CROSS COUNTRY Fine win to Hamilton

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33870, 16 June 1975, Page 5

CROSS COUNTRY Fine win to Hamilton

Kexln Hamilton (Technical! outclassed a large and strong field to win the annual senior interclub Holloway Memorial cross country race of about 10.3 miles at Johns Road on Saturday.

Mel Radcliffe (New BrightonH ran well for second. A welcome entrj from Greymouth, the' talented West Coast marathon runner. Colman Creagh, was third.

Cold. wet. blustery conditions' were, according to some senior runners, the worst they could remember for a cross-country race in Canterbury But this did not prevent more, than 100 from taking part. They l came from 13 clubs in Canter- • burv as well as from Ashburton’ and Greymouth. Peter McLauchlan (Olympic* showed he is one of the most improved runners in Canterbury, by the way he came through forfourth. He beat his well performed team mate John Mac-, donaid into fifth place. The running of these two ensured a team's win for the Olympic club.

Considering the severe condi-1 tior.s. Hamilton's time of 57min 58scc was commendable.

Hamilton was among those who praised the course. He said the varied going, including surface water, sections through scrub and muddy plugging along creek beds, as well as testing jumns and uneven footings, made true cross-countrx conditions.

Much attention focused on the! Greymouth international. Eddie I Gray, who entered unofficially. I He rar. impressively for one who; has not had much time to train recently. Splashing through the slush of the last 100 metres he overtook McLauchlan by oAly two seconds at the finish. His time was 60min 51sec.

There was a helter-skelter start as the big field made a rush to take advantage of favourable footing over rough early patches. l At the end of lap or.e Creagh was leading Hamilton followed by Gavin Donaldson (Christchurch: and Radcliffe. Hamilton took off then followed by Radcliffe, Creagh, Donaldson and Macdonald and thev kept that order by the end of I lap two.

. ®- v Ul * end of la P three Hamitton continued to increase his lead of Radcliffe while Creagh made up ground strongly in M dauchlan then in fourth maintained pressure to .k S l ead over Macdonald until the finish.

Macdonald easily took best time in the veteran over 40 category from about 30 runners, frank Sharpe (United* took best time in the over 50 section. The course was well marked and marshalled and the race was efficiently conducted bv the officials of the Rover Club. Women runners of the New B r ghton club showed up out-

standingly to provide exciting competition in the women’s events. These were held in conjunction with the boys’ events run from the headquarters of the New Brighton club. Results:—

K. Hamilton (Technical), 57:58, 1; M. Radcliffe (New Brighton), 59:46, 2: C. Creagh (Greymouth), 60:04, 3; P. McLauchlan (Olympic:, 60:54, 4; J. K. Macdonald' (Olympic), 61:23, 5; G. Clarke' (Olympic). 61:45. 6; G. Donaldson' (Christchurch). 62:09, 7; R. Hood Ashburton), 62:19, 8; A. Hanson (Christchurch), 82:53, 9; V.! Sykes (Christchurch), 63:34, 10; D. Greig (New Brighton), 63:48, 11; S. Hill (Technical). 64:01, 12;j * 2 xenhi >m (Technical), 64:02, Forsythe (New Brighton),] 64:54. 14; D. Aikenhead (Christchurch), 65:15, 15. Grei « (New Brighrw'k. 14:00 ’ 1; C ' R °S er s (New; °n’ H :14 ’ 2; M - Cassidy] w 1 U Bn Shton), 15:45, 3; A. Malsh (Rovers), 16:13, 4- D Bates (Olympic), 16:39. 5 ’ Team race: New Brighton. Boys .under 17).—P. Renner 'Cashmere). 14:49. 1; c. Lucas (Te mere)’ i-'q?’ »’ S’ Lousle - V (Cashmere ’J j - 23 ’ 3 - Team race: Cashmere. Boys (under 15),—S. Kitcfi-

ir.gman (St Martins), 15:54, 1; W. P. Neal iTe Kura). 16:22, 2; H. Riach (Te Kura), 16:30, 3. Team: Te Kura. Boys (under 13).—M. McLaren (Cashmere), 12:04, 1; R Clark (United), 12:05, 2; J. Pheloung (United), 12:07, 3. Team: United. Midgets (under 9): J. A. Neal, 1. WOMEN

Senior.—D. Falvey (Tim am), 17:48, 1; A. Kennedy (Pioneer), 19:02, 2; V. McCarthy (United), 19:46, 2.

Veterans.—D. May (University), 20:28, 1; J. Park (University), 21:03, 2; G. Heseltine (Olympic), 21:04, 3. Team: United. Girls (under 17).—M. O’Reilly (New Brighton), 12:07, 1; A. Duncroft (New Brighton), 17:17, 2; C. Bratt (New Brighton), 18:48, 3. Team: New Brighton. Girls (under 15): —M. Hadley (New Brighton), 17:30, 1; P. White (Pior.eer). 17:39, 2: L. Burrell (New Brighton), 17:44, 3. Team: New Brighton.