ATHLETICS W. L. Hobbs Comfortably Wins 15-Mile Road Race

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30575, 19 October 1964, Page 9

ATHLETICS W. L. Hobbs Comfortably Wins 15-Mile Road Race

Although he did not make his break until about three miles from the finish, W. L. Hobbs (Olympic) Rnished comfortably ahead of the second man, A. Buckley (Marist), in the Canterbury Road Runners’ Association’s 15-mile event, held over a five-lap course in the Mairehau district on Saturday. His winning time of 84min 35sec was the only one to better the A grade standard time of 86 mlns for the distance. The road race was the only inter-club athletics event held

during the week-end. The official opening of the track and field athletics season, which was to have been held at Rugby Park, was postponed until next week-end because of bad weather.

, Ju«t Fallad . “ second, Buckley faHed to best the A grade standard time by only ,3®ec. This was a considerable disappointment to him for he had been running welt until the last lap; Another disappointed runner was J. Stuart (Anglican), who missed out on the A grade standard by only 18*ec while competing in the B grade secH he ha< * things slightly slower in the initial stages he would have undoubtedly broken the standard. However, he was awarded ®r*t P! ,c * ,n the B S r *<ie section with a time of SSmin iSsee. M. Poulton (Christchurch) ran one of his best races to finish fourth over-all and runner-up in the B grade. First position went to a young Methodist runner, R. Rands, who completed the course in a creditable tOmin 37sec.

The only A grade runners in the race, Hobbs, Buckley, R. Allen and A. Dyer, began strongly from Rugby Park after completing half a circuit of the 440 yards track. The B grade and C grade runners followed them at 2mln intervals. The four leading runners reached the course, a little more than a mile from the start, in a bunch, but half way round the first lap, Allen and Dyer began to drop back. Hobbs and Buckley completed their first lap 20mln after the start, with Allen and Dyer some 30sec behind. Then came the first of the B grade runners, Stuart, Poulton and an Olympic member, only Imin 40sec behind and setting a faster pace than the leaders.

Second Lap The second two-an-a-half-miie lap was completed by Hobbs and Buckley in 14min 11.2 sec. Stuart (14min 48sec for the lap) and Poulton (14min 52.55ec) had slowed appreciably, but both passed Allen and Dyer the second time round. In an effort to throw off Buckley, Hobbs increased his pace, turning in a time of 13mln 49sec for the third lap, but to no avail. Stuart also increased his speed on the third lap, recording 14min 10.2 sec, but although breaking away from Poulton, made no impression on the two leaders. Allen and Dyer retired at the end of the third lap. At the end of the fourth lap, Hobbs and Buckley were still together, although both obviously tiring. They completed this lap in Ifimin 22.55ec. Stuart fell back slightly with a 16mln 35sec lap and also lost ground to Poulton, who went round, in Ifimin 22sec.

On he final lap, Hobbs finally burnt off Buckley, completing it in 15mln , 57.45ec. Over the last few miles Buckley faded so badly that Stuart very nearly caught him. Results were:—

A Grade—W. L. Hobbs (Olympic), 84.35, 1; A. Buckley (Marist), 86:0.3, 2. B Grade.—J. Stuart (Anglican), 86:18, 1; M. Poulton (Christchurch), 88:27, 2; D. Cameron (Baptist), 91:46, 3. C Grade.—R. Rands (Methodist), 90:37.1: B. Eastgate (Marist), 93:19. 2; S. Young (University), 95:13, 3. Certificates awarded for standard times.—A grade: Hobbs. B grade: Buckley, Stuart, Poulton. C grade: Cameron, Rands, Eastgate, Young, I. Sim (Baptist), G. Whitfield (Riccarton), M. Lusty (University), M. Phillips (Anglican). There were 25 competitors.