SWIMMING RACE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2205, 21 March 1881, Page 3

SWIMMING RACE.

The swimming contest in connection with the Canterbury Rowing Club, came off on Saturday afternoon. The prize competed for was presented by Mr Harman to the club, with the understanding that a similar trophy would be presented by that gentleman each succeeding year, with the object of encouraging members to cultivate the art of swimming. Saturday's oontest took place at three o'clock in the afternoon, the oourse being from the Stanmore Bridge to Oowlisfcaw's corner, a distance of about 300 yards. A number of ladies and gentlemen were present to witness the event. There were between twenty and thirty entries, but only about twelve of that number camo up to the scratch, a start being betag made from a whaleboat. The first attempt wan a bad one, the competitors plunging in any how, and without reference to time, the conseqnenoe being that Spencer and Hay were H a long way ahead, and although a call was made for all to return and start again, they swam over the course in the order named, that is, Spencer leading. In the meantime the others got a second and better start, the modus operandi being at onoe novel and efficient. The several competitors, who, by the way, were dressed in full boating costume, pursuant to the conditions imposed, got on the whale-boat moored parallel with the bridge, and ranged themselves in a line thereon; then, at a given signal, the boat wss capsized, and they all got away together. J. O. Jones took a short lead, whioh he afterwards Materially increased, followed by Grierson and Evans, De Castro bringing up fourth plaoe, and the rest nowhere. This order was pretty well maintained throughout, save for a hard struggle for first place between Jones and Grierson towards the homo post. It appeared at one time that the latter would gain first honors, indeed, he made a manly fight for it, but unfortunately got too near in shore and "grounded" just as his prospects looked most promising. This lost him a seoond or two of valuable time, whioh Jones made good use of, and answering to the shouts of encouragement from the bank, forged ahead with a few powerful strokes, Grierson coming in for second place close upon his heels. The order was J. O. Jones 1 Grierson ... 2 Evans ... 3 DeOastro ... 4 The race proved very .interesting, and although the water " struck rather chilly," the weather was generally very favorable, and the swimmers appeared none the worse for their wetting. Mr Spencer was understood to say that he should enter a protest, he having gone over the oourse after the first start and oome in first.