ATHLETICS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20637, 29 August 1932, Page 4

ATHLETICS.

HARRIER CHAMPIONSHIP. BARNES WINS TITLE. Thirty-one harriers,' representing Otago, Canterbury, Auckland, Wellington, and the West Coast of the North Island, competed lor the national cross-country championship title over a 10,000 metres course" in the Casbmere-Halswcll district on Saturday afternoon, J. C. Barnes (Otago) winning the championship without any difficulty after an unexciting run. Otago men also won the team's race, with Wellington a close second. Jt was expected that the run would provide a close contest between at least lour men, for each province iieiued some strong runners, but Barnes and the second placed man (N. V. Cooper, Auckland) led the held from start to nnish, Barnes leaving Cooper well behind in the last .nile over the foothills The new champion—J. W. Snvidan, Auckland, held tbo title previously— finished strongly, 2-i (seconds ahead of Cooper, and was timed at 37m in 37sec. Cooper appeared moro tired when he came in. running slowly. His time was 38min lsec. E. C. Brown (Otago) was third, his time being 3Smin 13sec. He finished well, and was fit when he pulled up. G. Bayue (Wellington), his province's hone tor the championship, was close behind Brown. The West Coast (North Island) runners raced surprisingly well, fiUing 6tb, 7th, - 18th, 19th, 27th, and 28th places. Little was known of them, and their performances were meritorious. The Canterbury men were disappointing, in view of the individual performances this season of some of the members of the team. A. D. Park, who finished twelfth, ran fairly well, and was Canterbury's only hope early in the race. R. M. Barrer, the Canterbury champion, came in loth, and did not fulfil expectations. • Hundreds of people who watched the start of the big run from the old stouo house on the Cashmere .estate followed the course as well as they could, in motor-cars, on motor-cycles, and on bicycles, making n great cloud of dust nlons the dry roads and dashing frenziedly for the nearest vantage point ns soon as the runners had passed. Officials and observers seemed to hare just as difficult a task in getting round the course ns did the runners them.snhvs.

The Kacc. Twenty-nine team and two individual entrants .started from tho vicinity of the stone house. Barnes and Cooper went iuto the lead immediately. When tho lieKl had covered :i mile." they were ahead by about twenty vards. Baync running third, A. Preston" (Timarti) fourth, and Park (Canterbury) fifth, closo behind. Ihe next mile went from a road across farm-land, and at the end of tho stretch Barnes 'had gained twenty vards on Cooper. Tho two were" nearly fifty yards ahead of tho rest of the tidd at-the double gates. Morris, Baync, Park, and 11. K. Johnston (West Coast), followed in that order, and C. Weller (West Coast), G. Prosper (Wellington), and E. P. Brown (Otago) were close up. Tho course lay across more paddecky land, and Cooper overtook Barnes, but the pair seemed to be lapping rather than making a race of the early stages. Barnes always seemed to have plenty in reserve. At Milne's road, which was about lialf-wnv on the course. Barnes was leading* Cooper, C. Weller, E. C. Brown. Prosser, Baync, and Barclay, with Park about 250 yards behind. The water-jump was the next vantage point. Here Bayne had moved up, and was running third, with Park, the first Canterbury man in the field, seventh. Most of the runners were feeling the strain of the long, run, but had the most arduous part of the course—a mils over the foothills—ahead. It was on the hills that Barnes decided the race. Cooper challenged him for tho lead, but tho Otogo man hud something to spare, .and shot downhill, increasing bis lead by yards before, he reached the flnt. - Hundreds of people' lined the ropes to cheer Barnes as he ran stronglv to the tape, to win niter a really ' fine run. Twenty-nine men finished, and were nil cheered deservedly. There were some sprints for placing. Park received a srent welcome from his Canterbury admirers.

Teams' Race. The points in tho teams' races were: Otago (Barnes 1. K. C. Brown 3. Goddes 9, KP. Brown 10). 23 points . . 1 Wellington (Bayne 4, Barclay 5, PrOßScr 8. Wilson 13), 30 points .. 2 West Const (North Island), (Wellcr 13. Johnston 7, Smith IS. G. Johnston 19). 50 point* . . S Auckland. 53 points .. ..A Canterbury. 05 points . . 5

COMPETITORS ENTERTAINED. DINNER AT WARNER'S. la the evening the competitors and ofiicials were entertained at dinner at ■Warner's, Dr. A. ,T y . Haslam presiding. '■Tlie New Zealand Council" was proposed by Mr E. A. Sayers, who said -that although on all matters the council did not give satisfaction to everyone, occasions similar to the present gathering made harriers realise the tremendous amount of work that really was done by the controlling body. Mr Ij. A. Tracy replied, congratulating all .the competitors on the creditable performances in such a gruelling race, and on the exceptional loam-work, it was pleasing to see live teams representing the centres, he said, and on the day's showing everyone would agree that harrier-racing ■was on a good footing in the Dominion. Two or three years ago there bad been an agitation to secure a harrier shield, but the onlv trouble now was that Otago seemed to have- a mortgage on it. In proposing "Tlie Visitors, ' Mr W. R. Olliver said that all would rejoice with the winner of the shield, and the first man home, as well as in the meritorious performances of the other teams. The Canterbury runners and officials hoped that all had enjoyed

their visit, and would return when the Dominion Championships were next held in Christchurch.

