SWIMMING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8338, 25 January 1913, Page 15

SWIMMING.

(By "Crawl.") The Auckland team for the New Zealand championships will probably comprise:—Malcolm Champion (all distances), Wclsou (all distances), Sinton (100yds, 220yds, 4-JdydsJ, and a lady yet to be chcecn, According to latest advices the northern city wilt not bo represented in tho breast stroke event, not a very serious matter since tho record breaking Atkinson will again bo a starter. Horten, who has hitherto been Auckland's representative breast stroke man, is unable to obtain the necessary leave. For the first time Auckland will enter seriously into the water p°l° department, and it is considered by northerners that Canterbury will have to show a decided improvement en the form ef past years if they are to retain tho banner. Wo shall see. The Flying Squadron Championship is not being seriously tackled, though if Champion and Weleon are still tit and well after their other engagements Auckland will compete. Sinton and Kerr Taylor will, in that case, bo the other members of the team. Tho New South Wales championships have provided Longwovth with an opportunity to vindicate his rex>utation and establish indiputably that he is still tho best of all Sydney’s big swimmers. Barry .is an, exploded bubble for the time being, but whether or not he will do better at the Australasian meeting, is a matter of opinion. Ted Wickham’s performance is one of the most interesting occurrences in Australian swimming since Longworth beat the then all conquering Beaurcxiaire. Cecil Bcaly, who supplied a report of tho big race to the ‘Tteforee,” does not appear to bo particularly well satisfied with the verdict of the judges. If, as is apparently thought by some, he is the ot tho Hose Bay crack, tho Australasian premier sprint will give him an opportunity of provin;.; it, Wickham’s finish in the race under notice is certainly one of the greatest, things in the record of Sydney swimming. “Competitive swimming is on tho decline." Thus, oracularly, have the pessimists croaked, and that croak has winged its way abroad to tho detriment of the sxtorc in Wellington and the annoyance of most good followers of the pastime. On Thursday evening last there were six events at Xe Aro Baths, and one at Thorndon. A 220yds race, we are assured, required heats in the decision, and Swifts anticipate heats in theii 230 to-day. A 50yds handicap at the Thorndon carnival saw seven heats go on the board; the Walker and Hall cup was contested by four teams as against four last year, and throe tho year before, and (Oh, look sad!) there were Wellington swimmers at throe separate meetings on Anniversary Bay. Truly, competitive swimming is in a hapless and pitiable plight. It fails, .in all its active exuberance, to attain in volume and facility the storms of verbal platitudes that emanate from men who are better orators than they are swimmers, and whoso energies might, perhaps, be more prolifio of good resuls iu more carefully directed channels. Meantime, let us be sad and let no judicious work dispel the gloomy perspective. If _ the sport should boom (and, of course, it Is not booming now) there would be no outlet for the pounding reverberations of pessimisim, and then, O, ye oracles, what would our centre members do f It was found necessary (a painful, but imx>erative duty) to lightly scan the faults of certain officials at the Thorndon' carnival last week. This did nos apply to the otljeials generally. 'Appy Smith and a few gallant comrades worked like Trojans, but th«y< unfortunately, could not attend to everything. Tho others were given little enough to do, but they did it very badly, and tho whole carnival suffered in consequence. At the instance of the Wellington Club a meeting of delegates to the Wellington Centre will shortly ho called to consider the matter of the representative character of tho executive in relation to the clubs. Signs aro not wanting that a much to bo desired change may bo the outcome. The Wellington Club has issued a good programme for its carnival on February 22ud, Tho list is as follows: —Buthio Cup {schools relay championship); 220yda provincial championship; 50yds inter-club handicap; 100yds ladies' bracelet handicap; Athdys inter-olub handicap; diving, xxdo, and novelties. Ffankuoh, the Blenheim swimmer who favourably impressed Solomons when the latter was in Marlborough, was formerly a prominent member of the New Plymouth Club. In tho 1911 West Coast championships he swam second in the 100yds to W. J. Claringbold, of Hawera. Tho latter’s time was (JSsec. 'This year’s long distance handicap through Perth, a distance of five miles, attracted 83 competitors, including six ladies, Tho race was won by Douglas Roo in 2hr 19min. Loney. who finished second, won tho prize for tho fastest time (2hr 18mm). Baa Ewart, a sixteen-year-old girl, was fourth, her time being 3hr Omiu 15scc. Last year there were about fifty starters in this event, and the winner was A. Williamson, who started from tho 19min mark. His time was 2hra Imin X9sec. E. S. Loney, who gained the prize for fastest time this year, was second last year, his dime then being 2hr 6min 25sec.