Marathon Men Passed Stem Test

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 11

Marathon Men Passed Stem Test

rpHE Canterbury team performed creditably in the national marathon championships at Hawera recently. Canterbury runners filled fourth, sixth and ninth placings. Of 31 runners to finish eight were Canterbury men. Five of these completed the 26

miles 385 yards in under three hours and all eight starters from Canterbury completed the course. This year’s provincial champion, G. Wilson, was first home for Canterbury, coming fourth in 2hr 32min. 49sec. C. Reece, of Technical, was second in sixth place recording 2hr 34min. 6sec„ and N. Fleming, Technical, was third in ninth place.

AU three runners returned better performances than in the Canterbury championships. This was the more creditable because at Hawera runners had to contend with strong, cold southerly winds. These winds had their worst headon effect between about nine end 14 miles and again over the final four or five miles.

Wilson ran on similar lines to his win in the Canterbury championships. He ran ' steadily in the earlier stages coming through to pick up some of the more venturesome runners between the 15 and 20 mile marks.

Reece enjoyed a personal triumph by overtaking his old rival, I. Keats, of Auckland, at about 18 miles. This put Reece at this stage in third place behind the leadens, J. Julian and G. Magee, who finished

first and second. Reece was overtaken by the third place-getter, D. Puckett of Auckland, at about 22 miles. Puckett ran very strongly over the final four miles aided by the reserves of strength he had gained by taking the early stages slowly. Wilson also passed Reece about this stage. Canterbury’s N. Fleming kept pretty close to Wilaon over the first 15 miles but then started to drop off. The fourth man in for Canterbury, T. Buckley of Marist, was twenty-first with the finishing time of 2hr 51min. 50sec. J. Kenney (Christchurch Harrier Club) ran an outstandingly consistent race, spreading his strength evenly throughout, to finish in 2hr 54min, 45sec. J. Stuart, of Anglican, finished gamely in 3hr 14 min. 6sec. Canterbury’s last man, I. Clifford, showed great determination to cope with a disability to finish in 3hr 25min.

The manager of the team. Mr G. Ogle, chairman of the Canterbury Road Runners’ Association said: “I was very pleased with the way the team performed. They all ran up to expectation and their staying power indicated plenty of thorough training. It was most gratifying that every man from Canterbury finished.”