HARRIERS G. Pyne Wins Halswell Race For Second Time

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30177, 8 July 1963, Page 3

HARRIERS G. Pyne Wins Halswell Race For Second Time

The national three-mile champion, A. G. Pyne (Olympic) was a cut above his opposition in the senior division of the annual cross-country running races at Halswell on Saturday, when he repeated his last-ycar’s success. Not seriously rivalled after the settling down stages, Pyne completed the distance of about six miles and a half course of slush and mud in 41min, nearly 400 yards clear of a former champion, R. J. Stevens (Olympic). Pyne showed himself to be a harrier of rare competence handling all

sorts of going with equal facility, and indicated he should be a major challenger at the national

titles at Auckland on August 3.

The same could not be said for many of the other runners, who were bogged down by the conditions, which accounted for some minor upsets and resulted in at least three competitors having to go to the hospital for treatment of injuries.

If Pyne’s win provided little excitement, such was not the case for the duel for second place, in which Stevens and W. K. Kennedy (Christchurch) alternated several times. Stevens got his final break when Kennedy lost a shoe and stopped to throw off the other one The teams’ match was one of the most thrilling senior competitions for many years. Olympic was provisionally given first place by one point from Christchurch. The judges’ task was complicated by some competitors unfortunately taking a shorter course and the teams' decision is subject to a recheck. Kennedy’s misadventure with his shoes was unfortunate for Christchurch for otherwise he might have been second and this would have given his team first. Shirley’s B. Curie finished a plucky sixth. After giving a foot a nasty spike gash when ne slipped at the last jump. Curie forced himself over the three-quarter mile finishing straight. Two Christchurch club juniors suffered similar accidents and the three were later taken to hospital tor treatment Nonetheless, Christchurch had sufficient strength to take the junior teams’ race by a most convincing margin.

Greymoutb Success Greymouth supporters had reason to be jubilant with the success of E. Gray in the junior contest. Runner-up to K. Connell (Shirley) in the provincial championship last year, Gray beat a class field in no uncertain fashion. Among those oehind Gray were R. Reekie (Technical), second in the national junior three miles last summer, and Connrfl, who was third in . the national junior harrier championship last season.

Christchurch provided the individual winner of the colts' race with B Bruce, who won the two mile and a half event in 18min 45sec, nearly 50 yards clear of W. van der Waal (Technical). Good teaming enabled Technical to retain an unbeaten record in the teams’ competition by a margin of 33 points. , , , After resting an injured leg muscle all last week. Miss A. Kennedy came through for a comfortable win in the senior women’s race, run over the colts’ course. Miss Kennedy's team, Ladles’ Pioneer, also maintained an unbeaten record.

Atrocious The going was probably the worst the runners had encountered for some seasons, the week’s rain having left the course little better than a bog patch tn places. Some of the runners prejudiced their prospects by their reluctance to stride out on the greasy downhill stretches, but those who did gained valuable breaks. This is where Pyne, in particular, and Kennedy to a lesser degree, distinguished themselves. The most difficult patch was probably a steep, greasy chute which senior runners facedsome literallly—three times. The more cautious sat down and tobaggoned through this at speed, with up to half a dozen going down at the one time in tandem fashion. THE RACE Curie and A. Evans (Technical) strung the field out in the run down the road from the start, with Pyne always handy. Others in the leading bunch included P. Waits (Tehntcal), R. Allen (Presbytertan), and two University men, B. Jones and B. Milne. 1 At this stage Stevens was thirteenth, and Kennedy even further back. Going across the paddocks to the hills. Pyn* l«d from Stevens. J. D. Macdonald (Olympic). C. McDonnell (Greymouthi. A. Dyer, and D. Puckett (both Christchurch). Kennedy moved into a handy position over the hills, and was second on the fiat on the first of the three loops. After taking a fairly quick break on the field. Pyne appeared content to hold a com-

