HELIOPOLIS CUP WON BY NEW ZEALAND HARRIERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 5 (Supplement)

HELIOPOLIS CUP WON BY NEW ZEALAND HARRIERS

IN the first competitive cross-coun-try run of the season, held at Heliopolis on the R.A.F. ground, the New Zealand Maadi Camp team gained first place, reports an Aucklander, writing on December 14 from Egypt. Eight Army and Air Force teams participated, comprising 59 starters. Each team was allowed a maximum of ten harriers, but as conditions stipulated that the first five home of any team would denote the winners, the full quota was not entered in every case. New Zealand had plenty of talent available and entered a full team.

The distance was four miles round an arc of the Heliopolis 'drome, taking in two fairly stiff sandhills. Two miles of the course was along hard-packed road, and the remainder in loose sand.

The New Zealand team to gain the handsome cup comprised: Colin Dickie, who gained 2nd place; R. Wilson, sth; B. W. Gaiiick, 10th; H # Cardiff, 12th; A. L. Stevens, 13th.

These Kiwis are not unknown in New Zealand. Colin Dickie, who has held the 880 yards and mile championships of Christchurch, Wellington, and Hawke's Bay, has added to his laurels while overseas in the army, notably at Farouk Stadium last season, when he won the 1500 metres in 4.13, 3s outside the Egyptian record. This was in the triangular meeting between South Africa, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The previous year, in 1942, he ran second in the 880 yards and mile at the Egyptian championships.

Dickie was beaten for first place at Heliopolis by L.A.C. Charlesworth, champion of Southern England. The winner's time was 23m 30.15, and Dickie, who was 30 yards away, came home in 23m 345. Charlesworth, a big heavy type athlete, had the benefit of local knowledge, and in the run home in the loose sand had the better of the light-weight Dickie, who timed his finishing run a little too soon. Wilson (Dunedin) has run before in the Middle East, his best performance being when he won the three-mile last season at the athletic meeting of the Eighth Army, held at Bari.

Gaiiick (Taranaki), a former athlete of the West Coast centre of the North Island, showed good form.

Cardiff (Wellington) will be remembered as figuring prominently in junior events held by the Brooklyn Harrier Club before joining the army. He has developed a nice easy stride, and, with Garlick, should figure in forthcoming athletic meetings at Abassia and Farouk Sporting Club in Cairo.

Stevens (Wellington), a 42-year-old veteran, is an ex-member of the Scottish Club. He represented New Zealand in 1935 v. Australia, and also was a Wellington representative on several occasions, the last time being in 1943.

In addition to the team trophy of a silver cup, Dickie received a silver cup for second place and each member of the winning Kiwi team was awarded a handsome silver medallion. The remaining five New Zealanders to run and complete the course were: W. J. Lydiard (Auckland), V.

COLIN DICKIE STARS AGAIN

D. Lane (Wellington), W. R. Morel (Waihi), A. H. Standish (New Plymouth), and C. Taylor (Auckland).

The R.A.F. (Heliopolis) team ran into second place and 107 M.U. third. Third placing to Charlesworth and Dickie was Captain Brain (Royal Artillery Base Depot), who won the R.A. mile title at Malta last year.

On December 30 an athletic meeting is to be held at the Slade ground at Abassia, and New Zealanders from Maadi Base are to compete.

On January 15 trials are contemplated to decide the Kiwi team to participate in a meeting between the Cairo and Palestine military areas, to be held in Cairo on January 30. .

Colin Dickie states he is out to lower the Egyptian record of 4.10 for the 1500 metres at the -Egyptian championships this season, and he is getting in plenty of training.