DUKE KAHANAMOKU

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 7

DUKE KAHANAMOKU

FAMODS. SWIMMER AT TE ARO , BATHS A YARDS V Close on three thousand, people fcrowded every portion of the To Aro 'Baths on Saturday afternoon to witness itbe swimming carnival held under tho (auspices of the Wellington Centre of She New Zealand Amateur Swimming (Association, on the occasion of Duke CHahanamoku's visit to Wellington. The : (weather was anything but promising : after 1 o'clock, "but as the "Duke" j (was announced to swim "wet oy fine," jp.Y fears in this .quarter were overcome., The. rain came on sure enough, fbut umbrellas were hoisted, and those' present patiently waited through the flweliminary events of the carnival for .She world's-champion swimmer to arrive. ■ ... . . ■ .

• \ The Duke In the Water. the. "Duke" oame a temporary Lllnk of fine weather, even sunshine. P-m. the champion swimmer fcooik. big place at the diving-board, the vjawd cheering vociferously. -.The jibvemt was the ,100 yds. Invitation Race. =ilahpjiamoku had only >. in Januarry over, - ; in Sydney, '/made a new world &' record for this ..distance, and Saturday's orowd was even looking for ,r f re ?h .record. : True, the weather was I anything; but warm, and the tall HawaiW app&rsd 'fully cognisant of this as lie stood\ waiting, cloaked in a huge woolly There were only' three ether competitors in the race/including jGeorge; Cmiha, arid the Duke started ist scratch. "GoI" The first swimmer cleft the Swater, followed in. a few seoonds by fSanother... jSome more . seconds, and f.Cunha was ,in the water,, and KahanaI'moku had jnot even yet doffed his 'Isvooly coat I They were about halfway across the baths, when, in a winkling, Kahanamoku's coat came .off, iris brown body—a marvel of fitness — ' stood poised a moment, and then cleft Ithe water, and with measured, powerful ktrokes, was with apparent ease already gaining on his leaders. 'And how lie did go! The great brown arms foloughed the' water, while in his wake 'it churned and bubbled as his legs Vorked in unison. The fifty was almost'. reaohed, and already the cham-, jpioii had lessened the lead wonderfully. He was the last to turn'at the fifty, and a brown "leg flashed ' out of . tho ' Vatep as he disappeared under : the .frtater'toemerge in a second travelling >ith greiat speed on. the return. Then he increased his pace. The water literally: boiled in his vicinity—he had ialready gained—and the .crowd roared. . v He reached the 100 yards' mark an vfeasy first—tiine, 57 l-ssec., sotae seconds : behind lub world's record, but a hundred withal.

( DuUo Feels the Cold. Eahanamoku was' shivering whein he came out of the water,. and remarked he was' not in the best of,form, e didi.-nbt Swim 'again -"-until-the fifty irds' event •came off., Li that his ■handicap 'proved ■ " too severe, Sand no' 'was ' beaten' on the ftouoh .by - Bobertsi:- to 5 whom he fcave" 6 seconds. ■ Cunha" was third; ; Kahananokn's ' tinie' l ''inl; the" fifty flFaTds: was ; approximately 24 seconds. Unfortunately tho Veather was too cold lor the- champion - to ; ~give any further Exhibitions, • and 'as 'the rain had • set in ■again/.tbe carnival' terminated at' about &.30 p.m. ; vi. • t The otherevents '. were. ■ .-interesting. JffheWalkorand Hall Oup for the-flying raquadron ohampionship , was won ;by Siorndon, while the Duncan Cup in the [Star. ;Boatmg-01ub Championship was jtvon .by. Brice. ... .

i While. it was. 'raining its-hardest -a of gaily-olotliod individuals, only .'-one- of whom was prudent enough to (lave mi umbrella, embarked on a small cjbcat, bound for the. centre of , the baths. ..'fl'hey never reached : /oherej .ho.wever, and .IwMle. tie boat sank its occupants were ..left in 'the water. The individual with Ofche. umbrella still; leld it erect, as he-Side-stroked baths. Then a Shugo fish appeared, and what with the ; lappearance of the disguised individuals, jtheir attempts to"'make., the ha'f-sub-merged boat seaworthy again,- tie crowd jhad a good laugh. The rain came on harder, however,- and .tie officials hastened to get' the list event off. ' V : In face of tho disoonraging' circumstances, however, the gala, was a particularly euccessnd;one, and the Swimdining Centre has additional cause to feel gratified in th'at there was a substantial gate.

i RESULTS OF THE EVENTS. ; The following are the results of tho events:— : 100 Yards Invitation Handicap. 'IDuke Kahanamoku (sen) 1 .George Cunha (2sec.) 2 ■{A. M'Carlie (llsec.) 3 j Also started: W. Linder (lOseo.). i Timo, 57 l-ssec. 50 Yardß Invitation Handicap. • 'F. Roberts (6sec.) 1 Duke Kahanamoku (scr.) '2 fteor&e Cunha (lsec.) 3 Also started: A. M'Carlie (fisec.j. and 3L Little (ssec.). ■ , lime, 29 3-oseo. ' INTER CLUB RACES. ' 60 Yards.—First heat: H.' W.' Harris ,Tl7sec.), 1-; A. E.' Bollard (lOsec.). 2 : fIL " (feec.), 3. ' Also -started: itilton,' V. Allen, Desmond, Recketts, Sand Kelly.- Second heat: C. F. Bezar ; £ l ; W.. J. Doull (7seo.), 2: G. tVyard (lOseo.), 3. Also started: Firth, jU'horp) Clinberg, Saunders, Isherwood, Iseal, and Henry. Third heat: G. Tan•cred (14sec.), 1; G. Dent- (7sec.), 2: S.' '®lton (4sec.), 3.' Also started: Rickard •and O'Meara.: Fourth heat: D. Perrv '.(fee o -), IS Moffitt (13sec:), 2: Hall , (9s«>.), 3. Also started: Smith,. Capluthers, White, Henderson, Bunny, Cairns, Gray, and Wilding. Final: Tanicred, 1; Harris, 2;: Dent, 3. Time 37. 4-ssec. . '

