AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 128, 1 June 1934, Page 13

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

HARRIER ACTIVITIES.

GIRLS START ACROSS COUNTRY. Presbyterians journeyed over the water last Saturday to join with Calliope in a run at Birkonhead. The gathering was perhaps unique in the history of the sport in Auckland, as a joint photograph was taken of the two clubs, with the addition of 20 lady harriers.

Yes, a ladies' club is now an established fact, and under the name of the Waitemata Ladies' Harrier Club it will be a regular feature of the Shore sporting activities. A very promising sprinter, only 13 years of age, is Miss Vera Faulkner. A junior 'hop-step-and-jump champion of the Technical College, Mi.=s Faulkner possesses a lot of speed and should be heard of on the track later on. Miss Slater is a good little runner, and Miss Kath. Henley is very promising also.

Very wisely Mr. Patterson and Mr. Taylor, of the Calliope Club, who are guiding the girln, have decided to allow the girls only short, slow runs for at least six weeks, until they are fit. Distance running with young people, and more especially girls, is always a delicate undertaking, and it is gratifying to note that the members of this club are "to make haste slowly." The colours will be black shorts with white stripe, white blouse with black W in front, completed with a neat black cap with a white tassel.

To return to the male participants of the run, the first thing to comment on is that the run was a trifle too long. This is _ good training, but although many enjoy the distance, there is always a possibility that a new member may find ten or eleven miles a trifle far. However, it was a very enjoyable day's outing, and the delay at the start made it appear longer than corresponding runs would. O. Gatman, the son of the Rev. Gatman, who takes a very keen interest in the club, came in with S. Roberta as the first two men, closely followed by fast and intermediate pack men. Gee has a surprising sprint, and this one-armed runner looks like becoming a good track man ae well. P. Holden, Hansen and Potter showed up well in the intermediate pack for Presbyterian, and Armour and Wallace were most conspicuous lor Calliope. Basil Potter has a long stride, and id as keen a harrier as there is in Auckland. In the fast pack Chappel, of Calliop'e, was the most outstanding, with Clow helping generously. Wilderepin. Edwards and Urawford were the Church club's best exponents, backed by J. Niel.

On Jane 2 Lynndale ie contesting a relay race with Calliope, from the Auckland G.P.O. to Heleneville. This is a nice distance for such a race, and the hot bathe at Parakai make a particularly happy finale.,' Technical Club was the originators of this type of event in Auckland, and two years ago ran right through to Hamilton. Last year the green and golds went to Helensville. Lynndale has been enthusiastic over this style 01 ev< and Calliope hue for some years now conducted road relay races from Papakura to Auckland.

Hugh McNiel was rewarded for his gameness when he scored a clear cut win in the 3000 yds steeplechase at the Domain, ile caught the limit men quickly and from then was never headed.

A return to the sport by W. McCarthy was heralded, when this good athlete scored a second place from a back mark. K. Pinson ako was out for a good gallop, and deserved his third place. Savidan and G. Hill look like becoming the two outstanding distance men in the Auckland Club.

A. E. Sutton put the shot an actual distance of 30ft Tin, but could not defeat E. Hotham. It. H. Pow won his heat and final of the 75 yards, and conceded Dunn 2V2 yards, to just beat him on the tape.

R. C. Haszard, E. Turbolt and JI. McElroy were the pack leaders for the University Club. All very keen men, McElroy is especially outstanding, as his build should suit him for track work. Fisher, Whittome, Maxwell and Robinron are showing up in runs, and K. McCnllum and R. McElroy best in handicap runsin. Tommy Dennett has been a keen harrier in the Teehnical Club for some years now, and ably led a pack last week. W. J. Murray, who was presented with a token of the club's esteem the other week, to mark his marriage, is also a splendid pack leader. He was pernaps the most outstanding secondary school sprinter some years back. McGrath, B. Thomas, G. Long and P. Shine were moving nicely in the slow pack. A. White is a well built and good performer, and should do even better if he takes the sport seriously. For a man just off the boat from England a very short time. B. Parsons -is very fit. It is unfortunate that both Atton and lie are off on an Island cruise soon.

A walking race has also been added to the Onehunga road race programme. This will be the first time for many years that such an event has been staged in New Zealand, and it is following the example set by other countries, where road walking is popular. After all said and done, the only walking event on the Olympic programme is a 50,000 metre road event, and unless such contests are fostered here we can never develop champions of world clafes.

. Lynndale had a gruelling eight mile run over a hard course. The slippery clay tracks down the cliff sides and Green and Blockhouse Bays made the going very exciting at times. Anderson, McLean and Perritt were always to the fore, and made the pace a warm one. They were in the medium pack, and in the fast one two new men shone out, Halliday and Rogers were the men, the last-named making a reappearance and running splendidly. Halliday needs to train a little harder, as his wind is still capable of improvement, but he certainly has the ability. Briggs, Dolan and Fowlds went out strongly about one and a half miles from home. Briggs was first in, with the other two only 15yds back, closely followed by McCombie and Rogers. Crompton and Armistead are on the injured list. .Most clubs have now a few "crocks" on their hands, and a warning is given to new runners to gradually work into form before hard racing begins. Hewitson, Walker, Thrift and Graham look to be Wesley's hopes during the racing season, but with a membership of just on 40 and new coming in each week, it is hard to pick a team at this stage. The two Spooners and Verry may trouble the best of them.