SWIMMING CARNIVAL’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR MARKS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SCHOOL’S FIRST SWIMMING CARNIVAL WHICH WAS HELD AT MANUKA SWIMMING POOL. According to the first edition of Burrawi in September 1934: “During the first term the girls showed a keen interest in swimming. They worked very hard in preparation for the forthcoming School Swimming Carnival, which was held in March. There was enthusiastic competition between the two houses, Kilburn and Waverley, to see which house could gain the highest number of points. Waverley succeeded in gaining 49 points against Kilburn’s 29. Waverley has been unfortunate in losing its best swimmer, Betty Behan. Betty Behan and Del Calthorpe were the School’s champion swimmers and we hope Del will continue to swim as well next season as she did last…”
1935 CGGS/CGS Swimming Team. Back row, Peter Roach, CGS Master: Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton, Eric Peterson, Canon W J Edwards (Headmaster CGS) and Keith Eddison. Middle, Olive Robertson (1937), Jean Waring (1940)(dec.), Marjorie Pearson (Waring, 1937)(dec.), Betty Behan (1934)(dec.) and Jean Sheaffe (1937)(dec.). Front row, Harold Peterson, E. Leslie and Bobby Peterson. CREDIT: CGS Archives.
Some of the carnival’s swimming prizes are named after its outstanding past swimmers and families, recognising their contribution
to swimming at the School and beyond.
Carol Gathercole donating the Gathercole Family 100m Backstroke trophy in 2004.
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ff Stephanie Reeves (1984) — Stephanie Reeves 100m Freestyle; ff Dimity Douglas-Byrne (Douglas, 1988) — Dimity Douglas 100m Breastroke, first awarded in 1989; ff Gemma Dashwood (1995) — Gemma Dashwood 200m Freestyle, first awarded in 1995; ff Philippa Downes (1988) — Pippa Downes 200m Individual Medley, first awarded in 1989; and ff the Gathercole Family 100m Backstroke, trophy donated in 2004. These races are on rotation each year with the Tanya Desmond 50m Freestyle Golden Flipper Championship race run every year, since the trophy was donated in 1980 by Tanya (now Granter, 1980). Today, the House Swimming Carnival is held
at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Swimming Pool, where the strong House tradition of themes and cheers continue.
“I
participated in swimming carnivals at CGGS from 1979–1984. They were always lots of fun. Everyone dressed up in House colours and sang/shouted at the tops of their voices in support of the swimmers from their House. The earlier carnivals were held at Deakin Swimming Pool, then they moved to Civic (where diving could also be held) and finally in 1984, we graduated to the pool at the AIS. This was pretty special because for the first time we were able to be timed properly (by touch pads) rather than by teachers holding stop watches.