i 220 Yards. Handicap.—G. Little 'JC3&eo.), 1 ;M\ J. Meyer (4sec.V, 2; G ■Dent (20sec.), 3. Also started: W ffhornliil], V. AJlen, L.- W.. Green, d' , (Burna, C. Price, S. G. Prince, C. H ■INeal,. H. Silver, andA.,M'Carlio. Time 52min. 43 3-ssec. A 6plendid race. WiuJier. ffon. by threo yards, with two feet foetween the second and third men. 100 Yards.—Hrst 'licat: F. Desmond .'(15soo.) and E. E. King (3sec.), dead heat,-' 1. Also'' started:■ Clinberg; and L. 'liuiler. Second heat: \V. Thornliill' (12sec.), 1; Q. M. West (13sec.), 2; J. D. Richardson (6scc.); 3. Also .started: Holland and Lomas. Third heat: .W. y. Henry (4sec.), 1; G. R. Green (6sec.), 2; 1. llountree (13sec.), 3. .frinal: West, 1; Thornliill, 2; King and .Desmond, dead heat, 3. Time, 83 2-6 sec. Other Events. . Walker and Hall Cup,, 500 Yards Flying Squadron Championship.—Thorndon (0. Brice, F. Roberts, C. B. Sinton, J. ji'homae, and C. Sheehy), 1; Wellington <W. Linden, A. M'Carlie, W. Francis,* iW. J. Meyer and A. Russell, 2: Old Boys j(H. Capper, W. Wakolin, W. Hicks, E. tLevy, and L. Blundell), 3. Also started: Swifts, Worsor Baj', and Petone. i Star Boating Club Championship, 100 I /Wards (Duncan Cup).—C. Brice, 1; W. J. O'Meara, 2; O. Carr, 3. Time, 78 j '4-osec. I Diving.—Bailey, 1; Saunders, 2: j Hicks, 3. | 50 Yards Boys' Handicap.—First beat: H. "Winstanley (3seo.), 1; A. Scanlon (18sec.), 2; S. G. Prince (7sec.), 3. Second heat; M. Stanley (23sec.), 1; 'J. Barr (18sec.), 2; W. Thomas (12sec.), B. Third heat: V. Hopkirk, (13sec.), 1; • 'E. Bailey (2sec.), 2 H. Desmond (Bsec.), 8. Final: Hopkirk, 1; Allen, 2; Aitken, p. Time, 41sec. i Girls' Races' (under 14).—First race: J HMiss Gibblius l; Miss Alleflj 2j MissJ

Aitken, B.' Second race: Miss Watson, 1; Miss Handley, 2; Miss Donnelly, 8. Girls' Race (over 14). —Miss Elton, 1; Miss Murrell, 2.

' RECEPTION TO THE "DUKE." WELCOMED BY THE MAYOR. The famous swimmer and his manager, Mr. F. Evans, were accorded a civic reception by His Worship the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) at tlie Town Hall oh Saturday morning. On behalf of the citizens the Mayor extended to the visitors a hearty and sincere welcome, and said he hoped their stay in Wellington would be a pleasant one. Mr. Luke went on t-o say that tho "Duke's" visit would do a. great deal to stimulate interest in swimming. In conclusion the speaker referred to the good work of Mr. T. Shields in teaching the young people the art of swimming. , Other.speakers were: Mr. G. S. Hill, chairman of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Mr. T. Shields, and Mr. H. S. Williams, representing the council of tho New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association. The last-named referred.to the negotiations of his council to get the "Duke" ,to come to the Dominion. lie remarked that the 'council had refused an offer of £60 from the West Coast clubs so that the "Duke" might be .present, at the Wellington carnival. .

Duke Kahannmoku returned thanks to the Mayor and the other speakers for their words of welcome, and said that his visit to the-South Island had been a pleasant one, and he was sure he would have an enjoyable time in Wellington. Mr.. Evans, ■ manager of the visiting swimmers' toiir, also spoke. , COMPLIMENTARY DINNER. In the evening; after the 'carnival, Duke Kahanamokii and . his party were entertained at a dinner at the Burlington Cafe, Willis Street, by the Wellington Swimming Centre. Mr. T. Ronayne presided over an attendance of about 40 of the prominent swimming'enthusiasts of the city. The chairman, proposing the toast of "The Visitors," referred to the "Duke's" great performance t of that afternoon. New Zealand, said Mr. Ronayne, hoped to have a "Duke" of its own shortly—it was not at all improbable judging by the excellent material they haa in the Dominion. Mr.-.F. Evans, manager of the visiting team, Duke Kahanamobu, and George Cunlia responded, heartily thanking.their hosts for the way they had been entertained.