VARSITY TOURNAMENT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 56, 13 April 1914, Page 8

VARSITY TOURNAMENT.

THE ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS,

There was fine, clear weather this morning, when the thirteenth annual amateur athletic championships meeting of the University of New Zealand opened at Lancaster Park. The tracks were in good order, but a. strong breeze blew obliquely across the 100 yds track, .with the runners and right up the straight" against the competitors, in the 220 yds. The officials for the meeting were- as follow:—Referee, Dr Jennings; finish judges, Professor T. G. R. Blunt, Messrs G. H. Mason and F. H. Salter; timekeepers, Messrs W. Johnson and R. Wallace, Dr Evans; field judges and ; stewards, Messrs R. Speight, L. A. Dougall, S. Steele, R. St. J, Beere; starter, Mr A. E. Flower; judge of walking, Mr R. Twyneham; marksmen and call stewards, Messrs T. Fletcher and R. Beattie; handicapper, Mr C. S. M'Cully; lap-taker, Mr H. G. Bell; survey steward, Mr W. F. Robinson; clerk of course, Mr M. O. Barnett; Press steward, Mr D. C. Mills. First in the programme was putting the shot, in which last year's champion was J. M. Boyne, of Otago. The Auckland men, S. C. A. Sexton and M. R. Stewart, showed littlp idea of style in putting, and? this robbed their efforts of distance, so that they were soon eliminated. The issue therefore lay between the Otago and Canterbury representatives—Victoria College was not represented. Boyne (Otago) won, with a put of 34ft 64in. Mansell (Canterbury) was second with 32ft 2£in, Porter (Canterbury) was third with 31ft 9-Jin. M'Keefry's (Otago) put was 31ft 7Ain. MILE RECORD GOES. The 'Varsity record was well broken in the mile championship by A. Hudson, the Victoria College crack distance runner. Last year's champion was H. Williams (V.C.)—he did ncit compete this year. Hudson went to the front near the end in the first lap, and he increased his. lead,, ajid at the finish there was a gap of about 130 yards between him and the next man. Bishop of Otago, had run into second place in the second lap, and-he stayed there. Shaw (V.C.) put in a challenge in- the straight, but Bishop responded well, and crossed the line as couple of yards ahead of Shaw. Richards (Canterbury) was fourth. Hudson's lap times were: —First quarter,. 64sec; second, 2min Usee; third, 3ffiin 20sec. With the mile championship goes the De la Mare Cup, presented by F. A. De la Mare, who was mile champion in 1905 and 1906. > MANSELL CAPTURES THE 220. W. J. Mansell, the Canterbury College crack, won the 220 yds championship, with a splendid finishing effort. The race was run in lines, so that each man had a clear run. Coming into the straight Mansell was in the front, and he had little trouble in stalling off the challenges by Barton and Christie (both of Otago). Mansell won by about two yards from Barton, with Christie close up y third. The other competitors were practically out of the hunt. Mansell's time was which was very good, considering the strong wind he had to run against. The University jecord is, 23' 2-ssec, put- up by R. Opie (Canterbury) in 1910. THE. JUMPS. There was keen competition in the running long jump championship. Harston, of Auckland, proved much better as a jumper than was anticipated. He has an excellent style, " taking off" nicely and balancing himself well in the air. Harston, Davey (Otago), and Young (Canterbury) were the three men left in after the preliminary jumps. Davey set a main of 20ft, but Harston, with a fine effort, cleared 21ft sin, and this proved the winning jump. Young, following him, cleared 20ft lxn, while Davey's best remained, at 20ft. Last year's champion was B. Egley, of Victoria College, and the 'Varsity record is 22ft Bliny established by J. N. Millard, of Otago-, in 1911. ANOTHER RECORD BROKEN.

Another University record -went by the board in the.l2oyds Championship. G. S. Strack (Victoria College) had established a record of 16 4-5 sec in winning the event last year, but E. S. Harston (Auckland) cut it down to 16 l-ssec in the second heat to-day. G. Fisher (Otago) finished second, a couple of yards behind Harston. Pratt (Canterbury), who ran third, struck the sixth hurdle. K. Strack (Victoria) struck the fifth hurdle and fell. The first heat had been won easily by M. R. Stewart (Auckland) in 17sec, with Harris (Otago) second. Kaye (Victoria) fell at the first hurdle.

