WITH THE ATHLETES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 18

WITH THE ATHLETES.

FORM AT LABOUR DAY SPORTS

THE CYCLING BOOM.

RUNNERS SHAPE WELL.

NOTES AND COMMENTS,

Indications are that Auckland is in for a very successful season on both wheel and track. The Labour Day sports, regarded as- the official opening of the cycling and running season, revealed competitors in good form, and were productive of keen and interesting races. The fields for the most part were excellent, particularly in the wheel events, and the spirit of the competitors was sportsmanlike throughout. A visitor to Auckland, T. K. Cambie, was the most successful performer in the sprint races, and in addition to collecting a handsome trophy for winning the 100 yards handicap off three yards, did well to run third in the 220, off five yards. Elliott Shapes Well. A. J. Elliott, the Auckland and New Zealand sprint champion, showed that he has lost none of his old dash, though it will require a few more races to put him in his best trim. He won his heat in the 100 with a great finish in 10 2-ss, but, though he finished strongly in the final, was just headed by Cambie. To many it appeared as though Elliott had won. Considering the fact that the track was slightly on the heavy side after the morning rain, the time of 10 1-5 was remarkably good. Elliott did not have sufficient condition on to get up in the 220 and could not do better than run into fourth place. V. R. Walker ran a well judged race to win the event off seven yards. D. KerrTaylor, though favourably treated ,by the handicapper and making the pace hot right from the jump, held only sufficient in reserve to secure second place. The 440, however, suited him ' better, and, overhauling the imit man, L. B. Jvans, in the straight, he went on to get a clear-cut/ win. The remainder* of the field were bunched about six yards back. J. Crumm (14vds) held on well to get second, while Barker, in running .third off Byds, did not produce his best form. The .Distance Events., • 'The 880 yards handicap provided one of the greatest finishes of the day. A. W. Brown (oyds) and B. L. Evans (55yds) led into the home straight, with the remainder of the-field of ten strid- ;; ~ ing out nicely in close attendance; Evans, who made the.running,-was over-' < hauled by Brown on the .home bend. It • looked as though the former ha'dr; taken , everything out of himself; but he issued a great challenge to the leader, and, with a great final burst, just'got thejecision. . Barker held a good position- at the business end, but', • though finishing strongly, could only get third place two yards away. With a trifle mo.rp; ; , luck Evans might have ; woh ; the : : steeplechase. He was baffled-, through the course not being flagged properly, and, in addition to having;to pull up on one occasion as a result,- made detours that the backmarkers'did not. ;: In this event Cooper, the scratch man, showed up in great style, but, although he ,ran- into second place in ' the straight, - could not ■ hold the position against Evans. \ The winner was W. A. Briggs (150 yds), who ran strongly and displayed considerable promise. Cyclists' Big Hurdle. In the three principal cycling events of the day the majority of- the scratch men were handicapped out of the picture. Time and again they made gallant efforts'to get up with the bunch, but the limit men in. the . majority of cases gave them no chance to make up the big gaps. In the half mile J. H. Wade rode splendidly in his heat to run second to G. M. Lethaby (70yds), but, in the final, in which the latter made the most of his handicap, could do no better than to pedal into fourth place.- F. W. Restall (60yds) ran second to Lethaby, and L. H. Dwight, off the same mark, was third. In the one mile the scratch men, Wade and A. Mackie, gave up the hunt in their heats when they realised that it was hopeless pursuing the field. In the final, E. J. Avery (150 yds) led out of the straight for the last time, but A. W. Pinker (100 yds) got a break on the field going round the back. F. W. Restall (130 yds), who was sitting his machine nicely and pedalling with pretty regularity, made a great recovery and just won from Pinker by a quarter of a wheel. > Pinker threw the race away by getting on to his pedals. He would have done better had he stuck to the saddle. In the two-mile event Wade and Mackie again retired. The pair rode in the same heat, Wade dropping out first. Mackie stuck to his task until he got within sight of the field, but then realised that he had taken too much out of himself to win. The race resulted in a victory for A. S. Baird (200 yds), with S. Litchfield (240 yds) second. AUSTRALIANS TO MEET WILLIAMS. A question was asked at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Centre, N.Z. A.A.A., as to the possibility of bringing to New Zealand an Australian, such as° J. Carlton, to meet Percy Wililams, the Canadian, during his tour of_ the Dominion, and thus provide internationalcontests. It was pointed out that the Australian authorities were arranging a tour of .American athletes and that an Australian would not be able to tour. According to reports, however, the Canterbury Centre hopes to be able to arrange for the services of prominent athletes from other parts of New Zealand for the meetings at which the Canadians are. to compete at Christchurch. SELWYN CLUB DISBANDED. The Selwyn Club (Wellington) has been disbanded and various trophies distributed to promote various ' branches of athletic sport conducted under the Wellington Centre, or donated to the ■ present holders. The club was unable to secure the necessary sport to enable it to carry on. A few years agg its j colours' were prominent at meetings in* j Wellington, one of its members, being Randolph Rose, the New Zealand long I distanco champion. .

ENGLISH TEAM IN AFRICA. Competing at Bloemfontein against an Achilles Club team' in "'September, l J. H. Viljoen set up a South record for the long jump, beating S. J. M. Atkinson's figures of 24ft l£in bysix inches. W. B. Legg equalled the South African record of 9 4-se, in winning the hundred yards, and also won the°22o yards. The Achilles team were troubled by the high altitude, several of them having attacks of noee bleeding. Incidentally it is mentioned' in .files to hand that the track was of gravel and one of the hardest, in the country. It must hate been. . Referring to the leap made last year by Atkinson, Olympic high hurdles champion, and to the performance of Viljoen in beating Atkinson's figures, a South African journal says that ae long jumpers the South Africans are rapidly reaching the- world's championship standard. It is also stated that apparently the field events are not soentirely foreign to the British temperament as H. M. Abrahams would' have the world believe.