ATHLETICS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21285, 3 October 1934, Page 15

ATHLETICS

ATTITUDE OF CROSSCOUNTRY OFFICIALS REPORT TO CANTERBURY CENTRE An opinion that cross-country runners had been neglected both by the centres and the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association was expressed in the annual report of Mr J. Mclndoe, secretary to the harrier sub-committee of the Canterbury Centre, which was received at a meeting of the executive last evening. Mr R. Beattie presided over the meeting, and there were also present: Messrs W. C. Flewellyn, L. H. Hill, M. Leadbetter, E. M. Todd, A. E. Hughes, and J. A. Gasson (honorary actingsecretary). Mr Mclndoe stated that the centre was indebted to Mr F. P. Frye, who trained the Canterbury cross-country team this year, for the team's splendid performance in taking second place at the New Zealand championships; this was the greatest success achieved by a Canterbury team since 1903. The delegates to the cross-country conference reported that increased interest was being taken by cross-country officials in the affairs of the New Zealand Council. Cross-country runners were awakening to the way they had been neglected both by the centres and the council. When they were fully awake something would happen. The sub-committee considered that j cross-country running in Canterbury j was now well-established, there were many promising juniors, and the stan- ] dard of performances was higher than in previous years. ] The executive adopted the report and decided to congratulate the harrier | sub-committee on the success of the, Canterbury team. The granting of Canterbury merit blazers was approved as follows:—'!. G. Eroadway (first, New Zealand championship 440 yds, 830 yds); J. B. MacFarlane (100 yds. 220 yds); W. J. Fitzsimmons (second, 100 yds and 220 yds); L. E. Smith (pole vault); G. It. Watson (standard time, three miles); N. W. Muivey (second, pole vault); A. t' Anderson (second, 440 yds hurdles); G. P. Irving, H. McCaskey (relay); D. F. Anderson (third. 880 yds). I It was recommended that the blazer committee consider the granting of! blazers to Misses K. Callinan and F. Gudsell. A letter from the Christchurch Girls ] Sports Day Association stated that the j annual girls' sports day would be; held on October 27 at the Show Grounds, Addington. Mr Flewellyn was elected the I centre's delegate to the Pioneer Ama-1 tcur Sports Club. N.Z. TEAM LIKELY TO VISIT AUSTRALIA FINNS AND MUTISM RUNNERS MAY APPEAR HKRK It is likely that cither a British or a Finnish team of athletes will visit New Zealand in the new season, and that a New Zealand team will Co to Australia in February Prominent British and Finnish runners have been invited to compete at the games in Melbourne, and if the invitations are accepted it is expected that one of the teams will come to New Zealand. The Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at an eailier meeting this year decided 1o recommend that a New Zealand team be sent to Australia, and that Finnish runners be invited to the Dominion; at a meeting last evening the executive received from its president, Mr J. K. Moloney, who was unable to be present, a report on the progress of negotiations. Mr Moloney had been informed by the secretary of the New Zealand Amr>teur Athletic Association, Mr L. A. Tracy, that the Victorian Amateur Athletic Association was trying to arrange for a Finnish or British team to visit lYlelbourno for the Centenary came?. So far nothing definite had been reached and if these teams did not j;o to Victoria a team from New Zealand would certainly be invited. Mr Moloney had since ascertained that the proposed Finnish team was constituted as follows: A. Jarvinen (hurdles and javelin), Lnuri Lehtincn and Lauri Virtanen (middle distance), V. Perasolo (jumps), L. Strandrall (sprints), L. Salminen (long distance). The proposed British team comprises A. W. Sweeney 'British Empire sprint champion). Hunter or Findlay (hurdles), Cooper (British half-mile champion), G. L. Rampling (British quarter-mile champion), and either J F. Comes or J. C. Woodcrson tone mile). Either of these last two runners could run the mile in 4min 13scc if in form.

It was likely, Mr Moloney said, lh;>t one of these teams would come to New Zealand; they would be a great draw if they did. In any case it seemed that there was a distinct possibility of a New Zealand team going to Melbourne in February, and those runners who had prospects of getting "blues" should now be in strict training.

j BRITISH TEAM'S TOUR | VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND PROBABLE (PRESS ASSOCIATIOH TFXEOIUM.) WELLINGTON, October 2. Correspondence received by the New Zealand Amateur Athlelic Association at a meeting to-night from the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia indicated that it was likely that a team of British athletes would arrive in Melbourne in January. It is distinctly probable that the team's tour will he extended to New Zealand. The New Zealand Association is now awaiting further particulars. WOMEN ATHLETES SUGGESTION OF MASCULINITY SCOUTED (MESS ASSOCIATION TELKORAM.) AUCKLAND, October 2. "There's nothing in it at all. I never saw any of the German women athletes having a shave," said H. K. Brainsby. the Empire Games athlete, on his return to-day. He added that the Czechoslovak and German girls were very strong and of masculine type, and the South African girls, more or less as a joke, suggested that some of them were men. Nobody treated the suggestion seriously. IDEA CONSIDERED RIDICULOUS The suggestion that some of the competitors at the Women's World Games in London may have been men was vigorously discounted by the Canterbury athlete, T. G. Broadway, who returned yesterday from the British Empire Games. "The suggestion was ridiculous, Broadway said: "The German competitors were definitely women. They were athletes who were very well known, and had competed in their own country for some time, for some years probably. If there were anything doubtful about them they would have been found out before."