CLARIDGE’S WIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 583, 8 February 1929, Page 6

CLARIDGE’S WIN

THE KELLERMAN CUP WELLINGTON HARBOUR SWIM ENWRIGHT AND WEBSTER WELL UP (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Thursday. "\\ ellington got five valuable points for the New Zealand Swimming Championship Shield to-day, when C. Claridge, the long-distance crack, gained both first place and fastest time in the Annette Kellerman Cup. The Wanganui man, L. Harty, was second and Miss L. Copplestone third. ■‘lf I can stand the water I’ll win this race,” declared Claridge confidently to a group of friends shortly before he dived from the tug Utah off Point Jeningham. Tie was surveying the harbour where the fresh northwesterly wrinkled it, and despite the bright sun it looked cold. Claridge was barely ready for the starter, buttoned his costume at the last minute, scrambled up on the rail as Mr. Bryant was counting the last second, and plunged in happily. A moment later he excited admiration by the excellent course he set. The wand, which was in the Wellington tradition, set a problem for most of the limit men early in the race, causing a shoreward drift toward the swimmers’ left. The tug was moored off the new concrete pillar near Point Jerningham, \ which marked one end of the course, and the swimmers had to make their touch there and at the Clyde Quay Wharf. Before half the competitors were in the water they were strung out from right to left across the field of vision, and the young Wellingtonian, Buchanan, who received 28min. start, was heading straight for the boat harbour. It was 10.55 when Buchanan made his plunge, and as successive swimmers dived off, sometimes together, the water was dotted with dinghies piloted by flashing blades and showing the men the course. Buchanan was no more than an occasional gleam of white and a tTfreau oi spray When the next man received the word to go, he was but a pinpoint when R. Webster, the Auckland scratch man, began his awkward, jerking stroke in fruitless pursuit of the cup. MANY CASUALTIES

There were 24 entries for the race, but four swimmers elected not to face the medical examination which, preceded it, and casualties were numerous in each lap, only six finishing. Moorehouse (Canterbury), Stevens (Auckland), Gillespie and Williams (Wellington), did not appear and Tipler (Canterbury) gave up *after 500 yards.

Quick to seize the position, Miss Copplestone set a better course than the six swimmers who preceded her into the water; Claridge bettered that and Enwright, who was on limin., was thorough in his allowance for drift, for he began by heading toward the middle of Lambton Quay. The handicaps were:—Webster (Auckland), scr.; Enwright (Auckland), lAminp Bolam (Canterbury), 4min; Ryan (Wanganui), 4£min; Harty (Marlborough), 4min; Claridge (Wellington), s?.min; Murrell (Wellington), 71 min; Blakeley (Wellington), 9min; Hepburn (Wellington), 12min: Dalton (Canterbury), 13min: Boyd (Otago), ISmin; Fletcher (Wellington), 14lmin: Shannon (Wellington), 14Amin; Miss L. Copplestone (Ashburton), 16min; Cameron (Canterbury;, 17min: * Foot (Wellington), 17min; Raven (Wellington), ISlmin; Francis (Wellington), ISlmin; Tipler (Canterbury), 19min; Buchanan ( 28min.

Claridge’s time for the second mile was a shade under 27min, and he was obviously in the running for fastest time. Very soon, Claridge had swum past Miss Copplestone, and he was over 200 yards ahead when the final lap was half done. Shepherded by half a dozen dinghies, he spurted over the final 50 yards and finished at 12.40£ —a shade under 28imin. for the last lap. Harty was not at the finish until 3 2.45, and Miss Copplestone came next at 12.46 A. Enwright was only aboLit lOsec behind her. He had cost himself distance in the last lap by swimming wide out to allow for a drift which did not come. Webster touched