The “also-rans” want recognition, too

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 23

The “also-rans” want recognition, too

KJNNEKS MfIKY

Th* veteran Canterbury sports administrator and runner Bill Kennedy is still remembered by many for the colourful attempts he once made to pour scorn on the establishment of veteran grade athletics. Veteran (over 40» runners were a lot of "knobbly-kneed" old men, Kennedy was reported as saying and he implied they were neither use nor ornament to the sport and would be better on the side-line acting as muchneeded race officials. Bill Kennedy's now famous "knobbly knee" quip brought sneers and jeers from fellow veterans. many of whom are now both running and acting as officials as well. Bill's comments came in the days before veteran men and women comnrised about 25 per cent of all competing adult athletes. His criticism is, these days, more difficult to sustain since many veteran age men and some women are doing better times for the 26 miles 385 yard marathon event than did Kennedy at the peak of his natural prime: not to mention that Jack Poster is representing New Zealand in the Olympic marathon and world cross-country championships when well over 40. Nevertheless, there are some who feel that his plea for older sportsmen to act as officials is now more apposite after observing the chaotic attempts to produce correct results during some big inter-club handicap races. An example of this was the finish of the recent big annual Governor’s Bay to Lyttelton race when record fields and senseless n o n-c o-operation by runners made it an officials’ nightmare. Every year the furious pace and dense crowding of runners in the final down-hill third of this event into Lyttelton helps to make it one of the most popular and exciting races of its kind in New Zealand. And at the same time it is one of the most difficult to control: as fields get bigger and bigger each year, the greater the difficulty to produce accurate results. There are well over 1000 registered runners competing in Canterbury and most of them are good humoured and have for years been disposed to laugh rather than complain officially about race mistakes. However, some runners

thought the confusion at the end of this tear's Governor’s Bay race was past a joke. So, also, did some of the officials. The handicappers, Messrs Alex Cook and John Hinton did such an accurate job of handicapping that scores of runners were jammed almost sar-dine-tight in the helterskelter down-hill dash to the finish. At the height of the excitement. casual observers might have thought they were watching a mass start rather than a race finish and frantic officials might well be excused for missing some times and giving wrong finishing positions — or none at all. While runners crushed into the finishing chute there were others, perhaps delirious with the stress of the race, who dashed past guiding officials and failed to go through the chute at all. Not all runners had correct numbers, some wore numbers where they could not be readily be seen; others ran unofficially — for years the bane of race officals — and chose to charge into the chute evading frantic attempts of officials — already, intent on stop watches, lists and tape recorders —to steer them clear. Some runners who were “disqualified” were unable, later, to ascertain why. Meantime, officials had the compounded difficulty of sorting out seniors, juniors, women and men veterans, while some women, overtaking men at the finish, made for hilarity as well as confusion. Nor, did the use of tape recorders solve the situation and some runners who looked for their names after the race could find no trace. Years ago, when fields were about 100 or so, most officials could place finishers by name, as most were personally known. This time there were far too many newcomers among the 400 or so entries. Furthermore most of the women runners, as well as men. in the veteran categories looked younger than their age grouping showed. Some runners who

finished down the field claimed their entry payment entitled them to a record of their performance as much as those who took better times. As one experienced Christchurch Harrier Club runner, Kevin Leech, put it “its a bit of a knockback after you have run your guts cut to find you have been given a wrong time or placing or none at all.” Some said their entry fee should entitle them to a certificate of suitable proof of achievements Others said they missed the usual afternoon tea and presentation of trophies in the Sailors Rest. Some thought the fault, lay partly in the failure of some of the 15 competing clubs to supply assistance to the officials recording placings. Some thought there would be better control if there was more than one chute. Some suggested that the various grades should be staggered to avoid overlapping at the finish. Some thought runners should wear distinctive colour tags to help distinguish race categories and some considered the finish should be in more open land perhaps on the reclamation area with a longer chute lead-off to give officials more time to identify arrivals: Some suggested two senior grades in staggered starts. Perhaps the most useful suggestion has come from the Canterbury veteran Marathon champion, Don Cameron. Don, who ran in several big handicap events while on a running tour in England Europe and North America, said electronic recording devices were always used for controlling events of this size. The well known Canterbury veteran, Clarrie Reece, pointed out these were used in the recent “Round the Ranges” relay in Palmerston North and the price was not excessive. The centre, he suggested, could acquire one and hire it out to clubs. Meantime it is clear that veterans who often form about a quarter of a total adult field, are not

going to withdraw from inter-club racing to act as officials. Nor is it clear that, by doing so, the need for more accurate recording would be met. Glenn Haszard, a well performed distance runner, and one of those who sacrificed running in the event to help his club, Methodist, handle the results, claimed mistakes were not the result of insufficient or inefficient officials. “The field was just to big for us to handle especially when good handicapping made it such a tight finish," he said. Meantime scores of runners will be looking forward with interest to see how the Presbyterian club handles its huge field in the big “Kaiapoi to Christchurch” event which is the next main annual inter-club handicap on the winter calandar. Race officials who will this year have an even larger record entry of runners, were faced with such difficulties in last year’s race that they were unable, positively, to confirm some of the major place-getters 24 hours after the event was run.