SWIMMING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 March 1914, Page 8

SWIMMING.

THE AUCKLAND GALA. AUSTRALIA* CRACKS COMrETH. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The swimming gala which in being held under the auspices of the Auckland Centre of the N.Z.AJS.A., and which :s rendered notable by the presence of half-a-dozen Australian crack swimmers, including the champions Harold Hardwick and Miss Fanny Durack, opened last night. Durack missed a place in her heat of the ladies' 36yd* dash by a bare touch, after giving away lOsec. to the young lady who beat her. __ The meeting of the champion New Zealand crack and Harold Hardwick, the Australian champion, in,the 220 yds handicap excited chief interest. Both were in the first heat. 'Ji-e champion had a start of 4scc. The New Zcalander trudged away with a quick stroke right from the jump, whereas Hardwick did the first 100 yards with the exhausting crawl stroke, which, however, brought liim to the champion's heels, whereon he changed to a long, clean, steady trudge, and though he was kicking only two to the champion's three, he forged' up inch by inch, drawing level at 200 yds. There was just a touch in Hardwi'ek's favor at the winning rope. In the final the champion did not compete, and Hardwick was just beaten bv C. Sinton, who had lOsec start.