SWIMMING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 311, 10 February 1910, Page 3

SWIMMING.

(By " s plodge. : ')

The Australasian swimming ch.mipionships held this month in Victoria have resulted in the Victorian Association retaining the Kieran Memorial Shield. Beaurepaire has again been the liero of the meeting. The first day at St. Kilda Cecil Healv. as was expected, won the 100 yards championship by a length from C. Graham (Queensland), who was three length?' ahead of Hardwiek, who just beat Beaurepaire for third place. Other starters were A. W. Barry (New Sou 'h Wales), W. ,S. Bradley (Victoria), and T. W. Mason (Victoria). The time, 58sec, a Victorian record, was exceedingly good, especially considering that tlie race was swum in open sea baths when the water was not of the smoothest. This fact probably accounted for Hardwiek, who is used to the smooth Sydney baths, being s'o far behind. Graham, the Queensland representative, swam very well, as also did Beaurepaire, who is not recognised as a sprint champion; this race and one or two others in which he has swum lately, however, show him to be able to keep with the best of them over 100 yards sprints. The same day the half-mile championship was swum, and resulted, as expected, in an easy win for Beaurepaire by 40 yards from T. W. Mason (Victoria), who was 50 yards ahead of >S. -Wright (New South Wales). C. Powell (Victoria), H. Moon (South Australia), and IT. Eaton (South Australia) also started. The roughish water probably accounted for Hardwiek not competing. It was generally expected that Hardwiek would push Beaurepaire most in this race. The time was 12min 15s'ec, which is considerably slower than hiss last rear's time of Uroto 58 4-ssec. B. B. Kieran's best time for this distance, llmin 2 l-ssec, still stands as a world's record. The second day at Ballarat Beaurepaire won the mile championship in 24min 50 2-ssec by Co yards from Hardwiek, who just beat Mason by a touch for second place. The other starters were C. Powell (Victoria) and S. Wright (New South Wales). On the third day, 2nd February, Beaurepaire won the 220 yards championship in 2min 28 2-ssec, which equals the world's record.

On the last day Beaurepaire pulled off the 440 yards, of course, while T. Richardson (Victoria) won the breaststroke championship in 3min lGsec, followed home by two other Victorians, Finney and Ruston. Bar the 100 yards, therefore, Victoria scooped the pool. In counting the points for the Kieran Shield only firsts count. If the points be then equal the seconds count, and after that the thirds, if honors be still even.

The New Zealand championships to be held at Auckland on the 19th, 23rd, and 25th instant promise to attract a most representative gathering of 'swimmers'. J. Grant, of Hawera, will probably he the only representative from this coast, though there is a possibility of a team going from Wanganui. Grant has the best wishes of all from these parts. The Wellington Centre has recovered its equilibrium, and, in the words of its chairman of committees, acknowledges that it rather made a fool of itself in its squeaking over the allotting of the championship meeting to Auckland. Reg. Healy has been selected to represent the centre at Auckland, and it is hoped that some others from Wellington will also go up to compete. A polo team will probably go. Canterbury has chosen as its representatives F. E. Dodge for the sprints, ' T . Rich for the distances', and A. M. ; Riiosall for the breast-stroke. But Manhire and Cookson have challenged the latter two for their places, so the team may be altered. A Canterbury polo team is also to go. | M. E. Champion, of the Waitemata I club, will be Auckland's chief representative, but his club is also selecting six others to go into hard training under I a professional trainer. That is' some-

thing like! Our own little town will not be represented, after all. There is, I understand, rather a feeling—in fact, something ratner more tangible than a feeling—over the cause. The club is wise not to send a weak team. A weak team might advertise itself in one way almost as greatly, but it isn't the kind of advertisement we want —not by a long chalk. The team selected was strong and could have, at any rate, stood a gruelling, and its' enthusiasm was undoubted. Perhaps next year, when they are a little older and a little slower, and, mayhap, a little tired. Of course, there are other pebbles on the beach, but the particular pebbles of this year would suit me. The idea of sending them up was not to everyone's taste', however—and that's the rub.