HARRIERS Snell’s 200 Yard N.Z. Title Finish

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29899, 13 August 1962, Page 6

HARRIERS Snell’s 200 Yard N.Z. Title Finish

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, August 12. P. B. Snell (Auckland) today scored a fantastic win in the New Zealand crosscountry championship at Ta radale. Snell won by about 200 yards from the 1961 titleholder, P. Sidon (Otago), after making a 20-yard break on the field halt-way through the first lap. Snell’s yard-devouring legs had taken him to 40 yards in front of Sidon at the finish of the first lap, and he drew further and further ahead. The world mile recordholder had never looked like being beaten after the early stages, and when he stormed into lihe tape Sidon had only just entered the finishing straight. The 3000 metres steeplechase champion, E. O’Keefe (West Coast, North Island) finished third some distance behind Sidon and J Julian (Auckland) fourth. Snell ran the six miles and a quarter in 35min 36sec—--41 seconds better than Sidon's time. K. Williams (Wellington), four times a winner of the cross-country title, could not foot it with Snell and looked a weary runner when he came in in eleventh place,

returning a time of 37min 45sec. Wellington's B. Evritt. who won the junior title at Taradale in 1956. ran weld today to finish fifth. The junior race was won in fine style by the Auckland champion, I. Studd. D. Dickey (Auckland) was second and K. Connell (Canterbury) third. Studd ran a beautifully judged race to win the junior title and never looked as if he would be beaten. Like Snell, he opened up a big lead in the early stages, and when he crossed the finishing line he was about 75 yards in front of Dickey, Wellington just edged ahead of Auckland in tihe senior teams’ event but Auckland scored a big win in the junior teams’ race. Both these events were run in conjunction with the individual championship. Canterbury placings in the senior event were:— B. Curie 20, R. J. Stevens 25. R Farmer 34. G. Wyatt 35. D. Reece 36. A. Dyer 40, R. Green 42. The present Canterbury champion, A. G. Pyne, did not compete because of a torn ligament in his leg. Canterbury placings in the junior event, besides Connell's third, were:— R. Allen 11. E. Bell 12, E. Gray 19, R. Reekie 33. R. Stringer 35. C. McFadden 46. M. Jones 48.