The Herbert Cup Swimming Race 1925

Transcript

On Tuesday evening members of the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club held their annual swimming race for the “Herbert Cup, a trophy which has been competed for from year to year since 1890, and on silver shields surrounding the stand upon which the cup is placed are the names of many former winners.  Last year L. G. Robertson won after a good race, but he was unable to defend his title on Tuesday, having left Windsor and gone to Hong Kong.  The competition was first won by the late Mr. F. E. Goddard.

The course is from the Club raft and across the river and back.  Sometimes the distance varies because on certain occasions river launches have been moored to Thames-side, lying one, two or perhaps three abreast, thus diminishing the distance to be covered.  This year no craft impeded the progress of the swimmers to the wall at Thamesside, the stream was moderate, and there was little wind.  In the circumstances, seeing that the distance is open to variation from year to year, and that the stream and weather conditions are also changeable, a comparison, so far as the time of the race is concerned, is difficult.

There were eight starters and the race was an exceedingly sporting one, the distance being probably nearly 150 yards.  Mr. W. Pottow (Windsor Swimming Club) was the starter, Mr. J. W. Tull (Windsor S.C.) the handicapper, and Mr. A. H. Dyson officiated as judge..

The swimmers were handicapped as follows: G. Newton, scratch; T. Luff, H. J. Matthews and C. L. Andrews, received 7 seconds start; A. Bellringer and H. Luff, 10 seconds; D. L. Andrews, 14 seconds; and C. Dyson, 16 seconds.

By the time the contestants had reached Thames-side, Newton, who was swimming very strongly, had considerably reduced the distance between his nearest rivals and himself, and the return journey to the raft was followed with keen interest.  It became a struggle between Newton and Bellringer for supremacy, with one or two others well in the picture, and a large number of spectators on Windsor Bridge and at Thames-side thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.  Both swimmers in the final stage made one supreme effort to be the first to “touch” the raft, but the result was a dead heat – a thrilling and, in the circumstances, a very fitting result.  The third position was secured by H. Luff, who was probably a couple of yards in the rear.  The time for the event was 1 min. 36 secs. and this was considered to be highly satisfactory.  Newton’s actual time was therefore 1 min. 20 secs.

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