Canterbury harriers' pleasing depth

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31763, 21 August 1968, Page 11

Canterbury harriers' pleasing depth

CANTERBURY can no ' longer be regarded as the Cinderella among: the major cross-country provinces in New Zealand after its Stirling performances at the national championships at Rotorua 10 days ago. Apart from its senior teams’ victory with two imported runners in 1952, Canterbury achieved its most praiseworthy result since the Second World War in having five runners in the first 24 seniors home. In recent years having three in the first 30 has been considered an average to superior‘performance.

There is little doubt that had the Greymouth and Mexico Olympic representative, D. C. McKenzie, been available, Canterbury could have finished second to Auckland in the teams’ section. R. Sharpe (St Martins), who finished twentythird, and W. K. Kennedy (Christchurch), fortieth, were still sore, close to the

race, after the pounding their legs took at the Governor’s Bay-to-Lyttelton road race the previous Saturday. It is hoped that this excellent road race can be run after the national championships next year. The Canterbury runners worked courageously after being almost last at the start. E. M. Gray (Greymouth) was the only one to go with the leaders and he tried as usual to force the pace. Had R. M. Maddaford (Auckland) decided to use the race as training for the Olympic Games and not try to win the race Gray would probably have won but when it became apparent that Maddaford was trying to regain his title the result was never in doubt J. L. Julian (Auckland) was the firm favourite to win the title. Unusually for him, he tried to spread the field early and this was probably his undoing. He

struggled home fifth.

The depth which is appearing at last in the senior ranks seems destined to continue in the women’s races. Although the first Canterbury girl. Miss C. Russell (Ladies’ Pioneer), was third, six runners finished in the first 13 for Canterbury to retain its women’s teams’ title.

Of the young team the 14-year-old, Miss A. Tait (Ladies’ Pioneer), showed that she is a potential national champion in finishing thirteenth in the 46-girl field.

These encouraging displays could be the basis of a Canterbury team that could rise to the top in New Zealand.