SWIMMING

Evening Star, Issue 20049, 14 December 1928, Page 15

SWIMMING

NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Hookee.]

ST. CLAIR NEWS. St. Clair had a splendid representation at its club hour at the Municipal Baths on Monday night, the attendance of juniors being very satisfacloiy. Some good work was put in ou the breast stroke by A. Harrod, J. Faulks, Carroll, A. Durand, and Elliott. S. Fcgg and J. B. Simpson were also training hard on the back stroke, and if the former reproduces the form he has been sh nving in work-outs lately ho may take some beating in this event. Fogg is capable of fast time in the back stroke, and 1 expect him to make bis opponents move in this event to-morrow night at the championships. The polo team also had a good practice, a decided improvement in combination being shown. The team should ho hard to beat this season, as St. Clair appears to be devoting more time to water polo than the other clubs, which have had more in view the swimming and diving events at the Otago championships. Tho appearance of Bruce Ford, exOtago schoolboys’ champion and representative at Wanganui in 1924, Ims strengthened the St. Clair relay team this season, and he should do well if he trains seriously, as he possesses stamina and a good action. Jack M'Lean is not likely to bo back until after Christmas, so that his absence from the Otago championships will lesson the St. Clair Club’s chances in the matter of securing titular honours, KIWI DOINGS. Kiwi had another good muster on Tuesday night, but several members of the polo team wore absent, and it was impossible to hold a practice, which was rather a pity in view of the fact that the competition matches begin on Saturday next. Miss I. Gillies, the promising schoolgirl swimmer, has joined up with the club, and Miss M. Bewley and she were doing some steady swimming in view of the Otago junior girls’ championships iu which they are taking part this week. A girl who promises to develop into a diver above the ordinary is Miss L. Wahrlich, who already has some of the, essentials of a good performer on tho boards. She keeps tier foot together, does not bend at the_ knees, and makes quito a neat entry into tho water. She should remember to hollow her back and endeavour to get more height off tho board. She is to bo taken in hand by the club’s coaches after the chamnionships, and should bo capable of making quite a useful showing at the club’s carnival next mouth, . Miss P. Lang was moving along nicely over several lengths, and if she reproduces hr best form should swim well in the Otago 100yds intermediate girls’ championship to-morrow night. Her sister, Miss C. Lang, fs an aspirant for honours in the breast stroke event, and should at least gain a place. If gamcnoss counts for anything, Miss Clarice Lang is certain to be well up at the finish. Some keen swimming over 33 1-oyds was witnessed during the club hour, W. Boyd, A. E. Short, H. D. Gillies, and G. Collett finishing practically in a bunch. Boyd was doing a little training in view of his engagements at tho Otago championships, and Short was making a reappearance in the water. He is a good handicap performer, who may be expected to improve during the present season. J, H. M'Gregor is one of the most promising junior swimmers on the breast stroke in Dunedin at the present time, though he has to guard against a rather spasmodic action. He gets fairly well down in the water, and lias a good kick. On the free style, too, he has proved himself a swimmer well above the ordinary.

Miss Joan Munro is devoting more time to diving than hitherto, and promises to show to considerable advantage on the boards. She is a competitor in the intermediate 100yds girls championship to-morrow night. A. Thomas is a junior swimmer who is worthy of a little attention, and witli coaching and attention to ins stroke he should do well. There have been a number of new lady swimmers attending the club hour lately, and it is* the intention of the committee to stage a members’ race early in the now year, alter which it is hoped to select teams for the relay race for the Kiwi house banner. It is hoped that nearly every member of the club will compete in this event. _ Norm. Bailey has found difficulty in getting down to the dub hour_ on Tuesday nights, but has been training steadily during the lunch hour. Ere these notes appear ho will have contested one or two championship events, and he is pretty certain to have performed well. OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIPS. The first night of the Otago championships will be a thing oi the past when these notes appear in print, but to-morrow night - the provincial fixture will be brougiit to a close, and one of tho attractions wifi be Die men’s diving championship, which always produces some spectacular exhibitions. Tho fix'st round of matches in the Stuart Banner water poki_ competition will also be'played, and it is to be hoped that this time the match will be played in accordance with tho spirit and laws of the game- Too many

contests there were about nine competitors, and, if they can be induced to carry on, these events should attract considerably more interest in the future. The relay races, which counted for the Oates Baton, were well worth while. Wellington gained most points, University were next, and Olympic, for whom C. Campbell ran exceedingly well, were third. • The Otago Centre is always out to encourage athletics in the country to the best of its ability, and it is pleasing to record the fact that now a bouth Otago primary schools’ championship meeting is to be field the centre has seen fib to donate a trophy for annual competition between the various schools. There was at one time a flourishing •.■hiii in Bulclutha. ami if the schools’ mid im; era looked aiter_ there is no m win- cm/* again clubs should not fic .oi iuo-.i l*m i . t ’ltoit ami BalU is the intention oi tile Otago Centre to make an effort to stage another motor cycle and athletic sports meeting in the new year, and in view of the success that attended the Inst fixture it is to be hoped the centre’s efforts will be successful.

