ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

COLD SHOULDER IX ND. (Bt Mehci : August 12.— K.Z. Cross Country Championship (Auckland). To-day.—Harrier Championship Test Raco (Uiramar). Were Our Athletes Treated Thus? Every English mail now brings news of ii , iV I " 3 olu ' l*' c: 'tival contingent in the Old Country. One of the Australian members of till! team strikes rather a diiferent note in a letter (o "The Australasian ' from tho usual chronicle oi (rack and training doings, inter alia, ho writes: "We have not 'cottoned' on to the English sports. The English A.A.A. have ignored us. Woodgcr looked (hem up on ono occasion, but Iho frosty politeness of his reception was worse than a direct cut. Tho next Englishman I meet in tho bush will pay tho penalty if tho country is dry. I will invite his company 011 the. dry stages, and salt his water-bag till his tongue hangs out." One wonders why this should bo so, but it is not tho (irst time that similar comment has been made by returned colonial athletes. George Smith had exactly the samo experience (hiring his trip "Home," when 110 won the lflflyds. hurdles championship, although "Smithy" did not tako this to heart so much as he did a comment in an English paper referring to his appearance 011 the Stamford Bridge track 011 that auspicious occasion. It referred to him as "a quaint old-fashioned figure." That remark strained tho "silken bonds of Empire" to snapping point with, tho Aucklander for quito a long while after. Coming to track matters, the "Athletic News" describes Ronald Opie's will at Crewe, the week before the big games in tlioso terms. The Stewart referred to is the Tasmanian sprinter who was added to tho team in England:—

Stewart ran two yards slower than Opie in the heat. In the final Stewart was the quickest of the four out of his holes from as truo a start as ever was fired, and I thought he bad a foot in hand at half-way. But Opio was digging away for all he was worth, and his stronger finish told in tho long run. This samo Opio will take a deal of boating. lie is young. .1 am not certain that lie has turned twenty yet, but lie is powerfully built, and his finish will bo quito serviceable. I am quito aware that the Canadian will run fast. lie ought to be doing evens on the Trans-Atlantic figuring, but if there is a,bit of wind to fight against and if his leg serves him. Waster Opie will bo with him. Tho timo (10 l-oscc.) was repeated, and the verdict was tho popular 0110 of "inches, inches," which rather Jlnttered the third man. Stewart confirmed tho recent running with d'Arcy.

The Five Miles Ordeal To-day. Owing to the nearness of tho date for tho N.Z.C.C. championship, harrier matters are very much to the fore just now. Tho Wellington touring team is to bo selected and published to-day, after tho "test" at Miramar, about which and other matters the following budget lias come to hand from tho usual reliable source:— The absorbing topic among harriers during the week has been the five miles test race, which the Wellington Centro intends holding at Miramar to-day, in order (o give its selectors an opportunity to select five men as tho Wellington representatives at the C.C.C. next Saturday, in Auckland. To say that competition for places in the team is keen is putting tho position very mildly, for, somehow or other, local harriers think that tho combination which will do battle for Wellington tliis year is going to do infinitely better than previous teams from this city have been able to do. In consequenco, the honour of gaining a placo in tho quintet is a coveted one. It is. the intention of the selectors to announce tho perspnncl; of tlie team, immediately after 'the.fiili/h. of and the Centre will "dispatch' 'fhe men "northwards by Wednesday's 3rain Trunk express. No runner doing short of his best today can hope to gain a place in what should prove to be tho most classic crosscountry race ever hold in Wellington, being as it is practically a provincial championship event. This prompts tho question: Why should not the Centre recognise this race—which is almost certain to be an annual one—as a championship, and present framed certificates to tho place-getters?

Fully a dozen man. will start to-day with "hopes," whilo a number of others will toe the mark for the purpose of trying themselves- out against the cracks. Brooklyn will pin its faith to the Byrne brothers Cook, Don, Ilodson. and Murray, while the Wellington Club's hopes will bo centred in Bennett, Pinckncy, 'Press, C. and F. Cowberry, and Wilton. While not endeavouring to forecast the composition of the team, this writer fully expects to find the adage, ".An old dog for the hard, road," exemplified by the Wellington Club securing a bare majority of the places.

"For Those Who, Rejoice in Sunshine and Green Places." Last Saturday was a day of days for those who rejoice iu fresh air, sunshine, and green places—and what healthy individual does not? Therefore, it was not surprising to find good attendances nt both Trentham and Miramar, at which places the Wellington and Brooklyn Harriers respectively decided club races. The senior club's event was tho annual steeplechase on tho Wellington Racing Club's course, tho use of which was, as usual, granted the club by .the courtesy of Ifr. A. E. Whyte, The water-jump in front of tho stand proved the downfall of about half a dozen of tho field, who retired after covering one lap. Tho remainder struggled on over wickcr and log fences, sod walls, hurdles, and brushes, until tho end of the second lap, which completed the course of two and a half miles. When the scratch man (C. Rowbcrr.v) left his mark, his ta.sk of catching the liberally-treated limit men appeared rather hopeless, but, at tho hnlfdistancc, he was within striking distance of those who remained on tho course. After negotiating the difficult waterjump for tho second time, however, ho retired on account of soreness, thus spoili ing. what was promising to bo an exciting tussle between himself and Wilton, who started off tho five-seconds mark. The latter went 011, and, beforp reaching tho two-mile post, had headed the field, and wound up by winning' comfortably with seventy yards to spare. W. Press (Msec.) gained second place, repeating his performance of last year, while the consistent Felix Rowberry (Ssec.) struggled homo third. TIIO winner's time (1-iniin. 47sec'.) was easily tho best yet recorded for the distance, which is accounted for by the excellent, state nf the turf, which had not suffered as badly as usual at tho feet of (he horses engaged in tho re-cently-concluded winter meeting. On the Old, Familiar "Miramar." 1 Brooklyn Club held its first race for the silver eup recently donated by Mr. L. Cooke. The course was the usual five miles affair (Miramar), which local harriers could probably run over blindfolded by now, so familiar have they become with it. Owing to the kindly treatment meted nut to the youngsters 011 the limit, the event resolved itself almost into n procession, of which this pair were the head from start to finish. Nevertheless, both lads (W. Willoll and C. Byrne) showed improved form, and would probably have still gained first and second places respectively with sixty seconds or so knocked off their allowances. Next to finish were Wilson and Mansfield, whom Iho judges could not separate. F. Byrne made r.Tiiest time, but had a close call from the club's latest discovery, A. Cook, who vas onlv one second slower. It is understood" that the conditions under which Ibis cup is competed for provide that it be won no fewer than five time* before becoming the property of any 0110 member. Wherefore the ti Ist winner. i« to he congratulated on the fact Hint his youth sives him some kind of chance of lasting for a sullieiont number of seasons to score the necessary number of firsts.

All stagnant water and ili(olios at Frin-ton-on-Sea are to lie treated with petroleum during Hip season in order to exterminate mosquitoes. Upwards of 3000 people bathed in the Serpentine, in l.ondou. before nine a.m. last Whit Monday-