Olympic Wins First Inter- Club Harrier Race

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30740, 3 May 1965, Page 21

Olympic Wins First InterClub Harrier Race

Olympic won the first eveht of the inter-club harrier season. With consistent running its six-man team took the University club’s Hagley steeplechase relay on Saturday. The time of 72min 25sec was well outside the record for the 13}mile race of 69min 57sec set by another Olympic combination in 1963. Last year’s winner, Christchurch, was relegated to third, behind University.

A disappointment was that the expected first lap clash between the province’s two outstanding distance runners on the track, B. Jones (University) and J. Power (Christchurch), did. not eventuate. But for the defection of Power, because of a knee injury, it is almost certain the lap record would have been broken.

As it was, Jones went within 3see of the time of lOmin 59sec set by J. D. Macdonald (Olympic) two years ago. Competing in the event for the second year in succession, the sole women’s team, Ladies’ Pioneer, again had to be content with last placing in the field pf 23. The holder of Canterbury championships from one to 10 miles, Jones gave University a long lead when he finished the first of 2i-mile laps 39sec ahead of Olympic’s T. Preece. W. K. Kennedy, Christchurch, was third, followed by H. Neeson (Marist), K. Hamilton (Technical), and R. Alcorn (Methodist). R. Stevens , and B. Lewis whittled down University's lead on the next two laps and N. Reid snatched the lead for Olympic on the fourth stage. J. Davies briefly regained the lead for University on the fifth section when Olympic’s G. Clarke mistook the trail. Clarke pushed through again, however, to give T. McGillivray a commanding start for the final leg. University and Christchurch battled for second place and on the sixth lap D. Puckett and D. Rowell raced the middle stages almost together with Rowell gaining a decisive advantage for University. Results: Teams.—Olympic (T. Preece, R. Stevens, B. Lewis, N. Reid, G. Clarke, T. McGillivray), 72:25, 1; University (B. Jones, P. Hewlett, W. Sllnn, S. Young, J. Davies, D. Rowell), 73:06, 2; Christchurch (W. K. Kennedy, W. R. Green, N. Fleming, M. Chandler, K. Wallis, D. Puckett), 73.15, 3: Technical, 73.37, 4; Marist, 74:03, 5; Presbyterian, 74:48, 6. Fastest Lap Times.—B. Jones (University), 11:02, 1; T. Preece (Olympic), 11.41, 2; W. K. Kennedy (Christchurch), 11:44, 3: S. Gawler (Technical), 11:50, 4: R. Allen (Presbyterian), 11:56, 5: H. Neeson (Marist) and R. J. Stevens (Olympic) (equal), 11:57, 6. Sealed Handicap.—Presbyterian (G. Whitfield, J. Rodger, T. Mcllwraith, M. Hadfield, B. McClelland, R. Allen), net time 69:08, 1; Olympic A, 69:15, 2: Technical B, 69:33, 3. Another Olympic team was successful on Saturday when it won the 6xl mile relay for colts in Hagley Park. St. Martins set the pace over the first three laps. On the fourth N. Sidaway took Olympic through to the front and following runners consolidated their team’s position, wh+le New Brighton pulled up to second on the fifth lap with a good run by R. Savage. Results: Teams.—Olympic (B. Lowcay, C. Sheddon, R. Murray, N. Sidaway, E. White), 33:58, 1; New Brighton (R. Hooper, J. Glass, R. CulCen, P. Cox, R. Savage, J. Tomlinson), 34.26, 2; St. Martins (C. King, D. D. Thomson, P. Ragg, G. Hughes, W. Dangerfield, A. Hughes), 25:26, 3; Toe H, 35:04, 4: Technical, 35:46, 5: Presbyterian, 36:19, 6. Fastest Lap Times.—J. Tomlinson (New Brighton), 5:02, 1; J. Sheddon (Olympic), 5:12, 2; C. King (St. Martins). 5:19, 3; N. Sidaway (Olympic), 5:32, 4; D. Cameron (Toe H), 5:34, 5: R. Savage (New Brighton), 5:36, 6.

I am the first Englishman, or Yorkshireman, or citizen of any nation to smoke a pipe in the Savoy without being turned out—Prime Minister Wilson.