AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 156, 3 July 1936, Page 12

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

ONEHUNGA-AUCKLAND RUN. COMMENT ON THE RACE. 1 The Onehunga road race is over for another year. Conditions were not quite as pleasant for the runners as they have been in the past, but, generally speaking, it was a good day and most athletes found it good for running.

Billy Savidan, as usual, was away ahead all of the journey, and as has been the case for some years now, it is a foregone conclusion when the champion takes part. Savidan goes his own way unmolested, and far from the ruck of runners one sees the lone, slim dark figure with its wonderful stride, steadily heading for the finish.

The most promising runner in Auckland to-day as far as big contests are concerned is undoubtedly B. H. Birtwistle. After a great record at school this tall, strongly-built athlete soon showed wonderful promise, and, going to the New Zealand championships at Wellington at his own expense, he actually beat men selected in the original provincial team. On his second placing on Saturday he shows that he will be probably Cooper's successor as Auckland's second string to Savidan in provincial races.

Jim Niel must be again commended 011 his fine third place showing. He has always placed high in this event and, bcjng a good track man, he finds the even going to his liking. He has a great record now and is a splendid leader for his club.

Billy Briggs is back in form and it is going to take a good runner to head the Lynndale man this season. No surprise will be occasioned should he beat many of the best Southern provincial men up here in August for the Dominion championships. Crimpton, his team mate, also is a strong runner. He has shown this year already that he is very well and once the big racing season is in full swing he should be a runner who can always be counted upon to fill a high placing.

Another of last year's provincial men, young Colin Littler, of l'apatoetoe, again came along to fill sixth place. Littler has for the last three years beaten more good men than have beaten him. This year he is due to move up into a regular provincial runner and at the Dominion championships it will be a different tale from that at Wellington last season.

A thol Harding ran well and looks as if a few more hard runs will bring him up to last year's form. He has now acquired a deal of experience and this year is due to show up even more than last year.

Gordon Hill has always been an erratic runner. With lots of natural ability, the Auckland Club man has disappointed once or twice, yet he has some fine performances to his credit. He looks well this year. There is nothing to stop Hill from being one of Auckland's beet if he really sets his mind to it.

Jack Nicholson is back with the highlyplaced men once more, and younger men find this experienced runner one of the hardest to beat in open competition.

University's best man appears to be Stephenson, who was only recently a mere junior, but who has displayed ever-inj-proving form for some time now. He beat his older team mate "Bubs" Haszard in, but in all probability this cannot be taken as an indication of their respective merits. Both these University men are likely to bo even harder to beat later in the winter.

Brenn is comparatively new to high placings. He ran well indeed. Watt, the ex-Grammar School miler, who went to Melbourne with the secondary schools' representatives on the occasion of the centenary meeting, appeared again in open" competition. He was placed thirteenth, and ran under Technical's colours. His running over the long distances will be watched with interest.

Holden, French, Edgar, McCarthy, Francis, Roberts and Perrett were next in, and considering the big field behind them they are to be congratulated on their showing.

Auckland Club somewhat unexpectedly won the teams' race. All knew that Savidan, Hill and Birtwistle were in the first rank, but it was the fourth man that most expected to pull down the black and white club's points. Roberts, the exHamilton runner, who is now stationed at Warkworth, was the surprise addition to the above trio. Hie nineteenth placing won the day, giving Auckland a somewhat easy win over Technical, last year's winners. The sealed handicap naturally created the most interest for the average runner, who has no chance of a high placing, but who cheerfully turns out for such a race. H. Cooper, J. Perrett and S. Edgar were the placed men in this. They performed in most cases better than must have been previously estimated. Edgar, for example, came up into sixteenth place, and so his 8.0 handicap gave him an easy sealed handicap placing. Perrett, who equalled nineteenth, had a handicap of 9.45, which gave him second placing. At Whangarei on July 4, there will be an invitation race run by the local harrier club in conjunction with the | Winter Show authorities. It is to be 1 hoped that Auckland distance men will be able to journey north next Saturday, as good prizes and an excellent day's sport is offered. Soon will be the Savidan Cup race, much earlier than usual this year. The promoting club, Ellerslie, should be rewarded by an excellent entry this year, and well they deserve it. After this one of the biggest events of the whole year, the 10-men team race will take place. This is on the 18th. This race affects the biggest majority of the club, and by its very nature arouses real team spirit. It would be a wise man who could pick the winning club team this year. It should be a more than even contest. The annual Takahe to Akaroa relay race of nearly 50 miles, held at Christchurch, drew 19 teams, and 144 runners. Timaru Club won an exciting contest, and tremendous interest was taken in the race all the way. Akaroa turned out en masse to greet the finalists. It is a kind of event that could be well carried out in Auckland.