Sportsman’s Notebook All-Weather Track Proves Its Worth

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 6

Sportsman’s Notebook All-Weather Track Proves Its Worth

The rubberised bitumen all-weather track at the Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, is the same type that the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association is thinking of laying in Christchurch. Although the track might not be aa fast as grass, the benefit of it was that it could be used in all types of weather and needed very little upkeep, said the president of both the Canterbury centre and the New Zealand Association (Mr E. Lunn).

Mr Lunn, who attended the first meeting on the track in January, said that from a distance the track appeared similar to an ordinary bitumen road, but on closer inspection it was found that the surface “gave" a little when pressed. Spikes tended to mark it, but in warm weather it repaired itself. The long jump approach, which had been laid down for a year, showed no particular signs of wear. The meeting held at the official opening of the track was preceded by heavy rain but it did not affect ' the track, Mr Lunn said. The track was slightly sloped to the inside and any surface water was run off into Invisible drains.

Miss M. A. Chamberlain, who ran for New Zealand against New South Wales on the track last Saturday night, had to wear quarter-inch spikes for the usual longer spikes would not have penetrated the surface. To say that the track is "fast” would at present be a little hasty but Otago athletes are now accustomed to it and are returning some splendid times. For all three provincial flat race titles decided on Saturday, fresh Otago figures were established. P. N. Sidon won the three miles in 13min 46.65ec, H. S. McCrostie the 880 yards in Imin 48.7 sec and C. 3. Maguire the 220yds in 21.9 sec. ¥ ¥ ¥ Swimming Points Auckland won all three team trophies competed for at the national swimming championships at the Naenae Olympic Pool last week: the Freyberg Shield, for most points in all events, the Yaldhurst Shield, for most wins in the senior section, and the War Memorial Shield, for most wins in the junior events. Final placings were:— Freyberg Shield.—Auckland 186, Wellington 75, Waikato 73. Canterbury 53. Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay 39, Otago 28, Wanganui 28, Southland 26, Manawatu 26. Nelson-Marlborough 16, Bay of Plenty 15, Wairarapa 6. South Canterbury 3, West Coast 2, Taranaki 1.

Yaldhurst Shield.—Auckland 10, Wellington 6, Waikato 4, Manawatu 3, Canterbury 2, Wanganui 1. Hawke’s Baji-Poverty Bay 1. War Memorial Shield.— Auckland 7, Wellington 4, Waikato 3. Southland 3, Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay 2, Canterbury 1. ¥ ¥ ¥ Marching Titles The Metropolitan Marching Association is holding its annual championships on Saturday and Sunday at the Templeton Domain, commencing at 1 pun, each day. A record number of entries has been received, 62 over the two days. On Saturday 39 teams will compete in the novice section and on Sunday 23 teams will take part in the open section. Twenty visiting teams from Wellington, Nelson, Ashburton, Timaru, Dunedin and as far away as Milton will be present and bands will be in attendance both days. ,¥ ¥ * Cricket Lecture A lecture evening at which the laws covering 1.b.w., no ball, dead ball and wide ball will be dealt with is to be held by the Canterbury Cricket Umpires’ Association at the Shirley Boys’ High School on Monday at 7.30 pm. The lecture is an experiment for a proposed scheme to hold a series of four or five lectures before next season. A demonstration machine to be used in the discussion on l.b.w. should be of particular interest. ¥ ¥ ¥ Break With Tradition For the first time in more than 130 years, one of the crews in the University boat race may be rowing this year in a foreign-built boat, says the rowing correspondent of ‘"Hie Times.” Oxford has taken delivery of a new eight, built in Italy. The new boat is radically different in design as well as in construction. Entry lines and run aft are finer, the beam is less and draught greater. Outriggers are adjustable in three dimensions and rowlocks are adjustable for pitch. The shell itself, built on a mould from four veneers of wood bonded under pressure, supplies the main structural strength and it is claimed it will not distort.— (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent).