ATHLETICS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20829, 12 April 1933, Page 14

ATHLETICS.

REVIEW OF THE SEASON. CANTERBURY'S SUCCESS. [By RELA\ . ] Coming Events. April 15—Rangiora Club's meeting at Rangiora, at 11 a.m. April 17 —Waikari Club's meeting at Waikari, at noon. The 1932-33 season in Canterbury has been one of the most successful in the history of the province. It has seen the triumph of Canterbury at the New Zealand championships for the first time since 1908-09; it has demonstrated the almost inestimable value of the inter-club scratch competition system; and it has seen a general advance in the standard of every section of track and field athletics. A great deal has already been said about the scratch competition. Wellington delegates went back from the annual conference talking about it, and so did the Aucklanders and the Otago men, and it seems likely that at least two of tne centres will take up the scheme in some form next season. Canterbury officials then have reason to congratulate themselves again on their enterprise, but their aim now will be to hold the lead which the early establishment of the system has given them, for there are several Wellington and Otago athletes who, if they had weeks of scratch competition behind them, would be much harder to beat than they were in March. First Interprovincial Meeting:. The first of what should soon be a regular feature of the athletic season—interprovincial contests —has proved a remarkable success. When Canterbury met Wellington at Basin Reserve in January, the team reaped the first benefits of the inter-club scratch competition, gaining a hollow victory which came as a surprise both to Canterbury and Wellington. Then the j tours of the two parties, on the east and west coasts of the North Island, did still more toward the improvement of the Canterbury men. If the difficulty of finance can be overcome—and in this case it is not a very big difficulty—then tours and interprovincial fixtures should before long be carried out regularly. The championships, both the Canterbury and New Zealand championships, were run off with remarkable efficiency, and reflect credit on a number ot hard-working officials. Because of their work and enthusiasm it is to be regretted, as the president has said, that unfair and absolutely unnecessary criticism should have been levelled from some sources. The Otago affair over the starting has caused comment and reflected unjustly on the members of the Canterbury Centre, to an extent which the Otago officials probably did not imagine; and they have the opportunity to show their appreciation of their mistake by giving plenty of publicity to the correction of the notions of starting rules. Success of Smaller Clubs. The Canterbury Club has had a rather lean season, with one misfortuife after another, but several of the smaller and younger clubs have had remarkable success. Sumner finished with a long series of wins to its credit in the B grade relay competition, Celtic was second, and another young club, Presbyterian, third. Presbyterian in its first season on the track has made great strides. The enthusiasm and the hard work of its officials have laid the foundations of a strong combination. New Brighton has been as keen as ever all through the season, but it has been left to a very small number of members to keep up the club's reputation in open competition. The success of the meeting at Rawhiti Domain was the result of weeks of hard work and preparation by these men. Sydenham has had perhaps as great an all-round success as any other club, it could at almost any part of the season have turned out two strong relay teams for the standard distances The clubs A team put up some fine per:£rn^, nces to tie with University for the Thomas Baton. Sydenham has also a host of promising juniors who may s ° o '} caf ry the club right to the top oi the athletic ladder. University has had another successful season, and was clearly superior to all the other clubs. It has the advantage of a good, *is, ly . regular ' supply of young athletes coming forward every year whereas for most clubs the enrolling of new members and the encouragement of them, presents a difficult problem.

Technical filled fourth place in the inter-club competition, and considering its fortunes at one part of the season, was lucky to finish so far up. One regret the club has, is that points are not scored in junior and women's events. Old Boys set out with high hopes of carrying off the inter-club competition, but other clubs, with bigger teams turning out, were too good, and Old Boys, after a season that must still ■ be counted very successful, finished third. One of the notable features of the season has been the mushroom-like growth of the reformed Kaiapoi Club. The club sent members, toward the end of the season, to the inter-club competitions and later the country clubs' championships were held at Kaiapoi. Rangiora is another club that has done surprisingly well. Of the other country clubs, Springfield seems to have had the greatest success. Local men carried off most of the places at the Springfield sports, and members of the club took part in several outside meetings. The Methven Club has managed to get together a promising women's relay team.

Outstanding Individual Competitors. Of the individual competitors, the one who has created the greatest surprise and had probably the greatest success, is Miss Fay Gudsell, of Ashburton. Miss Gudsell is now virtual woman sprint champion of New Zealand. She appeared in Christchurch only once, before the Canterbury Championships, and impressed several persons then as a likely winner of the women's title. Even so, her defeat of Miss Callinan, and her brilliant runs at the New Zealand Championships were great surprises to nearly everyone. J. B. MacFarlane has had a remarkable list of successes, culminating in his defeat of Alan Elliott at the New Zealand Championships. MacFarlane owes a good deal of his speed to the regular inter-club competition. D. F. Anderson, T. G. Broadway, A. T. Anderson, A. D. Kane, and W. J. Batstone are others whose names have been outstanding during the season. It is to be hoped, now that most track athletes will turn their attention to cross-country running, from which they can get plenty of stamina, and keep themselves in good form. The approaching harrier season should be a notable one. There is plenty of room for improvement in standard, and there may also be some revolution in the sport if an agreement on the subject of registration is not soon reached. To complete the track season, the combined clubs will hold a dance at the Winter Garden on May 17.