SWIMMING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1599, 16 November 1912, Page 13

SWIMMING.

fßr "Splash."] THE'CENTRE, AND ITS CRITICS. A ,member of the local Swimming Centre writes:—"l read in your issue last Saturday what was quoted as a "sarcastic lettor,written by Mr. H. C. W. flliek, regarding tho revision of the centre rules. Mr. Blick has taken upon himself to reply in his pfficial position as secretary of the centre. I am a member of the centre, and it is not on record that ho had any authority to reply on behalf of the centre, proof of which is admitted in his last paragraph. Up to the present the rules aro incomplete, -m.l not yet finally disposed of by the centre, and whilst they are under consideration there i 9 no harm in making comment. In fact, ifc will be productive of a good deal of good, I read the article complained of by Mr.. Blick, and though I am unaware of the name of tho author, I think it indicated that tho writer was versed in tho position of affairs. I must disagreo with . Alr.i'Blick that it was "trash." Bveryi body is aware that owing to tho boisterous season last year the centre's executive, had little or nothing to do, and the rules should have been disposed of months ago, instead 1 of having to be brought forward at the next annual meeting.—l am, etc.,;' ' ' ■ i MEMBER WELLINGTON CENTRE.

The Swimming Season. Wellington lias 60 far seen very little summer, and the weather during the past few days has been more like winter. The salt water has not as yet, therefore, been very alluring to many swimmers. However, a start has to bo made some time, to show that swimming is still ft very popular, sport, and the Swimming Centre has decided to open its season at i,the Te Aro Batfoa oil Saturday afternoqn next, The bad weather has kept, swimming matters back somewhat, and a fine afternoon would bo a welcome augury for a suoccssful opening. Brighton to Worthing. The kmg-distanoo swimming ia.ee between Jabez Wolffe and David Billingtoa from Brighton to Worthing; which took place on October 2, ended in a fiasco (reports the London "Sportsman"). After having gained a lead of a mile and a quarter, Billington was seized with cfaiiip, and was compelled to retire from the contest. The men, it will be remembered, had agreed to ! swim from the Palace Pier, Brighton, to':Worthing Pier, for .£IOO aside, and considerable interest was at- ! tached to their meeting. Tho atmospherical conditions;, were all in favour of the 1 ! swimmers, as, the sea- was perfectly calm, the tide flowing 'in their favouri and a nice north-east wind at i their backs.. . Bdth. men went'eff'with powerful- over-arm strokes, and Billington, ; who quickly forged ahead, relapsed into his. t favourite trudgeon stroke, and ? made .- tremendous headway. At the West. Pier he had established a good lead, and .was 2lmin. ahead. Billington was making 29 strokes a minute to 26 of Wolffe. It wasi roon a- esse of a stern chase, by the ChanWl swimmer, but he was in no way ; disheartened and plugged steadily along with his beautiful over-arm stroke, - while I Billington. was making oven more progress. His lead at Hove Baths had been increased to nearly 14min., and it was estimated that Billing? ton was quite 900: yards-.ahead. After swimming an liour Biiliagton- had cov-ered-three-miles, and three minutes later he partook, of refreshment: in ths form of milk'and eggs;-- Seventeen 1 minutes later ■he again: had. recourse to .'.more food. Before; reaching Shoreham-Harbour a squall desoended : on the water, accompanied by rain, and although the sea became very choppy, both swimmers still'-, continued to make excellent progress, JJiilington having considerably extended his' _. Acting on"the advice of his. trainer, Wolffe did not intend making his effort until the second half of the' journey, and fully : expected his opponent to obtain a long lead by the time Shoreham Harbour was reached. Four-minutes, under the two hours Billington again took.-. somo -nourishment, but Wolffe attained' from any kind of food whatever. When -abreast ,-of Lancing College Billington again had recourse to some food, and it w;as evident his exertions were beginning tp'%ll upon him. While taking food he foolishly refrained from swimming, and a reaction set in in tho cold water with a temperature of 54 dogrees, and Billington, Ming seized with cramp, was compelled to abandon the contest and make foi\the bfiat. As the articles provided if -either swimmer gave up the Other?; should be declared tho winner the rfifewo had no op--tion but to declare Wolffe the winner. Bit- ■ lington had then been swimming 2 hours 17 minutes 45 seconds, and had covered 6J miles. He was about - a mile and a quarter ahead of Wolffe; When told the news the latter continued .to swim pn, and it afterwards transpired,that Billington ® party; had iobjeoted to: tho referee's decisiori.o'n the:grbund- that tlve'iarticles said the' winner imust-'touch.-. Worthing Pier. -Wolffe had stopped, swimming, by, this time,- but had not left' the; water, and ; after -takins a little .refreshment he decided to clinch matters by Swimming'the. full distance to Worthing Pier. Ii was pointed out to Billington .that there was a proviso in the articles, .and the referee was quite right in his Jaward,. and-tho Northerner,- then withdrew his prqtest. Wolffe, however, decided to continue his journey to Worthing before leaving the water. . ' Notes. "Tod" Solomons put up the swim qf the day at Manly on a recent Saturday-after-noon. He broke the first minute of the season, coveririg'thie 100 yds. in 59 3-ssec. —. a fine swim for so early in the season. Ho should 'do big things this year. He and Mr. F. Riddington have teen invited by the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association to visit the Dominion, where "Tod" is vory popular, this season. He ' put up 6ome good performances there last season when the Sydney Club , paid Now Zealand a visit. . ' . Tho meeting of the Wellington Swim-' ming Centre was held too late in tho week to allow of any comment to. bo made in this column. "Splash" goes to' pres3 on Wednesday.