SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 14

SWIMMING

Charlton Impresses KELLERMAN CUP RACE Life-saving Championships (By Trudge.) All Australian swimming enthusiasts focused their attention on Narrandera, just before Christmas, where “Boy” Charlton made his first public appearance since announcing his intended comeback in competitive swimming. He will compete at the centenary and State championships opening at Melbourne next week’. He pleased all by covering the 100yds. in under the minute. It also speaks well for the prospects of his comeback that he won a 200yds. handicap at Yass two days later in the excellent time of 2.12, the only other Australians to make faster time for the distance being Noel Ryan and Geoff Vockler (Victoria). Charlton will complete his training at Manty, under Harry Hay, this week-end, and if anticipations are fulfilled, all eyes will be on Charlton during the next two weeks. Auckland's Strong Junior Team.

The Auckland intermediate and junior team, selected last Tuesday night, is a strong combination, and should perform well at the New Zealand championships in Timaru on January 19, 21 and 22. A. Pascoe, who has been selected for the 100yds., 220yds„ and 440yds. intermediate boys’ free-style titles, is considered up north as a certainty in the 220yds. He is regarded as the only real middle-distance swimmer, among the present intermediates, and his time should not be much beyond 2.30. D. Webster, intermediate 100yds. breaststroke, has made outstanding progress this season, and his inclusion was anticipated. He is a very promising breaststroke swimmer, and is expected to show good time in the 100yds. at Timaru.

Miss Edna Rainey, intermediate 100 ydsland 220yds., holder of the New Zealand 100yds. intermediate record of 65 1-5, could hardly be omitted, for her tim.es this season have so far been fast. It will be interesting to see whether she can break her own 100yds. record at Timaru. She also should be a strong contender for the 220yds. title. In the junior grade only girls were selected, no boys reaching the required standard. Misses June Melhose and Marjorie Black will compete in the 50yds. and 100yds. girls’ free-style, and Miss Grace Priestley, 50yds. girls’ breaststroke. Improved Out of Sight. Peter Mathieson, Otago backstroke champion, is reported to have improved out of sight this season. His father is attending to his training and bringing him along on the right lines. He will most probably take his place in the event at the senior Dominion championships at Auckland next' month. Although he is sure to meet serious opposition in the 150yds., title with such opponents as L. Moorhouse, G. Low and the present holder, W. Whareaitu, he should prove a strong contender. Kellerman Cup Harbour Race.

On February 19 the annual harbour race for the Annette Kellerman Cup will take place in Auckland Harbour over three miles. The course will be selected with the co-operation of the Auckland marine superintendent. The northern centre propose holding the diving championships on the same day at about the same time as the harbour race is in progress. It is intended to hire a 50-ton punt and hold the diving near the finishing line of the big race. Water Polo in England.

Mr. Harry Hay, the well-known Australian coach, who was at the recent Empire Games in England, substantiates the remarks made in this column by an exmember of the Worser Bay club who is now studying at Oxford, respecting the standard of water' polo in England. Hay says it is of a very high class, and teams travel many miles for the sake of competition. He gives as an instance, Cardiff travelling 30 miles at week-ends for the sake of a hard game. The Hungarians still send a team to England each year, and they draw surprisingly large crowds to witness the games. Kendall’s Record Time.

Bill Kendall, Australia’s sprint hope of the season, apparently swam impressively at the New South Wales championships on Tuesday night, to record 61 for the 100yds., it being a record for an Austra-lian-born swimmer. This boy, who recently cut 75yds. out in the almost world record time of 37 4-5, which is equal to about 53 for the 100yds., is sure to surprise followers in the next few weeks, when he meets the Japanese and Frenchmen in the Centenary and State championships. He should be a good opponent for Y. Sakagami, who is reputed to have covered the 100yds. in 52 3-5. N.Z. Life-Saving Championships.

The Taranaki Surf Life-Saving Association is leaving no stone unturned toward the successful conduct of the national championships next month. The programme of 19 events has already been submitted to the Dominion Council for approval. On the first day, Saturday, February 23, the programme will commence at 10.30 with heats of the muchdisputed four-man event. The Nelson Shield, R. and R. senior championship, William Henry R. and R. junior championship, and the surf belt championship heats, as well as the senior and junior surf races, will be held in 'the afternoon. The final of the surf belt championship and four-man event will take place the following morning, Sunday, February 24, and the other finals in the afternoon. The Maranui club is taking its surfboat, the only one of its kind in the Dominion, to New Plymouth, where it will give a demonstration at the championships. Japanese in Form.

Japanese backstroke champion, Kiyokawa, clipped a fifth of a second off his own Australian 100yds. backstroke record (established last Saturday), covering the distance at the New South Wales championships on Tuesday night last in 1.10. Kiyokawa is in great form, and eager to compete in the centenary races. To-night’s Carnival.

The first inter-club carnival of the season will be held in the Riddiford Baths, Lower Hutt, to-night, when the serious side of activities in competitive swimming will begin. Prominent races on the programme, drawn up by the Hutt Valley club, are the 220yds. centre championship, at present held by D. Plank, 100yds. championships for intermediate boys and girls, and a men’s 50yds. scratch race.

With such class swimmers as J, G. Blakeley, D. Plank, R, Pelham, K. Thwaites, and J. Williams, all of city clubs, and Somervell, Hutt club, the 220 championship race should prove a keen tussle. Both Plank and Blakeley are in good form and, although Thwaites and Williams must come into consideration, it appears likely to be another duel between Plank and Blakeley.