Since 1990 I have entered swimmers in the Anthony Mosse Classic. Of course, in those days it wasn’t called Anthony Mosse. But it was a very prestigious meet; frequently being reported on Television One news. There have been some good memories.

On one occasion, Gary Hurring, Toni Jeffs and I checked in at Wellington Airport for the flight to Auckland. In those days Air New Zealand domestic flights had a business class section. For some reason, probably related to the star power of Gary and Toni, the three of us were upgraded. As we boarded the flight I noticed Toni was sitting in the front next to Roger Douglas, New Zealand’s Minister of Finance.

I quietly said to Gary, “Who’s that grey haired old bugger sitting next to Toni Jeffs from Whakatane, New Zealand?”

Evidently not quietly enough. Roger Douglas stood up and smilingly said, “Hello, my names Roger Douglas from Wellington, New Zealand. I’m the Minister of Finance.”

I’m pretty sure it was at the same Auckland meet that Toni lowered the New Zealand long course 100 meter freestyle record and collected a $5000 prize offered by the Sport’s Foundation.

Today it is really sad to see the mere shadow of what the meet used to be. Let me explain.

Two years ago I posted a story on Swimwatch that compared the senior winning times at the Anthony Mosse meets in 2012 and 2016. I chose 2012 because that’s when New Zealand swimming received the twin blessings of a new constitution and Bruce Cotterill’s “leadership”. In the four years between 2012 and 2016 had the sport profited from its new look. Here is a copy of the conclusions drawn from the comparison.

“In 2016 twenty-eight of the thirty races were won in times slower than the winning times in 2012.  Not just slower, a lot slower.  The average male winner in 2016 was 6% slower than in 2012.  The average female winner in 2016 was 5.4% slower than the winner in 2012.  

The administration of the sport has failed its participants. Over eight years the management of the sport in New Zealand has undermined and eroded the position of coaches and swimmers in 101 different ways.  The sport has been badly managed. It’s a disaster. And it’s getting worse.”

Of course the Swimming New Zealand sycophants sprang to the defence of the establishment. I received messages that said things like:

“I don’t think your comparisons are entirely apples to apples for the following reasons:
There were no finals held at this years AMC Classic, so you didn’t get the fastest eight swimmers for each event competing in a final. Several younger swimmers swam much faster times than you posted as the ‘top time’ for events and were in fact faster than your 4years ago times.

David you seem to have spent a lot of time on comparing stats for a meet where none of the first tier swimmers were at. Uniteds top swimmers were in Aus on a swim camp, North shores top swimmers were not there, just the younger ones, Counties were excluded and the high performance swimmers were in Wellington so of course the times were slower.”

 At the time I thought, “Excuses, excuses. We will wait until next year and see what happens.” Unfortunately I missed the 2017 Anthony Moss Meet. I was coaching in Saudi Arabia. However this weekend I have been at the 2018 version. And so I have updated the 2016 comparison with times from 2017 and 2018. Is swimming getting worse or are the Swimwatch critics right? Is swimming, under Brucie’s inspired leadership, striding confidentially from success to success?

The tables below show the men’s and women’s comparison for all four years. Have you ever seen anything like it? You would have to be really blind not to read the story revealed by these figures.

1. In 2016 twenty-eight of the thirty races were won in times slower than the winning times in 2012.
2. In 2017, unbelievably, things got even worse. Another twenty-seven of the thirty races were won in times slower than 2016. That is not an adverse trend. That’s the Olympic downhill championship.
3. Imagine the senior men’s breaststroke, in New Zealand’s biggest city, being won in 36 or the women’s being won in 39. I coached a New Zealand breaststroke champion Jane Copland 20 years ago. When she was thirteen she could swim four seconds faster than 39. Come to think of it, at thirteen she was also one second faster than the 2017 Anthony Moss men’s time. Toni Jeffs’ winning times were also close to the men’s 2017 Anthony Moss 100 freestyle time and were six or seven seconds ahead of last year’s winning women’s time. And that’s THIRTY years ago.
4. The meet in 2018 has seen an improvement. Twenty-nine of the thirty senior events have been won in times faster than 2017. However that is not a particularly high bar. Sixteen of the 30 senior events in 2018 are still slower than the 2012 winner’s times.
5. Although 2018 is very much better, there is still not a lot to get excited about. When the women’s 50 meter freestyle sprint is won in a time slower than Lauren Boyle swam for the first 50 meters of her 1500 meter record, there is a problem. When the women’s 400 meters is won thirty-seven seconds slower that Boyle’s 400 split the problem is becoming terminal. Swimmers like Toni Jeffs, Nichola Chellingworth, Jane Copland, Rhi Jeffrey and a dozen others would rate their chances of winning every race on the program against the 2018 competition. Rhi swam faster than the winner of the 50, 100 and 200 meters freestyle when she was 13. That is important only as an indication of the problems faced by the sport in New Zealand.

Responsibility for these numbers lies squarely at the door of Swimming New Zealand. They created a negative environment that rewarded a privileged and underserving few. In the process they destroyed New Zealand’s coaching infrastructure. “They that sow the wind, are in the middle of reaping the whirlwind.” Those responsible for Swimming New Zealand should pack their cardboard boxes and leave the building. If they don’t, the same catastrophic figures will repeat themselves. That is certain. Why? Because the guys at Antares Place have no idea how to fix it. Brucie’s website tells me he is a “transformation leader”. Swimming New Zealand certainly needs transforming. My guess is Brucie could lead that best by getting out of the way.

PS I have attended swim meets in eighteen countries around the world. Never, in all that time, have I come across the number of disqualifications handed out in this year’s Anthony Mosse meet. Eighty-two disqualifications seemed like a lot to me. Strangely more than half came during the Sunday session. I wonder what the reason was? Either coaches in Auckland are not teaching their swimmers properly or swimmers are not listening or the officials are being far too strict. I imagine you can guess my pick.