Harriers OLYMPIC CLUB 10th Anniversary Race

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 9

Harriers OLYMPIC CLUB 10th Anniversary Race

The Olympic Harrier Club fittingly marked its tenth anniversary on Saturday by dominating the results of a special block road race it organised for the occasion. The former national junior twomile champion, D. Reece, made a return to his best form to win the six-mile event by the surprising margin of 43sec. His winning time of 30min 31sec was just a fraction outside smin ssec for each mile and was a fine performance for a strong head wind had to be contended with for a good part of the distance. Olympic’s superiority was such that its runners filled six of the first 10 places and another of these places was taken by a former Olympic runner, D. Karl (Marlborough), who had returned for the club’s anniversary. With three men to a team Olympic was thus able to take first and second place in the teams contest, its A team of D. Reece, R. Stevens, and C. Reece scoring 10 points and its B team 26.

The best performance by a junior runner was returned by W. K. Kennedy (Christchurch) in fifth place with a time of 31min 54sec.

The race was held over a block from the Spreydon School taking in Sparks, Halswell and Lincoln roads.

Former club members from as far south as Invercargill and from the North Island returned to Christchurch to take part in the club’s anniversary functions at the weekend and a competitor in the race was F. Mair, the club’s founder and first life member, who is now living in Wellington. Mair showed he is still capable of making a useful performance by being in thirteenth place out of the 44 finishers, with a time of 33min 2sec.

Another competitor in the race who also took part in the club’s run was C. Reece. Three other members from the club’s opening day run took part in a special handicap race for Olympic club members, who were not entered in the inter-club race. They were L. Fox, N. Smith and D. Sherlock. Several other foundation members acted as officials. Fast Pace The pace was on from the start of the inter-club event, and the first mile was covered in well under smin. » The tempo was sustained over the second mile, which was reached in 9min 42sec, and the three miles was passed in 14min 57sec. D. Reece forced the issue from the start, but there was only a matter of yards separating the leading bunch at the end of the first mile, when R. Farmer, D. Reece (Olympic), A. W. Richards (Technical). Karl (Marlborough), R. Smyth (Christchurch), K. Richards, C. Reece (Olympic), W K. Kennedy, K. Wallis (Christchurch), J. Herrick (University), and G. T. Wilson (Olympic) were together. Herrick dropped from the leading bunch because of shoe trouble at two miles and a quarter, but after removing his shoes continued on gamely over some metalled surface to take seventeenth place. Smyth was dropped at about three miles. At three miles and a half D. Reece had taken the lead by 20 yards from W. Richards and Karl, with a 15-yard break to Stevens and another of 20 yards to Kennedy and K. Richards. There were then further breaks to Wallis. C. Reece, and Wilson. D. Reece continued going away from that point leaving Karl, W. Richards and Stevens disputing second position with Kennedy holding a secure fifth place 75 yards back by 50 yards from K. Richards, Wilson, Wallis and C. Reece. With half a mile to go Stevens was beginning to edge away from Karl and Richards and finishing on took second place by 50 yards from Karl with Richards another 20 yards away. In the evening the club held a banquet followed by a dance. Results of the club’s anniversary races:— Inter-Club Race Individual.—D. Reece (Olympic), 30min 31sec, 1; R. Stevens (Olympic). 31min Msec, 2; D. Karl (Marlborough), 31min 22sec, 3: A. W. Richards (Technical), 31min 36sec, 4; W K. Kennedy (Christchurch), 31min 54sec, 5; C. F. Reece (Olympic), 31 min 59sec, 6; G. T. Wilson (Olympic), 32min llsec, 7; K. Wallis (Christchurch), 32min llsec, 8; K. Richards (Olympic), 32min 25sec, 9; R. Farfner (Olympic). 32min 40sec. 10Teams.—Olympic (D. Reece, R. Stevens, C. Reece), 10 points, 1; Olympic (G. T. Wilson, K. Richards. R Farmer), 26. 2; Christchurch (W. K. Kennedv. K. Wallis, B. Mogridge), 29. 3. Best Juniors.—W K. Kennedy (Christchurch), 31min 54sec, 5; D Vaughan (Technical). 33min 2sec. 12 Club Events Handicap Race.—K. Lange, net time 36min llsec. 1; W. Chadderton. 37min 19sec. 2: T. Preece. 37min 51 sec. 3: J. Clarke 4. Colts’ Race —L. Richards 1, G. Clarke 2, C. Macdonald 3.

Trial Race For Women

The national 880 yards champion and record holder. Miss F. Mcßeath, was an easy winner of the trial race, to choose the Canterbury women’s team to meet Auckland at Christchurch on July 11, held in conjunction with the Olympic Club’s tenth anniversary events from the Spreydon School on Saturday. The race was arranged by the Canterbury selectors. Messrs W. A. Kennedy and A. Memory, and took in a trail of about two miles and a half through the Sunnyside farm area. The course provided a good test of cross-country ability, including a variety of going such as ploughed field, water courses, and roads. There were 11 starters. Results were:—

Fay Mcßeath (Pioneer), 17min 16sec, 1; Robin Hames (Technical), 17min 21sec, 2; Margaret Dixey (Pioneer), 17min 58sec, 3; Anne Kennedy (Pioneer), 18min 35sec, 4.