ; youngor: swimmer-set his club-:mato in the first 1Q yards. Healy/.finished a.gdod:,third,. swimming strongly.- '::.:':''-,■■•'■.■■' ; ' .\;.w;. v ;y:::.y,: I The- Y.M.C. A; Club carnival last-Saturday : drew a record attendance,.to, Te - Arc,'- and', it/ is rather a'pity-that thQ'.events v were..not got off a. : little;fastor,as the long waits/and/some-. ■what dreary , intervals ..were;,not .what; tho. spectators- came, to; see.". In; the.,6ne\:instance. where an intervaVwould havebebri.acceptable was , at the ,end-of.'. tho ■final;hetit..of: the; 100 ■Yards Handicap.; Ronayne,;who'sTOn!so well in ■this ,, , heat,', and a , : swimmer .-.the ■ spectators: -.would gladly have: seen'going again, did,'ribt take part .in the firialas.it wa'sracodwithro, a. few minutes iof• the last heat,Vßb close' Jhat' , •.the; young :Thprndonite was■■ -not:' given'. a : chance to. got dry ; and have : ; a rub dowri. Heajy,' KonayneV Freyberg, and Kpbertsrhust .be/given-,.a good.deal of;the.'credit. for,'the: .success .of; the-gathering," and .-most; of: what; is < not duo. to them should. bo credited' to the officers- of the Wellington, Thorndon,, : and' Swifts 'Clubs,:fotv.the... they hoed m anfl helped;things;.along.: '.;■;).) ; '- : '•r':/^'-'^ '.';■"; '.Crowther; - ; :the■-winner ;6f ;R«ce last Saturday," is an : attractive'young swim--nie'r, who'gets through-the : water at, a: great ■rat* for;the.'firsfc:3s yardsj,:;but.'dies' away' ,towards the;end.of ; 60,.-.' Jenkinson,; a; ihore i powerful-hut less ;attra*Qtive;Bwimmer,-'came. ,in .a good second, .:■">■■;<■■:■''■•:■ o'.-;- 'rC(:- •■-•■•:■:•.■ ; ; Tho;so Yards Y.MiC.A.Handioapiel'rto tho;limit ; mnn, V. T. Drew,"who Wall the way, and.won by:6.or.6ft^frbm:'W, ; ;GiSlor--pc'th. ■•.-.; ,;.-;j-■,. p : ;ry^yj\'fiyor, a :rt ! ': ~ : :v---~. -C. ..Kolly,' a.lriowy man in ; the swimming nrena,.-rleiid-hoated;with in the' final of tho- 60 Yardsi Ladies' Bracelet. *■'■; A, i W'.'Smith led.the field .at-the start; ahd.''in ;the ; last few, yards-was. chnllbngcd-by ; 'and Tockef, who , fovight-;out' a?good''. finishV ■•'and^t6uohw'-tegeth'or.-'.; : suited in'a- dead; heat last (year, when Blick 'arid' Blanktied ior first- !',:.'• More, than usual interest attached,to; the lOO; Yards •Kiera'nMem'ori.al which iwas got'Loffi in,>threo'heat3,;tho:last"of:.which''I Comprised'->twp.- of- the .Thorndon; -ora,oks', ; ;Ronayne; M".Rdberts";..; There, was'. rripre interest :;in;:thia : heat ;than' in -.'the 1 - final,' which' %aß..wori;by:-Eveiß6ii.ij^b^rte':ana ; 'Broriayno left the starting, board-together',-, and'swam -stroke ; : for...strdke : : to : end 'of-, tho"-first SPjds.j , .,where Roborts appeared to. have i ;slight:,lead.-;.The';nest';2syds;"saw:littld ; if; any variation,in;.the ; position's'of.;the:,two' men,; but f in;: ho final:burst -Ronayno 'asserted , himself, ;and finished about 3ft,.- ahead of his olubm'ate;,'. Ronayno has been- showing -.great form';oyer. lOOyds.' l this'season,*, arid.'with tho exception\of;Healy, is 'probably .'the best; man .in-.-Wellingteniovervthe -distance.; riot iex'cepting -Froyberg.;; In the/final of .the I'oo,-Eyaii' , ' son.,was loading .StVthia -"end of the .'first '50yds'i| with ■ P.. Moore' and Ashford -■ 'and '.Arthur next. ".fEvenspn-held the lead'all over the second stretchy and wori-by^ft. , from Ash--s;Freyijefgi^a&oi)'the! New' Zealand. record' iri the- 220"'Yar 'ii 'Haridicaij. bptK/tfetf!Sta¥ting?