Big field in banks’ race

Press, 15 October 1976, Page 4

Big field in banks’ race

The growing popularity of distance running in Canterburv Is emphasised by the large field in the combined trading banks’ Inaugural cross-country teams championships to be held over a four mile and a half course round South Haglev Park this evening.

More than 60 bank officers will compete from five trading banks In Canterbury. A women’s race will be held in conjunction with the main event. It will start outside the Hagley High School at 6 p.m. The men will run two laps of the former Hagley inter-club relay course and the women will run one lap. Major individual place getters are expected to come from a group of Canterburv athletes, including Alan Melaren (New Brighton) and Bob Marriott, Murray Griggs, and Tom Pearson, all of the Technical athletic club, and two prominent aquash players, Mike Grant and V'iv Hargreaves. The former Canterbury cross country and road running representative Richard Yardley, of the Olympic club, will compete for the Commercial Bank of Australia. Yardley, who has recently resumed light training after » lay-off hopes to run with and give encouragement to »ome of the newcomers. Many of the starters are expected to use the race as pre paration for the Canterbury Road Runners' Assoc-iaiiun summer programme of Saturday runs as well as the forthcoming annual Citv-to-Surf community jog The Canterburv Road Runners' Association and the St Martins athletic club will supplv race officials under the direction of the chairman of the Canterburv cross-country committea. Mr Kevin Jago.