players are inclined to think that the game provides a good opportunity for scragging rather than for the exposition of scientific play, and if this state of affairs is allowed to continue the game will soon lose interest from the point of view of the spectators. Swimmers who should know much better have been guilty of grossly illegal play, and in future palpably bad offenders will be named in this column irrespective of office or club The remainder of the programme for to-morrow night is an attractive one, but it is a pity that the entries are not larger. In some classes, for instance, the senior men’s and junior boys’, there is an improvement in the entries received, but in others they are frankly disappointing. Miss Jepson has made a reappearance in the ladies’ championship, but no opposition has been offered her in the absence of the New Zealand ladies’ champion, Miss K, Miller. Miss Jepson’s times, however. will bo watched with interest in view of the fact that she is only hope in the ladies events this season. DUNEDIN DOINGS. Good work was done by a big crowd of divers at the Dunedin Club’s hour last Friday night, Roy Calder in particular putting in some solid work on the boards. Mick Walker was not present, but I understand that the former New Zealand champion will bo competing in tho Otago men’s diving championship to-morrow night, and that A. M. Rix, the Now Zealand intermediate champion, will also bo com poking in the open class, though at the New Zealand championships he will still be available for the intermediate division. Ho is diving fairly well at present. It is a pity that young Bert Haines will be unable to compete in the Otago diving championship, for ho showed as much promise as any of them. Ho is at present absent from Dunedin. Next season, however, he should be in a position to make quite a bold bid for higher honours, though Roy Calder will still take a lot of boating. Miss Daphne Murdoch is one of the keenest members of tho club, and il attention to training counts for anything she should bo found doing very well both in swimming and diving in tho near future. She will probably be competing in the intermediate 100yds girls’ championship to-morrow night. With a little more expxerience, too, this girl is going to make a good diver.

Miss M. Matheson has corao on at a great pace since last season, and has been swimming very well lately. She may bo hard to beat in the intermediate girls’ 100yds championship tomorrow. Miss 0. Crowley is a _ girl who has been previously referred in this column ns a coming diver, feho has a good flight, and will surely be heard of before very long. J. Fleming and B. Kerr were both doing some steady swimming, and among the juniors the Jarvis Brothers, Goughian, and Bennie showed to good advantage. A junior hoy who has a fine crawl stroke is A. Bridgor, and ho is likely to bo heard of in the near future. An acquisition to the club should bo Bruce, who has a good, easy stroke, and should develop into a speedy swimmer. R, 0. Johnson, the well-known JSew Zealand athletic representative, has linked up with the Dunedin Club, and promises to become a very good diver. G. Russell and R. Meggett were a pair of juniors who were swimming well, and Miss Williams is a junior girl who is coining along nicely. CHARLTON UNAVAILABLE. Andrew Charlton’s announcement , that he has definitely retired from competitive swimming, for this season at least, comes as little short of a calamity to the Australian Swimming Union, which had banked on his acceptance of their invittaion to swim against Arno Borg (says the Sydney ‘Referee ’). In view of the fact that up to the present no other swimmer has been developed who could seriously hope to compete with success against Borg over his favourite distances, the Manly boy’s decision will deprive the_ famous Swede’s visit of its greatest interest, and turn what promised to bo an exceptional sea.son into one of comparative mediocrity. Of course, no one can possibly blame Charlton. He answered when the call was made for the all-important Olympia, and in past years has given a great deal of his time to the sport. Now that his strenuous tour is over, and he has returned to his work at Gunnedah, it would be a lot to expect him to go into bard training once more lor a series of distance fights with his old rival, Borg—great though the interest such a match would create in sporting circles. If Charlton cannot see his way clear to swimming, it is a matter tei regret; but there is an cud to hie has his own interests to think of, and swimming alone will never pave a pathway of success for him through life. Perhaps it would have been better bad the A.S.U. awaited Charlton's decision before making any definite arrangements with Borg, but then, again, they were in a quandary, with the season rapidly getting under way, and nothing done in the matter of an international visit. Noel Ryan, of Manly, is the most likey swimmer to fill the breach. He is a brilliant distance performer, and has to his credit tlie Australian mile championship, for which he bolds the record. It remains to bo seen :f lie can make an impression on the Swedish marvel. So far this season ilyan has not done anything to raise the hopes of his supporters. It looks as if we may have to fall back cn veteran Moss Christie. He swam second to Ryan over a mile last year in good time, hut has no performances this season ether. No doubt Borg will bo asked to compete over distances other than his favourites. A. Besemo, of Bondi, and Hans Robertson would keen the Swede moving over 220yds, and there are a few others who might blossom forth before January. SPLASHES. Swimming at a carnival held by the Wellington Centre last Saturday Miss Kathleen Miller, the former Otago star, won the 100yds ladies’ handicap very easily off the scratch mark in 77 l-ssoc. This is not Miss Miller’s favourite distance. The time was well below her best for 100yds, so that she cannot yet be in her best form. The same was the ease at this time last year, but Miss Miller showed wisdom in not rushing hex’ training, as she was thus enabled to be at lier best when the New Zealand championships were held, and the same may happen this year. At the same carnival U. P. Lindsay, the New Zealand Olympic representative, was also a competitor, but none of his championship distances were included on the programme, and he failed to swim up to bis best form. Jn the 100yds back-stroke handicap W. Cameron,' the welkknown intermediate champion, who will be a contender

