Harriers AKAROA RELAY RACE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29315, 21 September 1960, Page 17

Harriers AKAROA RELAY RACE

Open B Grade Supported

In future years in which the Takahe-Akaroa relay race is made open to clubs from other parts of New Zealand, an open B grade section will be held in an endeavour to increase the number of entries. This recommendation by Mr N. G. Hattaway was contained in a. report on this year’s event and adopted at a meeting of the cross country committee of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last evening. Mr Hattaway presented a very detailed report on the conduct and organisation of the race, and a vote of thanks was passed by the committee for his work to make the race a success.

At present, only the A grade is made open to clubs from other parts of New Zealand in every fifth year. Mr Hattaway said he had originally opposed the idea of an open B grade for the race, but after discussing the matter with officials from other centres at this year’s event, he had been converted. ’’About one-third of the teams tn the open race this year finished in B grade placings, and each of the visiting managers for A grade clubs said two teams would have been brought If an open B grade had been included on the programme,** said Mr Hattaway. Week Later On Mr Hatta way’s recommendations. the committee also decided that in future open years, the event will be held at least one week later, and that lap records will be published in the programme. Although the event was fundamentally a teams' race, the committee felt it would stimulate more interest among competitors and spectators if they could compare times with the records. A report on the Kaiapoi to Christchurch relay by Mr W. A. Kennedy noted. that there had been some confusions at the site of the baton changes. At the baton change at Belfast there had been confusion as to which of the 30 miles an hour signs was the correct one for the change, and one women’s team had been disqualified for being in the wrong position, said Mr Kennedy A letter was read to the meeting from the Pioneer Ladies* Harrier Club protesting against the disqualification. This letter will be referred to the Presbyterian HarNer Club, which was responsible for the organisation of the race.