-ffi!AH?faaine :mark! for tho .second.'titrio. this season. settled any dispute been-as.to;'who:was the.faster,irian of the Rair,-Healey,-'npw-hav-..ing.-, defeated ,the. Swifts champion on -two :oecasions. ;Thoresultbf ; ;the contest;betweerii ' tho: two ;■ men-." wae ■ never- in: doubt 7 after the firsfSOyds. : Healey gradually- away from Ins. opponent,-, and as the'laps.went by -ini creased his.lead without:any apparent, effort, and .subsequently: won by 9yds.-in 2minv 42see.i : prie.'S_eoond; .over, the ;New Zealand' record for :tho-distanooV Ward/who wpn'the'Tace,'swam 'a.'fine rnce.s-.although .his'.effort;-was : ,over-' :Shadowed.:by .the two .-scratch'::men..';,'' T--\\r. .'■;A;,BtaTt :: Tvas;made:with .'the-'polo.''banner Y.M'.C.A-and Wellington.;tried-VLConclusions;; at i-Te : A'r6.Neither of tho'teams showed , muc'hv'combination, hub' what form was .to-be, seen was" on tho part.of-Wellirigten, led Renerallyiby Kelly, .Bridge,., or .'Morpeth.^-Chartws , was tho-bost.of the;Y.riC.A.'men; .On Tuesday I.M.C.A 7 . met Swifts, and received;a severe' beating.; ; - r';;; , '.:'' , ? The 'profit espectea r as/: the-resu'lt of Vthe; Auatralasian ohampionship, carnival: about £250. .Tho Councilof theA.SlA.hasdeoided to plaM-,:£200.,0n Jsfld. deposit;in one';of the banks. ■. ■ ';■■-:■-:■■«■ ■::":';■■ - •:- ] 'y : !, ■-.'■ .■■■■: '.:''

-. ' The"Swifts; ; qub'will.:lioidla; mile*andicaii ; >? V M a no 1 ' ;I^Tft i'J 1 i f ? T ' aaT , in ß;ooninetitionV.'ouMarph 23, and-a'.. 440 handicap bri'March !'o' ■ ■i The; /v7ellingtori' sClubls: :firsts /distanced 50yds., -for;,the President's QupV was deoided on-Fnclay evening of-.last-'week, in almost smooths:water,.-and ;brought ".out a.field of twenty. <j-$. {Evensen accounted:,for.the ; first heat, -with H. Vanoy and- W.-Fraser. filling the;.other, two places:' , ,;. Considering : that,Vaney;. has ;dono -, yery little, swimmine:: this .season; he.mado a good: showing. - W. Fraser . who lias-only.taken.thQ.sport on this"'season, with a little;coaching, develop into a hrst-class; swimTner.^,He spoiled his■chance m. the final by (swimming: out- wide.-.- Gordon Crawford;'brother of, George of thaVilk.-won the i second heat in. 33 ,2-oseo, -"and also the fiiiaj,. Mα. ;is _ oh a\ visit; to: Wellington,'- arid considering that -he, .has no ! opportunity for practice'■whore/he^resides.it.;was a very, good performftiice.;.-That.consistent;plac«-gelter C.■ \Vard fimsned second to.Crawford in both.thesecorid heat,arid-final; so;clbse'was itnri the final that-most of tho-onlookers thought he had dead-heated.';B. O'Neill"finished,first in the third: heat,; with H.-Ashford,: ndt-'oyer-raert; himself,-'second, 'arid P, J Kiyell third. .This swimmer;jias not the same turn-of speed-he.had.last'season, , 'has deyeloped- a'.very clumsy; stroke;: : and-burries hunsolf when-he brings his right- arm over; L> Bridge, who was. left .badly, at. the post .in his;hoat, through interference by pne; of:the spectators,- was allpwed : to. conroete in 'the. final, ,:hut. finished'.out -of' a. place".-: A.'N.' Winoj-present holder ,'of. the 'cup,:is .out- of .form,'- and made a poor showing; ."•':: >v: >. -.'