AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 21, 26 January 1933, Page 18

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

SOUTHERN CHAMPIONS. ACTIVITY IN THE PROVINCE. FORM OE THE LOCAL STARS. The first really important contest of the season was a great display of athletic strength by Canterbury when, the province of the plains met Wellington. Seeing that the jS t cw Zealand championships are to be held in (Jhristchurch, which will enable the resident province to field a fuli representative team, on indications shown Wellington will lose the shield for the first time for many years. The progressive spirit of the province in develbping regular inter-club contests each week, embracing a full programme, is- borne out by the fact that their team is of uniform, all-round strength. Here iu. Auckland we cater for three or four events, and the consequence is that we have stars in oue department and absolute novices in others. Elans must be made before next season to rectify this. In the sprint events Charlie Jenkins came back to form with a beautiful ll).s dead for the 100, and he will defeat Elliot this year if the national cliampio.i does not improve his present form. J. 13. McFarlane, Canterbury's star, who is 20 years old, and after Malcolm Lead-

better's style of build, was second. In the furlong McEarlane actually defeated Jenkins at his best distance in 22 l-ss. Eitzsimmons, of the southern province, was third in both events, and is a slow starter, but finishes like a thunderbolt.

Broadway, whose 1.56 4-5 will be always remembered by Auclclanders, was back in form to defeat Ogg in 1.58. These two were first and second in the title last year, and look to bo the proven two again. What Don Evans will do this season is unknown, but the Taihape man is a great runner when at his best.

Matthews, the Canterbury schoolboy wonder, used his head to defeat that good runner Clarrie Gibbons in the mile. Now that Bayne is away he may trouble Savidan.

The Te Awamutu Club has received over 12S entries for its meeting on Anniversary Day and a big Auckland team is goin'g throngh.

The ladies' events have been extended, making the events 75 yards and 150 yards handicap and a relay. A team of Rotorua girls is making the trip, and as Auckland ladies, including Mrs. Harris, the champion, are travelling, these events alone be most interesting. L. Kedgley, the University runner, who so narrowly defeated Meredith last year, is travelling from New Plymouth specially to compete, and his clash with his great rival will be another feature.

Latest reports are that the track is in good order, so that the Te Awamutu public should enjoy a great day's sport. Lynndale defeated Ellerslie in an iuterclub contest by 85 points to 61, and tho racing was extremely interesting. Funnell won the hundred in 10 3-5s from Ryall, but in the 220 the latter won from Stenson, a young athlete who shows real promise.

Ryall had a day out by further winning the quarter from Funnell, with Thorpe third.

If Johnson's time was correct, there is another half-mile find in Auckland, as this runner defeated a strong runner in Crawford, in the fast time of 2.1 2-5. This is excellent, and Barker and Dow must look to their laurels if Johnson can belter or repeat this effort.

It was pleasing to see BiWy Briggs out again to win the mile from that good young performer Birtwhistle. Johnson was third.

Veteran Jack Nicholson is still too good for most in the three-mile, leading Scott and Chappell home. It will be interesting to see how he and Gordon Hill compare at this distance on February 18.

Mr. A. L. Tressider; the popular and efficient captain of the newly-formed Whangarei Club, reports that the second evening meeting was a great success. They will be holding three more before the Auckland championship date and expect to send a good team down to Auckland. Morgan, the ex-Hamilton man, is in good form, both for sprinting and jumping, while the club is applying for the reinstatement of two really good men in Nigel McKay, of Waipu, and Hornewood, lata of Masterton. McKay is jumping, sft 9in quite easily and should be a very useful man.

Tics id os his ability as a coach, Mr. Tres- | sider was an outstanding quarter-niiler, i and in 1914 dead-heatc " for first place on 1 the Auckland Domain, in the great Dormer, Power and Hill contest. The programme at the Domain last evening further enhanced the reputation of Bainbridge, the Technical College runner. This man, who has a beautiful, effortless style, won. as lie liked in the 220, and the best has not been seen of him. Ryall ran well also, as did Mitchell. There is no donbt, however, that the game little back-marker, Vince Walker, is going to be a real championship threat. Elliot is not running well, but he is giving away a lot in handicaps, and when the big fe.low is really fit he will still defeat the best of them in New Zealand. N. F. Cooper is having a good season and ran a beautiful half. He has much more speed this year and as he is always in excellent training his contests -with Savidan will be interesting. If both can get. away to Christcliurch they will have the three-mile event between thcin. Sheaves, the Australian champion, will find in this pair worthy opponents, and the distance events at the Australian meeting will be worth- going miles to see. Mackenzie again ran a strong race, and Les. Barker came up fast to just defeat Len. Meredith on the tape. .Meredith s run out tjver a half-mile will give liim ( stamina for the quarter event. The field in the half-mile was a very large one, and the time is fast coming when A and B grades will have to be arranged in these events. Richardson, the King s College champion, is out training regularly; and along with Lewis, Birtwhistle, Roberts and others, prove that our best future strength will come from the schools. In order to bring out field event men, the centre this year has introduced championships open to the Royal Navy and police force. The move is a progressive one, and with the hundreds of stalwarts around in both _ services, a wealth of. promising material must be awaiting development. CANTERBURY TEAM. SUCCESS AT HAWKE'S BAY. HASTINGS, this day. A touring team of Canterbury athletes appeared at Hastings last night before a record attendance for the season. Mulvey, in an exhibition pole-vault (there being no other competitors) cleared 10ft Gin, his best performance so far on the tour. MeFarlane won both the 100 yds and the o,> oyds events. Ell won the mile comfortably, and Matthews filled second place in "the half-mile. McGregor was second in the 120vds hurdles. The remaining Canterbury athlete, Broadway, failed to gam a place in the 440 yds, the- only event in which one of the visitors was not placed. BAINBRIDGE WINS FURLONG. Large fields, fast times and excellent finishes were features of Mount Alb?rt | Grammar Old Boys' athletic meeting at the Domain last evening. Results 220 Yards. —First heat: W. Bainbridge 1, E. Midgley 2, A. Ryall 3. Time, 22 4-ss. Second heat: V. Walker 1. D. Kerr-Taylor 2, A. Warren 3. Time, 22 3-ss. Third heat : C. .Tolins 1 G. Mitchell 2, L. Frasl r 3. Time, 22 3-ss. Final : W. Bainbridge 1, E. Midgley ' 2, D. Kerr-Taylor 3. Time, 22 3-ss. Walker did not start in the final, and Alan Elliot was unplaced in his heat. Half-mile Walk.—C. May 1, E. Laird 2, R. Cameron 3. Time, 3.44. . 880 Yards Handicap.-—N. F. Cooper 1, R. McKenzie 2, L. Barker 3. Time, 2.1 2-5. I LYNNDALE CLUB. I The Iynndale Amateur AtliVtic and Cycle Club will hold the sixth points meet- { liijj at New Tjj-nn on Saturday afternoon, jj Handicaps will be declared on the ground. '