Sportsman’s Notebook New Standard For N.Z. Athletic Titles

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30057, 15 February 1963, Page 5

Sportsman’s Notebook New Standard For N.Z. Athletic Titles

New provisions governing entries for the national athletic championships, which come into operation at this year’s meeting, will probably increase the Auckland dominance of the major placing®. Nevertheless, the change is a welcome one. As previously, all provinces will be entitled to nominate three entrants for each event but two additional representatives may be entered provided the representatives have attained standards set by the management committee of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.

The new provisions go some way to meeting the growing criticism that the former rule, permitting only three entrants, was barring some of the best athletes in the country from the national meetings. It seems desirable, however, tor the national association to retain some restriction on the number of entries, particularly as an inter-provincial points contest is associated with the championships. The institution of standards will prevent fields being swamped by any one province, while contributing to a raising of the quality of competition.

Not everyone will be happy with the various times and distances set as standards. There is variation in the relative merits of some of the standard sets. Very few athletes in the country have ever achieved 48.4 sec, the standard set for the senior 440 yards, but some of the other standards may be attained by as many as eight, or more, athletes in a season. The standards approved are:—

Senior. —100 yards, 10.0; 220 yards, 22.2; 440 yards, 48.4: 880 yards, 1:54.0; mile, 4:11.0; three miles, 13:54.0; six miles, 29:45.0; 3000 metres steeplechase. 9:53.0: 120 yards hurdles, 15.4; 220 yards hurdles, 25.4; 440 yards hurdles, 56.6; ■ long jump, 22:11; triple jump (formerly hop, step, and jump), 46:0; high jump, 5:11; pole vault, 12:6: discus, 140:0; shot, 46:0; javelin, 175:0; hammer, 145:0.

Junior.—loo yards, 10.4; 220 yards, 22.8; 440 yards, 51.0; 880 yards, 2:0.0; mile, 4:28.0; three miles, 15:10.0; 120 yards hurdles. 153; 220 yards 26.2; long jump, 20:6; triple jump, 43:0; high jump, 5:7; pole vault. 10:6; discus, 135:0; shot, 45:0; javelin, 160:0; hammer, 135:0. Women.—loo yards, 11.4; 220 yards, 25.8: 440 yards, 60.0; 880 yards, 2:23.0; high jump, 5:2; long jump, 17:4; shot, 36:3; discus. 118:0; javelin, 107:0; 80 metres hurdles, 12.4.

* * • Softball Points at February 9 in the Canterbury Softbsii Aeaocia-

tion’s competitions were:— Senior men: Richmond 10, Linwood 10, Papanui 8, Spreydon 7, Christchurch 4, Western Suburbs 4, Deep Freeze 4, United 3, Kaiapoi 2. Men’s senior reserve, division I: Richmond 9, Wigram 8, Papanui 7, Hollywood 7, Templeton Farm 5, Western Suburbs 3, New Brighton 1. Men’s senior reserve, division II: Linwood 5, Richmond 4, Spreydon 3, Teachers’ College 3, Kaiapoi 3 (Teachers’ College has yet to play Linwood and Kaiapoi).

Senior women: Monowai 9, Hagley 6, Kaiapoi 3, Christchurch 2. Senior reserve women: Western Suburbs 9, West Old Girls 7, Teachers’ College 5, Monowai 3, Spreydon 3 (Teachers’ College has games to play against Monowai, Spreydon and Western Suburbs). Intermediate women: Vanguard 10, Kaiapoi 6, Linwood 6, Christchurch 5, Gonzales 5, Teachers’ College 5. United 5, Western Suburbs 2 (Teachers’ College has games to play against Gonzales and Kaiapoi). Junior women: West Old Girls 10. Hagley 4, Vanguard 4, Templeton Farm 2. * ¥ * Speedboat Regatta At Oamaru last week-end, Atom XI, driven by A. Johnson, of the New Brighton Power Boat Club, won the South Island 75 cu. in., Vbotitom speedboat title. Johnson is the New Zealand title-holder. Bel Air n (P. Knight), Javelin (R. Savage), Moonshot (J. Keig). Rocket (B. Andrews) and Buzzard (J. Keig, junior), all from the New Brighton club, will race at the regatta on the Oreti river, Invercargill, this weekend. An attempt on the New Zealand unlimited hydro record of 124.62 miles an hour will be made by Elray (J. Appleton), the Auckland speedboat, at the regatta. • • • Hole-ln-One T. Condliffe, a member of the Avondale Golf dub, holed in one at the sixteenth. “The Ridge." while playing on the Hanmer Springs course this week, ¥¥ . ¥ Ranking Tourney In place of the usual ranking matches, a singles tournament involving all men on the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's ladder will be held at Wilding Park over the next two to three weeks. Results of all matches will count in the rankings. Rubbish Fire.— Units from the Central station answered a call to a rubbish fire at the premises of Young Bros, Ltd., 190 ■ Oxford terrace, at 3.32 pun. yesterday. Hie fire was put out before they arrived.