Replying, Mr L. A; Keats, manager of the Wellington team, snid that everyoue was having a wonderful time. The race had been well organised and everybody had had a good run and was satisfied that the best man and the best"team won. He wished to thank the Canterbury people for the very efficient way they had entertained the visitors, who hoped to repeat the, trip. Tho manager of the West Coast team (Mr -C. \\. White) supported Mr Keats's remarks, and congratulated the winners. The entertainment had been just what one would expect in Canterbury, which was renowned for .its hospitality. . A Consistent Performer. "The Winners" was proposed by Dr. Mushnn, who said that all were pleased to seo J. (i. Barnes, Mew Zealand champion, for ho hud been a consistent performer over a number of years. IN. '*'. Cooper, of Aucklaud, who had such a duel with the winner, aud E. C. Brown, of Otago, who iiuished the sismiio run with a brilliant sprint, were' also to be congratulated. The performance of tho Otago team had been very line, collectively and individually. Dr. Uaslam then presented medals to the first and second place-getters and the Otago team, and handed the shield over to J. G. Barnes, the Otago captain. ''l was delighted to win over the Cashmere course, as this is the 'ono on which I first started for the championship six years ago," said Mr Barnes, who replied to tho toast. "Mr Cooper gave me the race of my life, and it was only exceptional "fitness that enabled me to hang on. My success is not so much due to my own effort as that of my trainer, who has worked attentively for months.'' Mr Barnes also referred to the impending trip to England of 11. M. Barrer, tho Canterbury champion, saying that he hoped Mr Barrer would have success in England, and when ho returned would give the harriers of the Dominion the benefit of experience gained abroad. Proposing "Mr R. M. Barrer." Dr. Unslfim said it Was hoped that in a month or two Mr Barrer's feet Would be turning un the sods on the English race-tracks, and that Alec -N\?l--> fon, the famous Cambridge coach, would be firing at him the "Get me? Get me?" that had been flung at so

many Olympic champions. Mr Barrer would carry with him the best wishes of the harriers of the Dominion.

In a brief reply. Mr Barrerthanked the speakers for the good wishes_ expressed, and congratulated the individual winners and the Ota 30 team. Other toasts honoured were "The Canterbury Centre. 1 ' which was proposed bv Mr F. L. Towers and replied to by Mr G. Austin, and "The Chairman," proposed' by Mr Tracy.

Placings. I'he placing* and times wore as iollov \' :~ - Min. Sec. 1, J. G. Barnes (Ula^o) 37 37 N'. K. Cooper (Auckland) 38 1 y k. C. Brown (Otago) 38 13 t. o. Bayne (Wellington) 38 37 A. Barclay (Wellington) 38 38 IS, c. Weller (West Coast) 38 43 H. . I\. Johnston (West Coast) 38 43 8. G. "Preiser (Wellington) 38 47 9. A. R. Geddes (Otngo) 38 53 10. E. P. Brown (Otago) 38 55 11. I.. C. Mr.Lacbtan (Otajo) 39 4 1'.'. A. D. Park (Canterbury) 39 8 13. P. Wilson (Wellington) 39 20 M. .T. Nicholson (Auckland) 39 21 15. K. 31. Barror (Canterbury) .. 39 2G 10. A. Bradley (Auckland) .. . 39 48 17. A. P. Thomson (Canterbury) .. 39 58 IS. 1). Smith (West Coast) 40 8 19. G. Johnston (West Coast) 40 ' 9 20. A. Li. Stevens (Wellington) .. '40 15 21. A. Proston (Timaru) 40 25 22. G. H. Watson (Canterbury) . . 40 37 23. C. S. Etl (Canterbury) 40 45 2 J. A. Browne (Auckland) 41 24 25. J. J. Monris (Otago) 41 27 2fi. U C. Barker (Auckland) 41 29 27. J. H. Brown (West Coast) .. 41 52 28. .T. NoMhover (West Coast) 42 39 20. T,. C. Fulford (Canterbury) . . 42 56