for honours in the men’s division this season, won in 71 4-sseo, which is very fast time. There is no New Zealand record for this distance, but Cameron is said to have bettered the time standing as the New South Wales record by According to the ‘ Sun,’ Auckland’s most urgent need at the present time is distance swimmers. Bridson, former intermediate ace, is promising, but B. V. Cunnold is doubtful. Aucklander Fairgray will be a serious contender for the back-stroke title which he formerly hold; but Len. Moorhouse, of Canterbury, will probably be found to have benefited from his Olympic experience. Auckland has several likely sprinters, though Dowsett, of Wanganui, and Cameron, of Wellington, are to take beating over this distance. Harrell, a promising young is about Auckland’s best, lima btockley is expected to compete again over 100yds, and big things are expected of Edna Champion, who will be a likely opponent for Kathleen Miller over 22Uyds and 440yds. Personally, I expect our former champion to more than hold her own with Miss Champion. There are a number of other promising ladies in Auckland. With such divers as Billy Hicks ; Mulvahill. Foote, and Penman Wellington should have good representation in the diving championship next February (says the ‘Now Zealand Sportsman ’). D. Muiraliill is showing splendid form. Foote and Penman are getting in plenty of solid practice, and are improving steadily and consistently. It is doubtful whether Bill Hicks will bo able to put in the practice generally necessary; but his knowledge and experience will prove a big stand by. Diving is becoming popular in Wellington. Several now faces will appear on the board before the public this season. Some stirring and interesting competition should bo provided at Wellington in February between the various representative teams for the New Zealand water polo championship. It is an open question as to which centre will annex the premiership, but present indications are that the Canterbury team, which has held the championship since 1920, is likely to meet with defeat this season. Canterbury will have to field practically a now team, as several of its best players will be unavailable (says the Auckland ‘Herald’). The veteran, Carl Atkinson, one of the finest players in the dominion, left Christchurch toward tho end or last season to reside in Napier; A. Stokes intends to confine himself solely to swimming; and J. M. Bales and R. Wheeley nave hcon transferred to Blenheim. T. Champion, M. Moildo, and C. Heard will probably be available. Tho team, however, will have a strong acquisition in J. Meiklo, the ex-Auck-lander, who is at present residing in Christchurch. Although Canterbury will be considerably weakened by the absence of the four players mentioned, the addition of tho best of tho B team should help to make a strong combination. Auckland and Wellington have tho material for teams capable of extending tho championship holders. Tffi. second annual harbour race for the Batt Cup will he swum on Saturday, January 19, and I am pleased to note that tho centre has decided that the swimmer who secures fastest time will bo entered as Otago’s representative in tho Annette Kellennan Gup race, which will be decided at Wellington during the progress of tho New Zealand championships. VI last some organised move is to be made with a view to asking the City Council to consider the question of improving the swimming facilities available for the public in Dunedin, and now the Swimming Centro and I'iunary Schools Sports Association are combining in a deputation to wait on the council. it seems a pity that tho Head Masters' Association did not bettor acquaint itself with what constitutes the duties of the educational officer of the Otago 'Swimming Centre before rushing forth with a resolution proclaiming that he had done his job badly. The duty of the educational officer, an enthusiast occupying a purely honorary position, is not to teach tho children to swim—there are paid instructors for that—but once they have learnt to swim, to endeavour to gain the cooperation of teachers by encouraging the children to swim for distance certificates. Surely no one would suggest for a minute that the educational ofiicer should be expected to visit every school in Otago arranging times for the children to swim tor certificates. Last year’s results from country and private schools were most satisfactory, but those from the town schools were much less satisfactory. For that state of affairs it is not for the writer to place the blame, hut one would like the assurance of the iiead masters that in every school in Dunedin circulars forwarded last season by tho educational officer were handed on to the spores masters. From what the writer knows of most of the latter, they aro only too willing to assist in tho encouragement of competitive swimming at least', ami now that the present situation has arisen it may make for a clearer understanding of tho position in tho future.