University wins hills relay

Press, 23 August 1976, Page 20

University wins hills relay

In a race full of fluctuations, fierce competition and excitement, the University C team took a well-deserved win in the big annual interclub 23-mile Port Hills Relay on Saturday. It was a great day for the United Harrier club, the annual organisers of the race. Their much-improved A team set what is believed to be a record in the history of the event by taking both second-fastest team time, as well as a closely contested second over-all team placing, although handicapped well back on 65 minutes behind goThe race was a triumph for Technical, who took third place as well as scoring a record time in lap two, with an outstanding run by the Canterbury 10,000 metres champion, Kevin Hamilton. A much - strengthened Rover Harrier club now with the biggest membership in their history, took a good fourth placing with their C team. As predicted Olympic A, run-

nlng off the limit of 70 minutes behind go, took fastest time with a combination of fast, mature and younger athletes. Thev set a new record for the modified and longer 23-mile course of 121 min 17sec, with United second only 39sec behind. There was fine team running bv all in the first four placed clubs, and some valiant performances, notably in the third downhill lap. In this lap the United junior Len Rogal and Stewart Hill of Technical excelled themselves by taking first and thirdfastest times. Canterbury’s best dow-nhill runner, Gary Clarke, w-as second-fastest in a lap vastly improved by a variation In course.

The race was run In bright, mild, calm weather, in marked contrast to last year, when driving hail buffeted runners on the hilly second lap of the course. The bright colours of scores of runners from 16 different clubs added to the vivid and charming atmosphere on the Port HiUs at the two main high baton change points, at the top of the Bridle Path and at the Sign of the Kiwi. And dozens of cars followed the course of the race down Mt Pleasant and round the base of the hills through Heathcote and back to the starting point. One of the most remarkable athletic performances of the day was by the veteran Olympic club athlete. Bill Hobbs. He rode the whole course in a high gear on a touring cycle, a feat which

would have taxed the fitness of many racing cyclists. Of more than 50 veteran (over 40i runners, the most outstanding was the New Zealand crosscountry veteran champion, John Macdonald, who took fastest over-all time on the long last lap for Olympic's C team. He was 2sec ahead of United's Dave Askin. There was some outstanding running among 30 women athletes competing in the open event for the first time, in six teams from three different clubs. Excitement Increased as the closely-handicapped runners fought it out in the closing stages of the race. At the start of the last lap it still looked like anybody’s race, and at the end only 74 seconds separated the three major placlngs. Mr J. Hinton’s excellent handicapping made it a succession of fast helter-skelter finishing, in which Simon Young showed the determination of his performances in the New Brighton 50 to bring University B home first, in spite of a fine final lap by Dave Askin, of United, in second place. It was an auspicious race for Young, who brought his team up 11 placlngs, to score University's win on the last day before turning veteran on his 40th birthday yesterday. The race was an object lessen in good control, with every turning and corner marked by marshals who remained at their

, post throughout the event, I Results:— I University B <R. Lindsay, M. I O’Connor, J. Sweeney, P. Ryan, IS. Young), 132:26, 1; United <H. i Neeson, A. Gavigan, L, Rogai, ■ R. Van Pelt, D. Askin), 121.56, 2; [Anglican A (J. Reese, S. Steele, |B. Chadderton. M. Gerard, VV. Gebbie), 144:14, 3; Rovers <P, I Dixon, G. Nolan. N. Britt, G. IGollan, G. Mclvor), 155:03, 4; I Christchurch B. 133:46. 5; Toe H iC, 141:58, 6. I Fastest laps:— I Lap one: I. Milne 'St Martina', 26.4, 1; K. Fagan 'Olympic), 26.46, 2; H. Neeson (United!, 26.51. 3. i Lap two: K. Hamilton (TechI'nical), 25.26 (record), 1; C. Hicks (Toe Hi, 26.34 , 2; J. Sheddan I (Olympic), 26.49, 3. Lap three: L. Royal (United). 122.54, 1; G. Clarke 'Olympic), 23.14, 2; S. Hill (Technical), 24.20. 3. •| Lap four: W. Shedd on (Olym.i pic), 15.14, 1; J. Argue (Olympic nB), 15.25, 2; J. Van de KoUt I (Technical), 15.51, 3. il Lap five: J. K. Macdonald ,I (Olympic C), 27.43, 1: D. Askin (United), 27.45, 2; F. Brookee (Technical), 27.55, 3. I Fastest teams.—Olympic A (K. ; Fagan, J. Sheddan, G. Clarke, W. I Sheddan, N. Reid), 121:17, 1; United iH. Neeson, A. Gavigan, |L. Royal, R. Van Pelt, D. Asklm, i 121:56, 2; Technical A (B. Nowell, K. Hamilton, S. Hill, J. Van der Kolk, F. Brookes), 122:31, 3; Olympic B. 123:09, 4; Christchurch I A, 126:29 . 5; Ashburton A, 128:23, A