fortable margin. A keen tussle was taking place between Stevens and Kennedy, with Kennedy showing more devil on the risky down-hills stretches, while Stevens toiled furiously across the flatter sections. Shoe trouble tor Kennedy in the vital closing stages clinched second for Stevens. who pressed hard while Kennedy tackled the last three-quarter mile of road with tender bare feet. In the junior event of about three miles and a quarter, Connell led in to the hills, where he was displaced by Gray, with Reekie. Connell, and C. McFadden (Christchurch) sorting themselves out tor the next places. Not headed again. Gray consolidated his lead up the second big hill, and won by about 100 yards. Miss P. Clausen (Toe H) set the pace on to the hills in the women’s race. At this stage Miss Kennedy pushed to the front and after a brief tussle took the lead coming back to the flat, extending this to finish 45 yards clear. Results:— MEN Senior Individual.—G. Pyne (Olympic). 41, 1; R. J. Stevens (Olympic). 42:5, 2; W. K. Kennedy (Christchurch), 42:9, 3: S. Gawler, (Technical) 42:48, 4; D. Puckett (Christchurch), 43:25, 5; B. Curie (Olympic), 43:40, 8; J. O. Macdonald (Olympic), 43:42, 7; J Power (Christchurch), 43:50, 8; W R Green (Christchurch), 43:57, 9; C. McDonald (Greymouth). 44. 10; M. D. Taylor (Greymouth), 44:30, 11; R. Allen (Presbyterian), 44:30, 12. Junior Individual.—E. Gray (Greymouth), 18:58 1; R. Reekie (Technical), 19:18, 2; K. Connell (Shirley). 19:48, 3; C. McFadden (Christchurch), 19:59 4: J. Collie (Christchurch), 20:33, 5; C. Harris (Presbyterian), 20:41. 6; G. Newby (Christcnurcn), 21, 7; R Hood (Ashburton), 21:7, 8; J. Mcßrearty (Ashburton), 21:24, 9; D. Coughlan (Technical), 21:28, 10. Teams.—Christchurch (McFadden 4, Collie 5, Newby 7, M. Smith 16). 33 points. 1; Technical (Reekie 2. Coughlan 10, K. Hamilton 22, Chadderton 33). 67 2; Methodist (D. Mathers 12, M. Clarkson 15, B, Stringer 18. C. Wright 30), 75, 3. Colts Individual.—B Bruce (Christchurch) 16:46, 1; W. van der Waal (Technical). 16:55, 2; G. Poulton (Technical), 17:17. 3; L. Cave (Technical) 17:18, 4; A. McNabb (Shirley), 17:30, 5; R. Harding (Technical) 17:37. 6; N. Weatherhead (Technical), 17:45, 7; W Good (Christchurch). 17:46, 8. Teams.—Technical (van der Waal 2 Poulton 3. Cave 4, Harding 6), 15 points. 1; Christchurch (Bruce 1 Carpenter 8, Kennedy 16. Ayton 23) 48, 2; Olympic, 62 3 Veterans Individuals—F. Sharp (Marist). 1, C. C. Gordon (Presbyterian) 2. A. H. Wayman (Methodist) 3Teams.—Gordon’s team (Gordon. Wayman, G. Currie) 10 points, 1; Sharp’s team (Sharp, B. Griffiths, L. C. Richards) 11, 2. WOMEN Individuals.—A. Kennedy (Pioneer) 19:35. 1; P. Clausen (Toe H) 19:44. 2; C. Brewer (Toe H). 21:2 3; M, Dlxey (Pioneer). 22:30 4; L. Fisher (Pioneer) 22:47 5; D. Dixey (Pioneer), 23:5. 6; M. Brown (Toe H) 23.9, 7; S. Govan (Toe H). 8; J. Combellack (Anglican). 9. Teams.—Pioneer 16 points I’. Toe H 21 2 Junior Individual.—P. Hemmingsen (Pioneer) 26:5. 1; H. Bunn (Anglican) 26:15, 2; H. Crompton (Anglican) 27:8 3; A. Carpenter (Pioneer) 27:21. 4.