Established race

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 14

Established race

The Takahe-to-Akaroa relay is the biggest and oldest road race of its kind, dating back for more than a half century.

It was back in 1935 that a former staff reporter of "The Press,” Philip Hewland, conceived the idea of an eight-stage running relay to Akaroa. At a meeting of the cross-country committee of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association in 1935, Hewland’s able presentation of the relay was recorded.

As well as introducing the event he also marked out the eight-stage course, established the baton change stations, promoted the event to other clubs, organised a team of officials and sold the advertising space in the race programme which made

the first Akaroa relay a viable proposition. One of the best-known, figures among the officials at the start of today’s race will be Clarrie Gordon, who is now aged 78. Clarrie not only ran in the first Akaroa relay but he has, since 1945, cut and gathered the Karaki sticks from which he fashions the batons carried by each team.

Each year he devotes hundreds of hours to skilfully painting the batons in club colours. And each year the batons are presented to the member of each team adjudged to have contributed the best team performance.

. The charisma of the race has sparked off numbers of notable running adventures. -.