■.' ■ : ; Entries for. the .Wellington Club's carnival, to be hold host Saturday, at To Arb Baths, olbsb on Monday evening;.; The officials expect 'to ;have"vspvcral of the North. Islaiid swimnVers,''whb will be,-'returning.frpm:'■■■the' champioriship:meeting at:.Timar\i,.competing in tho; sprints.arid;44o:yarda handicap. ; ■■■"'-'..•■ ,:;AJcarniyal js tp;-be held at;Hutt.'to-day—' an,interesting programme having , been drawn !.up:>.-..'.-",:\ ■■-~- ;:■;.;:.; •;■■,■.-,. .:,.-;-.-;.-■..-:,..,;,;; • ■ Writing. in... the'; Sydney. "■■: a-.eor- ; lospondent, ; comments,..-.on;.' the disuse;; into >ybioh tho breast strpkejhas,; fallen, as under: J ; : Wh,y , is. the. distance of,.the. Australasian. Breast-stroke.. .Championship ; fixed : nti 230 [yards? Tins ' inothorl, pf:propulsion.is, wheri' .masterod; an csseritially long-distanco stroke; I;use, the word ■ "m'astercfl" advisedly,- bV, cause. most, breasttstroko swimmers of 'mnko.hard work of it,.and are much more oxliOiUstMl;after. negotiatingt'oi;couple of-hun-dred yards by, its;.Uso than they .would bo by omploying the now .universal-double' bver-tirrh over nisimilav distance'.;;Timo was .when the breast stroke was. much:nvoro gracofullyanrl" with greater'ease .than: now obtains. ...It was then considered the least difficult : of. nil .strokes, arid. yory:. long distances, indeed,'.woro swum. for amusement by lads of'tender , og6.' : -.■.■;■'■,;■■■.•:.-;.■..■-..•.• i -,>y; ; v''■'■;■■.■'...■.■.'.'-.';■' •

At Ilolmrt, for instance, it was an everyday occurrence for a number of youths to swim round vessels anchored long'distances from the shore, Tho breast stroke? was alwnys used, -and they were never in anv way fatigued on returning from thoso jnuiits— a couplp of miles frequently being covered. It is really farcical to sep somo of our champion "swifts" attempting tho breast stroke Thoy haro not the slightest idea of

it,-and labour.much ■ afterithe: style of; a' water-logged .vessel in;a heavy sea. .■-'- ; .'.. ': . I-.:would- like to .see, the distances ,for; breast-stroke ■ races - materially increased : to." certainly, not:less than j'a-mile, and every.-.; encouragement: given Jo 'promote the-use ofthe stroke; ; ; When.> scientifically swum; it; is ■" the. <iomo of ;grace,-and is.unapproached for{ usefulness , arid as Jan. exercised-A: , quarter'.of'"; 'a: .century ago a boy's.ambition .was.to see bow far: lie-could swijn;* but the lads of to-.day-sacrifice everything , for speed over;.so: or 100 yards.;''-.';.. , ?;. Vv ■:■■'.■'. ■-'..:' ■''■;. .■'.■'..!■■■■■ .■':' ; ■' I trust these few lines will bear good fruit in the direction indicated. "During the;,past: 20. years the breast stroke is'.the'only -branch. ol natation that shows ..decadence.. Though tho. various clubs are now, for it, tho : distances are made' far too. short. ;• The "swifts" ; (crawl and trudgoon-Btrokers).have, cutdown'records'in.truly ; taarvellous:fashion..' ■About 17. years ago .Walter Gormly| y tbe.;tKen champion of Now'; South "Wales,'-remarked that he believed the minute-would bebroken for-''tKe ....''hundred".'. ,v beforo':n:aily r years' elapsed:;; Dick; C»vilVJDaniells,vHealy and Co, nayo more than proved the correctness of ms,; judgment;. , :. .'Arid,\ perhaps, : inVthe : ww future sothe; swimmer will discover-' a ■ new: stroke Vhich will-put.,tfe "crawl".:into' the' shadefor speed-purposes. 7':. -.-.-■