SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 19456, 14 January 1927, Page 12

SWIMMING

[Bj Hooker.]

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. January 22-28.—New Zealand Championships, at Auckland. February 3. —St. Clair Club’s Carnival.

Miss M. Jepson and Miss D. Magee, botli prominent figures in the swimming world,_ obtained their bronze medallion for life saving at the Municipal Baths on January 3 last. Miss Jepson is the holder of the 100yds New Zealand intermediate girls’ championship, .and Miss Magco is the lady_wno_registered Intermediate record time in the 100yds at Auckland last week. She was in Dunedin for some months on a holiday visit. In a trial race at the East Christchurch swimming baths last week to select a swimmer to represent Canterbury in tho 880yds distance at the New Zealand championships, to he held at Aucldand at the end of this month, D. P. Lindsay won in llmin 54 3-ssec, thus beating by 4 4-ssec the present New Zealand record of llmin 59 2-ssec, hold-by A. Baird, of Auckland. Lindsay won by a lap from A. Stokes, with L. Hill another lap away '•bird. It is intended to make application to tho Now Zealand Swimming Council to have Lindsay’s time for the_ race officially recognised as a dominion record (says tho ‘Star’). Two South Island centres are in the field on the quest for the New Zealand championships in 1928, South Canterbury and Otago being tho aspiramts for tbe distinction of staging the championship fixture. Otago last conducted the gathering in 1921, and South Canterbury in 1922, so that Otago’s prospects of controlling next year’s gathering would appear reasonably bright. A remit from the Wellington Centre that should meet with approval at the annual conference of delegates at Auckland on January 25 is that the Australian Union should bo approached with a view to an interchange of visits by male swimmers between Australia ami New Zealand. With the exception of Auckland, few of the other centres of New Zealand have had an opportunity of staging appearances of the Australian champions, and tho good that would accrue to the sport as the result of such visits cannot ho overestimated. And if the Now Zealand champions were to appear in Australia the experience thus gained would be of immeasurable benefit, amd it might be only a short time before the New Zealand men would he a force to he reckoned with at the Olympic Games. “ Boy ” Charlton’s wonderful recordbreaking swim at Sydney in the 880yds championship of New South "Wales last Saturday servos to illustrate tho truth of the statements that have appeared to the effect that the capabilities of the "rent young Australian have not yet been Lilly tested. Tn beating Katsuo Tnkaishi, tho Japanese champion, by GGvds Andrew Charlton covered the half-mile in the world’s record time of lOmin 32sec, tl* previous best standin" to the credit of Arne Borg, of Sweden, who did 10min 37 2-ssec > m 1925. Charlton commenced swimming in earnest in the 1921-22 season at the ago of fourteen years, and he won Ins first 440yds scratch race in smm 45sec. The following year ho carried off the New South. Wales championship over this distance, doing smin 22 2-ssec. He won the 880yds as well in lllinn 5 ]-ssec, then a world’s record. In 1924 he won the 880yds New South Wales'championship in lOmin 51 Lhsec, a world’s record. In 1924, at Pans, Charlton carried off tho 1,000 nietres Olympic championship in 20ram 6]scc, a world’s record. Ho retired from active swimming on his return from the Olympic Gaines, hut he to Sydney to train for the races against tho Japanese, and his recent performances—ho again heat the Japanese over 440yds in Australian record time this week—proves that ho is greater than OT Ces. Lewis, tho Otago 220yds breaststroke champion, will he able to get awav for tho New Zealand championships at Auckland after all, and he should make a bold bid_ to regain the 220vds' breast-stroke national title that he held in 1925. .. , The Otago team leaves for Auckland to contest the New Zealand championships on Monday, and the best wishes of all enthusiasts in tho province wifi be extended to the members for their success. Les. Olds, the New Zealand junior boys’ 220yds chamniou, and D. Olds, who will" contest the intermediate breast-stroke championship, were to hare left; with their father _on Tliiirsday to compete at Wanganui, hut they are unavoidably detained until Monday. Les. Olds is expected to make a clean sw'-ep of the junior hoys’ events, and it will not he surprising if he leaves fresh times behind him over every distance. Just prior to his departure he registered startling time in the 100yds, and he ought to add this distance to his already fairly lengthy list of records. D. Olds should have an outside chance of success'in the 100yds intermediate breast-stroke event, in which he has some fair times to his credit. The remaining members of the team are Rov Calder, the Now Zealand div-

