Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-23
COAST papers
|. LAlD HONOLULU
|. Speed swimmers

II
i Honolulu swimmers and Honolulu
swimming events are coming in for q
deal Of comment and speculation hr
coast sporting writer's Just now. The
wonderful performances of Kahana-
moku and Cunha in the Australian
meets seems to have put TO rest the
rumor that the former was going back.
1 The fact that girl swimmers are com,
ing here to compete In the Carnival
races, has stirred up lot of interest
In the event at the other end OF The
line, and the papers are deyoting con-
siderable space to the races.
/ The following is by William IN.
mack, the swimming authority OF the
San Francisco Call:
i Who said that Duke Kahanamolna
was going back?
i Read this news item:
SYDNEY, Aus, Jan. 13.-Duke Ka-
hanamoku today won the Australian
! 100 yards straightaway championship
with George Cunha OF Honolulu Sec
ond and Albert Barry, Australia.
third. The time was SO 3-5 seconds. Q
new worlds straightaway record.
For some months past the idea has
been gaining ground that the Duke
4 was not the swimmer Of two years
ago. The cable from Sydney sort Of
puts the lid on all such talk and we
have to hand It to the Duke as being
the fastest human that ever stepped
into water to get through the brine
by means of his arms, hands, legs and
feet. ss
The result of the race in so far IS
first place Is concerned was predicted
by the Australian sporting papers that
came to hand last week and It was
freely predicted that Barry. the Aus
/ tralian short distance champion, was
not speedy enough for the flying Duke.
The best time that Barry has to his
credit Is about IS As seconds.
George Cunha, who swan here In
the last two July meets has improve
ed wonderfully in his speed and his
swimming into second position was
not looked for by the Australians,
though he was conceded to be dan
lgerous man. Barry was considered
the only man who could see Kahana-
lmoku's heels at close range.
Sets Up New Record.
The swim Of the Duke Is the most
remarkable effort over straight
away course that the world has ever
heard of.
I In Honolulu, on June II. 1913, Ka-
lhanamoku startled the world by doing
the straightaway In S. is seconds.
and on February q, 1914, he broke
this record again by setting the mark
Irk - -
Istraightaway record in existence, and
lnow he comes along and lops one and
a fifth seconds of his previous best.
The worlds tank record belongs TO
Kahanamoku and stands at So 3-5 sec.
onds. the same as his straightaways
This was made at Sutro tanks o.
July 5, 1913.
Now the Australians are looking for
revenge, but IL the Duke can keep un
his gait it Is doubtful II there is any
one who can beat him. Barry has
been timed within the last four weeks
fright on top Of the worlds 200 yard
record held by Kahanamoku, but the
Hawaiian's hundred would indicate
that he is swimming better than ever
and new 40 worlds mark will prob
ably be flashed over the cables any
day.
Il At the last swimming meet at Sur
tro tank the defeat of Kahanamoku In
two races and the fact that he only
broke the 220 yard record led some
people to believe that he was not
showing the same speed that he did
In other meets, but his work in Aus
tralia at this time Is ample proof that
the dusky one is right at his best.
The swimming race at Honolulu for
girls on February % Is attracting
more than ordinary attention this
! year, and the fact that possibly two
girls from this city will be included
adds interest to the race. Dorothy
Becker has already arranged to make
the trip, and now Frances CowelI, the
new mermaid, is making arrange
ments to take the trip on her own &C
count.
Change for Local Girls.
That the local girls will have their
work carved out Is evident from the
times of the best Hawaiian girl swim
mers. Miss Ruth Stacker, the Ameri-
lean record holder for fifty yards has
ian official mark Of 81 seconds, but in
private trials last month was clicked
} under 30 Then Alice Lane has q rec
ord of 81 seconds, Edith KibIing 80
seconds and Lucille LIE eros 80 sec
/ onds.
| That Miss Cowell can make better
) than 80 seconds on a straightawaE
course in local waters is acknowlede
ed by all experts who have seen her
Iperform, while the best that Miss
j Becker has done is said TO be under
!. E.33 seconds.
II A feature which win be Of adyan-
ltage to the local girl Is that the Hl
nolulu waters are much faster than
local waters. This was plainly e7k
ydenced when the local team Of men
} swimmers went to the islands last
/ year and every man exceeded his best
RECORD In local waters By many sec