Power favoured for cross-country title

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32050, 26 July 1969, Page 11

Power favoured for cross-country title

T'HE upheaval in the placx ings of the top crosscountry runners in Canterbury in the Skellerup Steeples recently and the infrequent appearance, of several other leading runners in the inter-dub events during the season has made predictions for the Canterbury championship today a hazardouspastime.

D. Dixey, the first Canterbury runner to finish in the Skellerup Steeples, had done nothing earlier this season to place himself in the forefront of the provincial rankings, yet he finished ahead of E. Gray, a member of the New Zealand cross-country team, and the steady and consistent runners from-the-'Olym-pic club, J. Sheddan and G. Clarke. ' The nature of the race had something to do with the performances. For Sheddan, it was his first test as a senior against strong national opposition; for Gray it was only his second run in inter-club races in Canterbury and he was obviously not race-fit, and for Lambert, the race was probably just a little too long.

There were so many of the other leading runners in Canterbury absent from the Skellerup Steeples that their performances in other events bear little comparison. The eclipse of Gray, the most notable shock in that race, places J. T. Power firmly as favourite for the Canterbury title. Power has competed in Christchurch only twice since he began running again in April. The first time, in the Anglican block relay, he recorded the fastest time on a soft circuit in the Bottle

Lake plantation. But the best Olympic runners, J. D. Macdonald, Sheddan, Clarke and A. Bayard, did not compete and the only prominent runners in the race were R. Robinson (University), who will not be competing again for some time because of a broken toe, Taylor, R. Sharpe (St Martins), and Clarkson.

Power ran again in the Jane Patterson race three weeks ago and after allowing K. Hamilton (Technical) to make the early pace, strode aWay to win comfort-

ably from one of the best fields assembled during the season.

Hamilton was impressive enough in his only run in that race, but the Canterbury championship event is over 7i miles and he has not had enough races to be fully prepared for that race. The top four Olympic runners, Macdonald, Sbeddan, Clarke and Bayard have been in excellent form this season, but Macdonald and Bayard have been forced for various reasons to withdraw from several important races and this has made their task much harder. But their chances of taking the teams title from the defenders, Greymouth, are excellent The club’s A team has won every teami event it has taken part in since the season began.

Power made further claim to the title when he easily beat Clarkson in the South Canterbury championship last Saturday. His training mileage is less than it used to be, but he is sharper. The rest from athletics he had earlier in the season has obviously done him good. Power should win comfortably, but the minor placings may bring several surprises.