SWIMMING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1938, Page 13

SWIMMING

LOCAL COMPETITIONS. NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By “Freestyle.”) Another well-attended meeting on Tuesday evening gave both competitors and the public alike an enjoyable time. From the swimmer’s point oi view it was particularly encouraging to see so many enthusiastic spectators on the stands. For the small price of admission the public is well entertained on a fine summer evening at the Dixon Street Baths, and those who attend have the satisfaction of knowing that they are lending support to one of the finest of outdoor sports.

Norma Stains took full advantage of her lighter handicap in the girls’ 25 yards handicap, and showed the way home to the improving swimmers, N. Ackerman and M. Pauling. Keenness is the dominating note with these young competitors, and many of the older swimmers could well take a leaf out of their book in this direction. D. Stewart, jun., is rapidly becoming a better. all-round performer, as was demonstrated by his efforts in several different events —the boys’ 25 yards handicap, which he won, the junior breaststroke ,the boys’ dive, and finally in the teams’ relay. In the dive he was not far behind ihe place winners, and with a little more attention to flight he should soon be higher up in this event.

F. Bodie staged one of his periodical come-backs, and with a generous handicap was able to sustain a good finishing sprint long enough to beat the fast scratch man, T. Major. Another performance like that, and he will be back on scratch.

Trevor Major is very fit, and always puts up m sterling performance. How he keeps going is sometimes a source of wonder to his opponents. His most serious rival of the past, and incidentally one who has helped considerably with Major’s coaching, Jack Barnes is at present recovering from an injury, but should soon be back in the active ranks. The 25 yards dash, possibly the most popular item on the programme, will have additional interest when Barnes returns. There is very little between the two above-mentioned swimmers and Lloyd Maguire. The 75 yards open breaststroke brought two old rivals together again and the honours went to N. Faulknor on this occasion. It will be a good race over 100 yards when Faulknor joins Finlay Milne on the scratch mark.

The teams of four relay race was productive of keen competition, the verdict going to the juniors by a very narrow margin, Borthwick’s being second and the Ladies third. The club would like to see more firms’ teams competing in this event, so what about it Banks, Levins and W.F.C.A. The ladies are not very strong numerically so far this season but they can usually be relied upon to provide interesting races. Surely there are more young lady swimmers in Masterton. One., does not have to be a Mona Leydon in order to compete in club events. The handicappers look after all entrants and see that each one has a chance.

It is pleasing to notice some of the older swimmers in G. Gaze, D. Stewart and O. Keith keeping up their interest and active participation. Their example could well be followed by more of the older young brigade. Breaststroke swimmers were set a new record recently when W. Dyson, of Dunedin, did the 220 yards in 3min. 0 l-ssecs. to break the jointly held record of L. Smith and J. C. W Davies.