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SWIMMING.
FINAL CARNIVAL AT CLARE
MONT.
A LARGE ATTENDANCE.
VICTORIA TAKES THE KIElRAN
SHIELD.
A WORLD'S RECORD BROKEN.
SCENES OF GREAT ENTHUSIASM.
Under the auspices of the West Aus
tralian Amateur Swimming Association,
the fourth and final of the present
year's championship series was success
fully carried out at the Claremont
Baths last night, in the presence of
some 1,300 spectators. Although, con
siderably before 8 o'clock the chief
points of vantage and seating accom
modation had been called into requisi
tion, the less fortunate of the spectators
cheerfully stood up, jambed against the
pickets, others dangling their feet glee
fully over even the most hazardous mail
ings, following the racing with a keen
knowledge and practical interest. Each
event was followed throughout with
great interest, for several of the handi.
cap races provided a number of close
finishes, particularly in the boys' events.
Chief interest, of course, centred in the
440 yards championship the result ot
which finally decided the fate of the
Kieran shield, previously held by
Queensland.
Nothing has been more talked of by
the indirect and direct supporters of the
natatorial art than this year's 440 yards
Australian championship. Indeed, it was
proved last night that this event is no
less popular in this State than it is
among Sydney followers of the sport.
New South Wales attaches to this
championship a revered and pleasing
memory, for it was over this distance
in Sydney that Barney B.
Kieran first demonstrated to the
State that he was a swim
mer of more than ordinary merit.
This happened as far back as 1903, and
the "Sobraon" lad kept so insistently
to the distance, that he was at length
pitted against Dick Cavill. This was
considered then by competent judges to
be no less than an act of temerity, for
Cavill was then easily the Australasian
champion over all distances. Conse
quently, the advent of Kieran on the
starting piece received a,great deal of
good-humoured encourag6ment, just as
if the crowd. admired his pluck, if they
did not recognise his judgment. To the
utter amazement of the auditors,
Kieran and Cavill swam together, lap
by lap, not an arm's breadth separating
them. Standing in the waling pieces
the crowd leaned down and roared out
"Kieran I" and "Cavill I" as one or the
other gained the advantage, and, when
at length experience told its tale over
youthful fervour, Cavill winning by half
a yard, the scene of enthusiasm and ex
citement was indescribable. It is even
talked of to this day. Subsequently,
Kieran met and defeated Cavill over
the same distance.. That was'the last
amateur championship Cavill swam. All
the honours of the world's record went
to Kieran. who recognised the 440 as
his favourite distance. It is stated also
that previous to last night Beaure
paire's publio time over this distance
was identical with Healy's. Moreover,
as the Victorian lad was credited dur
ing this week with having accomplished
the swim, while training at Claremont,
five seconds under his previous time, it
can be imagined with what keen inter
est the public last night watched the
propulsion of the two champions
through the water. Everyone expected
a close race and the establishment of
record time, but it was in just these
two respects that they were disappoint
ed, for Beaurepaire won comfortably by
ten yards, swimming the distance in
two-fifths of a second outside Healy's
best time. The. scene following the
triumph of Beaurepairo and the raising
of the status of Victorian swimming
can only be described as wildly exciting,
the public rising up en masse and ao
cording the boyish champion a rousing
reception. Western Australia gained
first honours in the breast-stroke cham
pionship, Matson, the local chief ex
ponent, winning fairly comfortably
from Richardson, of Victoria. The pro
gramme was admirably diversified by a
number of novelty events, which served
to vary the night's entertainment.
THE RESULTS.
BOYS' HANDICAP, 20yds. (15 years
and under)/.
First heat: Galbraith (l12sec.), 1; O.
Stenberg (scr.), 2: G. Hall (scr.), 3.
Time, 2min. 55 2-5sec. Second heat:
L. Goezel (15sec.), 1; F. Cook (1isee.),
2; A. Whiting (9sec.), 3. Time, 3min.
1 3-5sec.
Final.
O. Stenberg .......... 1
L. Goezel.... .. .... 2
Galbrait .. ... .. .... 3
Time, 2min. 44 1-Isec.
This event caused almost as much
excitement aong the spectators as did
the champinships. Stenb'erg. off
scratch, swam a magnificent race, at
tempting on the commencement of the
last lap what appeared to be an im
possible task. The lhd was deservedly
cheered.
NOVELTY EVENT SUBMARINE
RACE (30ydz.).
Bardwell (5sec.) ........ 1
FIRST-CLASS HANDICAP, 100yds.
First heat: H. B. Bennett (15sec.),
1; E. Golding (16sec.) 2. Time,
1min. 11sec. Second heat: E. G.
Stehn (15sec.), 1; H. Rumble (17sec.),
2. Time, 1mn. 11 3-5sec. Healy re
ceived a great ovation on his great
swim in this event. Third heat: K.
Gordon (12sec.), 1; H. Day (17sec.), 2.
Time, 1min. 8 2-5sec. Fourth heat:
T. Brennan (16sec.), 1; F. Sweetman
(8sec.), 2. Time, 1min. 8 4-5sec.
Final.
T. Brennan .........-. 1
E. G. Stehn .. ... 2
K. Gordon . ... ... 3
Time, 1min. 9 2-5sec.
'Brennan won this race by fully a
yard and a half, a touch separating
second and third men.
SECOND-CLASS HANDICAP, 100yds.
First heat: N. Wrightson (5sec.) 1:
R. S. Jeffreys (ser.), 2. Time. 1min.
17 1-5sec. Second heat: B. Oliver (2
sec.), 1; J. Curran (scr.), 2. Time,
1min. 1asec. Third heat: A. Plunk
ett (4sec.) and F. Letchford (scr.),
dead heat; W. Graham (4sec.), 2.