ing champion, Miss K. Miller and Miss M. Jepson, both of whom held intermediate girls’ titles last season, and will contest the open events next week, and C. B. Lewis, breast-stroke' exponent. Calder will meet with tougher opposition than was the case last season, as Barry Young, the ox-New South Wales champion, will bo a competitor, but the Otago representative will be hard to beat, lie is going well just now. Miss Miller’s principal objectives will be the 220yds and 44Uyds, and in botli races she should stand a good chance of victory. In winning the 220yds intermediate girls’ championship last season in 2inin 57 l-ssec, Miss Miller recorded bettor time than that put up in tho ladies’ senior event, and her 2min 54scc in the ladies’ 220yds at the recent Otago championships was only seven seconds outside the New Zealand record, held by Miss Gwitha Sliand. She hasycomc on a lot since last month, and if anyone heats the Otago lady over this distance at Auckland the existing record will tremble in the balance. In the 440yds, too, Miss Miller’s chances look quite bright, while both Miss Jepson and Miss Miller will have to be reckoned with in the 100yds. Bliss Jepsoif won tho 100yds ladies’ championship of Otago in 71sec, but Dunedin water is a good deal slower than thta of Auckland, and both Bliss Miller and she should bo able to reduce this time by several seconds. Bliss Jepson will be a good support for Bliss Miller in the 220yds, and should be well placed at the finish. Lewis’s chances have been discussed, and, altogether, the Otago_ team should make quite a good showing. In view of tho fact that only part of the expenses of the Otago swimmers attending the New Zealand championships could he defrayed by the centre it seems rather unnecessary that two officials of the centre should have been appointed to travel with the team. In 0. 13. Lewis, who is an active swimming member of the party, the centre had one of its own members who could have fulfilled tho duties of _ manager and delegate witli satisfaction, and thus allowed a greater sum of money to be allotted towards each swimmer’s expenses. The centre has done its best under the circumstances, and perhaps after all tho fact that tho Otago Centre seeks tho New Zealand championships for Dunedin next season made it desirable that the local governing body should be well represented at the conference of delegates at Auckland. _ It was rather a pity that the carnival set down for decision last Thursday had to be abandoned because of tho fact that a number of swimmers were out of town, but under the conditions ruling the centre had practically no other option. Auckland water must bo a good deal faster than that of Dunedin, judging by the recent performance of Bliss Doris Blagee in lowering the New Zealand intermediate girls’ 100yds record at Auckland on Tuesday by_ covering the distance in 68 4-ssec. _ Bliss Blagee was holidaying at Dunedin for spine months, and while here she trained with Bliss 81. Jepson. She won a lianclicay race at the Dunedin Club’s carnival, hut from the. same mark would not have got up with Bliss Jepson or Bliss Bliller over 100yds. Neither of the Dunedin ladies has broken 70sec in tho Dunedin water, but it would not be surprising to see either of them reducing this time by a couple of seconds at Auckland.

Since the above notes were written the writer has been given to understand that there is a possibility that stand that there is a possibility that Miss K. Miller, the Otago ladies’ 220yds champion, may not ho able to make the trip to Auckland. The centre was able to find only a small portion of her expenses and tho Kiwi Club, which in previous years has paid her expenses, is apparently in a very comatose condition this season. Blost of tho other representatives are being assisted by their chibs, hut it will bo a regrettable happening if sufficient funds are not available to the centre tn send Bliss Bliller to the championships, as she has as bright chances of success as any member of the team. It would be thought that in view of the apathy shown by the Kiwi Club the Otago Centre would make some special effort to get Bliss Bliller away, and it is to he hoped that even yet it is not too late. A subscription list accounted for over £4O, but tho centre unfortunately was not in a position to augment this very greatly. Tho finances of the centre, like several other swimming centres of tho dominion, are far from healthy, and the trip to Auckland is the most expensive that Ims to bo undertaken. If Otago is to be allotted the New Zealand championships nest season strong representation is necessary tins year, and the centre should get its host team away.