A SPLENDID RACE. There was a splendid race for the 880 yds Championship, the previous holder of which was C. S. Thomas (Canterbury), who is now in the Old World. The pace was set by C. N* M. Jacobsen (Auckland), who ran with a good stride, but bad arm action; his style threw too much strain on his abdominal muscles. Olphert was second until the second lap was entered on, when Bishop (Otago) displaced him. Jacobsen dropped out, done, a little further on, and Olphert went to the front. He was still in the lead when the straight was entered. There, however, Bishop made a fine spurt. Olphert responded gamely, but Bishop gradually drew past him and won by about a foot. Shaw (Victoria College) was third. The time was 2inin 8 l-ssec, which was just ssec outside the University record, held by A. S. Henderson, of Victoria College. A GREAT SPRINT. One of the finest sprint races seen in New Zealand for many a long day was the 100 yds Championship. Seven men lined out for this. After a couple of '' breaks,'' the field got away in a beautiful .start. Christie (Otago), on the outside, was the quickest into his stride, and he came in splendid style. The others were pretty level at halfway. Then Mansell began to draw out, but although he came with a fine spurt, his finish lacked his usual fire, probably through his being a trifle stale. Christie finished well, half-a-yard in front of Mansell, with the rest of the field practically in a line. Thci time recorded was lOsec dead. Allowing for the wind, which was in favour of the runners, the time was very fine. It establishes a new record for the 'Varsity, the previous best time having been R. Opie's 10 l-10sec in 1910. Christie held the championship last year. NEW WALK RECORD. Yet another 'Varsity record was smashed in the next event, A. B. Sievwright (Victoria College) bringing his time for the mile walk down from 7 min llse& —recorded when he won last year —to 7min 6sec. It was an excellent race. Ross (Otago) went to the front early and made the pace solid. Sievwright walked next, with Nisbet (Otago), Wilson (Canterbury), and Grey (Victoria College) bunched behind. Baker (Canterbury) was last. Ross led until the third lap was entered

,on, when Sievwriglit took the lead. Baker retired early, Grey was taken off for lifting, and Wilson —who was not walking as well as usual —did not finish. Ross walked very well, but Siev[wright had too much in reserve for him, ;the Wellington man winning by about 110 yds. Nisbet was third, some distance behind. u PULVERISED* While the walk was in progress, J. M-. Boyne was pulverising his own University hammer-throwing record o£ 11.6 ft 10-Jin, established last year. Boyne was in splendid form, and he threw the 161b hammer 131 ft Bin, which was 'over 40ft better than the second man's best. Sexton (Auckland) was second, with Sift 6in, and Bauchop (Canterbury) third, with 86ft Bin. Results: — PUTTING THE WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. J. Boyne (Otago), 34ft 6£in .. .. 1 J. 'Hansell (Canterbury), 32ft 2Jin .. 2 G. Porter (Canterbury), 31ft 9.. 3 Also competed: M. J. M'Keefry (Otago), S. C. A. Sexton (Auckland), M. R. Stewart (Auckland). MILE CHAMPIONSHIP. A. Hudson (Victoria College) ... .. 1 E. Bishop (Otago) • • 2 L. J. Shaw (Victoria College) .. .. 3 Also started: C. O. Butler (Auckland), J. W. Olpliert (Auckland), H. S. Richards (Canterbury), W. Tweedie (Otago). Time, 4min 32sec. 220 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. W. J. Mansell (Canterbury) .. .. .. 1 G. Barton (Otago) 2 R. L. Christie (Otago) 3 " Also started: C. F. Forsdick (Auckland), I. C. Robinson (Victoria College), M. R. Stewart (Auckland), C. Wynyard (Victoria College). Time, 24sec. LONG JUMP CHAMPIONSHIP. E. S. Harston (Auckland), 21ft sin .. 1 C. L. Young (Canterbury), 20ft lin .. 2 W. Davey (Otago), 20ft .. .. •• •• 3 Also competed: L. L. Grice (Auckland), I. C. Robinson (Victoria), K. Strack (Victoria), R. L. Withers (Otago). 120 YARDS HURDLES CHAMPIONSHIP. First heat: M. R. Stewart (Auckland) 1, R. Harris (Otago) £. Also started: R. Kaye (Victoria). Time, 17sec. Second heat: E. S. Harston (Auckland), 1, G. Fisher (Otago) 2. Also started: W. S. Pratt (Canterbury), K. Strack (Victoria). Time, 16 l-ssec. 880 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. E. Bishop (Otago) . . 1 J. W. Olphert (Auckland) .. .. •• 2 L. J. Shaw (Victoria) 3 Also started: J. D. Hutchison (Otago), C. N. M. Jacobsen (Auckland), H. S. Richards' (Canterbury), R. J. Richards (Canterbury), G. H. Seddon (Victoria). Time, 2min 8 l-ssec. THROWING 161b HAMMER. J. M. Boyne (Otago), 131 ft Bin . . .. 1 S. C. A. Sexton (Auckland), 91ft 6in .. 2 D. Bauchop (Canterbury), 86ft Bin .. 3 Also competed: T. H. Nisbet (Otago). 100 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. R. L. Christie (Otago) •» 1 W. J. Mansell (Canterbury) .. . - • • 2 Also started: G. Barton (Otago), C. F. Forsdick (Auckland), J. C. Robinson (Victoria), M. R'. Stewart (Auckland), C. Wynyard (Victoria). Time, lOsec. ONE MILE WALK CHAMPIONSHIP. A. B. Sievwright (Victoria College) >. 1 J. Ross (Otago) 2 T. H. Nisbet (Otago) 3 Also started: D. G. Wilson (Canterbury), P. Grey (Victoria), A. K. Baker (Canterbury).