Time, 1min. 18sec.
Final.
B. Oliver .. .. ....... 1
N. Wrightson .. .. . .. 2
Time, 1min. 12sec.
DIV1NG CHAMPIONSHIP.
W. Ilowson, 72 points, 1; G. Ander
son and H. Bennett, 69 points each, 2.
220YDS. BREAST STROKE CHAM
PIONSHIP OF AUSTRALASIA.
Phil. Matson (W.A.) . .. 1
T. Richardson (Vic.) .... 2
E. Finlay (W.A.) ...... 3
Garland (N.S.W.) also started.
Time, 3min. 14sec. Richardson's
time, 3min. 15sec.
Previous to the starting of this race
the spectators greeted with enthusi
asam the announcement made by Mr.
Crawcour that Matson would at
tempt to break his own record.
All the contestants got off well
together, it being a good race for the
first lap, Finlay especially surprising
everyone with his clean, well-timed
stroke. Richardson gave the crowd a
chance of comliaring his style with
that of the local champion, Matson.
The Victorian appeared to get all
his power from a well-sustained move
ment of the legs, but there did not re
main much strength in his arm move
ments. On the other hand, Matson
seemed to distribute his propelling
power in a more equal manner, besides
swimming a wonderfully straieht
course. At the first turn Finlay and
Richardson led. with Matson well up,
and Garland. New South Wales' for
lorn hope. dragging his weary way be
hind. At the 100 yards touch Gar
land relinquished his unenviable posi
tion. The Victorian was then fully
2ft. ahead of Matson. At 1.50 yards
Matson led but the encouraging cheers
of local adherents died away when
Richardson, with a fine spurt, levelled
matters. The trio swam together
up to the last touch, seemingly taking
a careful measure of each other. Phil.
Matson, with a herculean kick-off
then once more assumed the lead, and
was never challenged. He won easily
by a length, and a perfect tornado of
cheoring announced the fact that West
ern Australia had won her first cham
pionship. Finlay, the other Western
Australian representative, finished a
clear length behind Richardson. The
burst of cheering that greeted 3latson's
magnificent effort was nothing to the
Wave of uncontrollable excitement that
swept over the spectators when Mr.
Crawoour stated that Matson and
Richardson had each broken the world's
record respectively by 3 2-Ssec., and
2.2-Ssec. The previous record was hold
bn Phil Matson, his time being 3min.
17 2-5soc.
440 Yards Championship of Aus
tralasia.
F. Beanrepairo (Vic.) - - . 1
C. Healy (N.S.W.) 2- - . ... 2
F. Springfield (Q.) .......... 3
O. Dickmnan (N.S.W.) ... ... 4
R. Garland (N.S.W.). and F. Sweet
man (W.A.) also started.
Time, 5min. 28 2-Ssec.
On the draw being announced, it
was noticed that Garland and Spring
field occupied the pride of position,
with. Healy and Beaurepaire together
in the centre. Five seconds after the
pistol shot two lank fornms began to
forge ahead from the field, and occu
pied a leading position. They were
Healy and Beaurepaire, and on those
forms 1,300 pairs of eyes centred, not
wasting their attention on the other
competitors who formed the ruck. Of
course, Healy led; everyone expected
him to, the superiority for a dash of
the "crawl" men, the oven "trudgeon"
employed by the Victorian, soon de
monstrating itself. Healy led by a
clear three yards at the first hundred,
but his slow turning permitted the
younger man to decrease this lead. It
was even then a good race, however,
Healy never at any time having mat
ters his own way, yet it was still the
word "Healy" that burst involuntarily
from the spectators, when both melt
dashed to the turning pieces. With
only 150 yards of the race gone. a
great gloom was cast over the Vic
torian camp, for an incident happened"
which appeared for the moment to de
stroy all Beaurepaire's chances. The
latter on pushing off for the third time.
failed to see that Sweetman was com
ing towards him in his very touch,
with the result that their headpieces'
came together in no gentle manner.
The Victorian shook his head and lol
led from side to side in a dazed man
ner, and even that section of the
crowd that had been calling "Healy,"
were significantly mute at what ap
peared to be an exceptional piece of
bad luck. It was but a temporary
check, for the undaunted Albert Park
representative, gathering hiA forces to
gether, after having lost about four
yards, he went after the others in that
peculiar gliding stroke which knows
no hindrance and which does not vary
a particle. He had caught the field
before the 250 yards mark. and was
gamely trudging after the Sydney
crack. Healy had time to look up
and reconnoitre, but when he saw a
whirlwind of spray directly in his
wake, down slid his whole body in the
endeavour to make faster time. At
300 yards he was all out, but still the
spectre of unbounded pluck and sta
mina seemed to come closer and over
whelm him. They swam together like
twin-lightning streaks, to the 350 yards
touch-beoard, and 1,300 people in bated
breath waited for the appearance of
the first head. The one that first came
upwas surmounted with thick black
hair. "Boaurepaire I Beaurepaird l"
was the amazed cry of partisans and
opponents alike. And Beaurepaire it
was. With every stroke he seemed to
add strength, and despite the determin
ed flounder of Healy through the
water, the Victorian led at 400 yards
by fully seven yards. It was then
easily Beaurepaire's race, and he pass- :1,
ed the rope ten yards ahead of the
Sydney man, with Springfield 10 yards
further back, and Dickman still fur
ther six yards away. Healy swam
over and shook bands with his conque.
ror,
$