HARRIERS R. Stevens Again Fastest In Kaiapoi Road Race

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31168, 19 September 1966, Page 13

HARRIERS R. Stevens Again Fastest In Kaiapoi Road Race

The record holder, R. J. Stevens (Olympic) on Saturday scored fastest time in the Kaiapoi-Christchurch road running race for the third time. Stevens ran the 12 miles in 64min 17sec.

Although well outside his 1961 record of 60min 30sec, Stevens’s effort was still impressive, as he had to contend with a brisk wind for much of the distance.

Off the back mark, 29min behind the first away, Stevens cut through one of the largest fields to contest the Presbyterian Club’s modi-

fied marathon, for eleventh place in the handicap. Applying the pace from the start, Stevens dropped his two comarkers quite early. Affected by a bad cold, R. Allen (Presbyterian) was tailing off after a mile and dropped out near the Waimakariri river. Aggressive tactics were used by I. Sim (Baptist), who broke away by 20 yards after about a mile and a half. Stevens retaliated with a determined bid on the down-hill off the Waimakariri bridge. Near Belfast he began picking up the bunches ahead. First to be caught was R. Farmer (University) from a strong bunch, which had started two minutes ahead. The only one of this bunch to survive Stevens’s challenge was P. Marks, the Wellington half-mile champion, who showed much improved stamina to take second fastest time in 65min 32sec, but only two seconds better than Sim. The individual winner was the youthful P. Ellis (Anglican), whose net time was 77min 27sec. Hitting the front in the last mile or so Ellis finished in such lively fashion that he stretched his advantage to 31sec over M. O’Malley (Marist) in second place. The first veteran (over-40) runner home was A. Sutherland (Baptist), who ran a determined 75min 55sec, off 15min behind, for fifth place. Olympic won the teams’ race computed on the aggregate of the four fastest times. Marist won a contest based on the order of finishing in the handicap race.

Timaru won a junior relay run over the same course after leading nearly all the way from Technical, which was an equally secure second throughout. The time of the winning three-man team, 64min 38sec, failed to match that of Stevens in winning the senior event by 21sec.

Honours for the fastest individual laps in the relay were well shared amongst the clubs. G. Cox (Timaru) headed the first four-mlle stage, with R. Harding (Technical) best on the second, and J. Sheddan (Olym-

pic>. provincial junior champion. fastest on the third. Miss A Kennedy (Ladles’ Pioneer) took fastest time in a three-mile handicap race for women, run from the Shirley primary school. Off six minutes behind the front marker and winner. Miss H. Bunn (Anglican), Miss Kennedy was fourth in the handicap. Ladies' Pioneer won the teams’ race. Race Results Abbreviations used in the results are" Ang.. Anglican: Mar., Marist: Pres., Presbyterian: B . Baptist: Ch., Christchurch: 0., Olympic: U., University; Tim.. Timaru; T., Technical; L.P.,; Ladies’ Pioneer. MEN Senior i Handicap.—P. Ellis (Ang). 13:00 behind go; net time 77:27, 1; M. O’Malley (Mar.). 7:00. 83:58, 2; P. Morel (Mar.), 16:00, 57:29, 3: G. Smith (Pres ), 20:00, 71:47, 4; H. Sutherland (B.), 15:00, 75:55, 5; P. Gilbert (Mar.), 7:00, 85:24. 6; E. Pearce (Ch.). 7:00, 58:29, 7; P. Sumpter (U.), 25:00, 67:30, 8; P. Marks (U.), 27:00, 65:32, 9; F. Sharp (Mar.), 19:00, 73:59. 10; R. J. Stevens (O.). 29:00. back marker. 64:17, 11; G. R. Stewart (Pres.), 21:00. 72:22, 12. Fastest times: R. J. Stevens (O.), 64:17, 1; P. Marks (U.), 65:32, 2: I. Sim (B.), 65:34. 3. Veterans.—A. Sutherland (B.), 1; E. Pearce (Ch.) 2, F. Sahrp (Mar.) 3. Teams.—Aggregate of four fastest times: Olympic (R. Stevens 1, B. Curie 2. G. Clarke 9 (equal). T. Brown 14) 1. Four handicap places: M. O’Malley 2, P. Morel 3, P. Gilbert 6. F. Sharp 10, 1. Junior 12-Mile Relay.—Timaru (G. Cox, G. Allan, A. Matson). 64:38, 1; Technical (W. Lambert, R. Harding. D. Armishaw), 64:42, 2; St. Martins (T. Ellis, M, P. Jago. A. Searle), 67:29. 3: j Olympic, 68:42, 4: Anglican.; 69:13. 5; Marist, 69:22. 6. Fastest Lap Times.—Lap I: G. Cox (Tim.), 21:11, 1; "W. Lambert (T.), 21:31, 2; S. Jolly (Ang.), 22:00, 3. Lap II: R. Harding (T.), 21:58, 1; G. Allan (Tim), 22:12, 2; J. Lewis (Ang.). 22:46, 3. Lap III: J. Sheddan (O.), 20:43, I; D. Armishaw (T.). 21:13, 2; A. Watson (Tim.). 21:15. 3. Women Handicap.—H. Bunn (Ang).. off go, net time 22: 31. 1; L. Cole (L.P.), 3:00, 22:38. 2. Fastest Times.—A. Kennedy (L.P.), 17:28, 1; D. Dixey (U.P.), 17:58, 2. Teams. —Ladies’ Pioneer (L. Cole, A. Kennedy, D. Dixey. S. Anderson), 21 points, 1: New Brighton. 41. 2: Toe H. 46. 3.