ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

CKOSS-COUNTRY DOWNFALL. (Br Meecdht.) December 26 and 27.—Australasian Championships, Athletic Park, Splendid Hospitality. To the Otago and tho Auckland Centres all congratulations are due on last Saturday's work. They are due to Otago on account of their splendid performance, and to the Aueklanders because of the success of Hill, and also because of. the success that attended tho endeavours of the Auckland officials to make tho occasion a worthy one. To tho Wellington team one, unfortunate]} - , can only offer condolences, but thev are offered in the earliest conviction that each and everyone of tho men did his best. And, if the best was not good enough—well, there are to bo other occasions later on. Of tho efforts of tho Aueklanders, and particularly of those of Mr. Harry Frost, the centre's secretary, to make the visitors stay a pleasant one, and of the arrangements of the race, the Wellington men cannot speak too highly. Writing to "Mercury" on this subject, Mr. Frank "Wilton, the local team's manager, says:— I would be obliged if you would reier to the good work of Mr. H. Frost, hon. secretary of the Auckland Centre. Ho was untiring in his efforts to make the race a succe'ss, and found a deal of time to devote to the visiting teams. He was given valuable aid by Messrs. Tarquhar and Burbush. \ An Auckland Account. Of the race itself, the Auckland "Star" has something interesting to say: "The teams were as follow:—Otago: J. G. Beatson, G. G. Notlnan, C. Frye, &. G. Chambers, D. R. Thompson. Wellington: C. Rowberry, F. Rowbcrry, A. took, V. J. Brvne, F. Wilton. Auckland: G. N. Hill, 'C. Ornstein, F. Jones, C. Reid, C. M'Collum." Tho "Star" then takes up the narrative:—Punctually at 2.30, Mr. lieldcr sent the men away to a beautiful stnn, Hill being first to show out, and led to the water-jump, just in front ot a close bunched lot. Without exception, tho field got into tho middle of the ditch, being well soaked when they got out, Ornstein losing a lot of ground. Hill set a solid paco nnd followed by Beatson, the pair were well out in front of the rest. 0? Hie field as they raced up the hill Coming to the double, Hill was lisec. in front of Beatson, then a couple of hundred yirds awi-.y came C. Rowborrv who was followed , in Indian nlo bv Wilton. Kotman. F. Rowberry, Chambers C. Rowberry, C. Frye, Reed, Thompson, Byrne, M'Collum, Ornstein, and Cook, with Jones and Gray a long way last, Jones giving up. Hill, running strongly, led up ■ tho inclius the second time,' Beatson being within Bsec. of him, iind it was already apparent that the individual championship was between the two leaders. Leaving tho course for the rim to Green Lane, Hill had a gap of a hundred yards in his favour from Beatson, and then 27sec. away came Notmaii, the order of the ethers being, nilton, Reid, C. Eowberry, F. Rowberrj, with the Otago meu, Chambers, Frye, and Thompson running abreast, ■ and Ornstein and M'Collum some distanco back. i Hill maintained his advantage as they raced along Clonbern Road, and crossed the railway line and climbed the jw.ddock to Hie South Road, Beatson being Msec, behind, and then 25 seconds further fnvny came Notman. who was lteec. in front "of Wilton, Reid being Gsec. behind tho latter, the order of tho others being. F. Rowberry, Chambers, Thompson, Frye, tho last-named being in close company, with C. Rowberry, Ornstein, M'C'olhfm, and Cook a lone way back. ■ Racing down the South Road, and crossing the paddocks by Jlr. Southey Baker's, Hill was still the pilot, with Beateou as his nearest attendant, and as they crossed the drive into the Cornwall Park paddock had 12sec. advantage of Beatson, and then 32sccs. away came \Notman, Reid having worked his way up into fourth position, closely followed by Wilton, and then in order raced Frye. Thompson, Chambers. C. Rowberry, F. Rowberry, Ornstein, M'Collum and Cook, with Byrne and Gray soni« throe minutes away. With the winning post now drawing near, Hill slackened out crossing tho paddocks into tho Cornwnll Park drive, and he turned into the training paddock 2.i.?ec. clear of Beatson, and then followed Notman iO.-:ec. behind BeatsMi, after whom came at intervals, Reid, Frye, Thompson, Chambers, Wilton, C. Rowberry, F. Rowberry, Ornstein, M'Colltim, Cook, Byrne, and "Grav, the last pair being hopelessly last. " Entering Alexandra Park, Hill still had the lead, his - appearance beirig greeted with loud applause, Beatsou also being loudly applauded he made his appearance. Hill eased' up a little running up to the rail leading into the football ground, but running round the playing area strode out in pleasing style and finished with great dash, ns did Beatson. The others were all beaten off, coming in at intervals. Both Hill and Beatson were loudly cheered on finishing, Hill especially coming in for a great round of applause, which was well deserved, for he ran a magnificent race. The finishing times w&re:—G. N. Hill, Auckland. 32 15; J. Beatson. (Otago), 32 30 3-8; G. G. Notman (Otago), 33 39; l>. R. Thompson (Otago), 33 53; C. Reid (Auckland), 33 55; G. G. Chambers (Otago), 33 57; F. Wilton (Wellington), at 5; C. Fryo (Otago), 34 10 3-5; C. Rowberry (Wellington), 31 11 3-5; F. Rowberry (Wellington), 31 4t;;C. Ornstein (Auckland), 35 33; A. Cook (Wellington), 35 39; C. M'Colhim (Auckland). 35 40; V. J. Byrne (Wellington), and W. A. Gray finished a long way last and were not timed, while F. Jones (Auckland) gave up the second time round at Ellerslic. The sealed handicaps in connection with the event resulted:— J. Beat-on (Otago) 1, D. R. Thompson (Otago 2, G. G. Notman (Otago) 3. The times and .handicaps were: Actual Net time. Hdcp. time. Beatson 32.103-5 10s. 32.20 3-5 Thompson 33.53 555. 32.58 Notman !)3.09 355. 33.4 Chambers 33.57 S(K 33 7 Wilton 34.5 555. 33.10 Reid ; 33.55 40s. 33.15 Frye 34.10 3-5 45;. 33.25 3-5 C. Rowberry 34.113-5 255. 33.463-5 F. Rowberry 34.41 355. 34.G M'Collum 35.10 70s. 34.30 Or.nsteiii 35.33 455. 34 48 Cook 35.39 40s. 34.59 The Provincial Championship resulted: Otago, 15 points i. Auckland, 30 points '. '> , Wellington, 33 points ;) Is Old England "Down and Out"? Lnst week "Mercury" made some comment on the non-success of the Home representatives in tho recent English A.A.A. championship!). Since then an English mail has come to hand, and the same subject is touched upon by ino>t of tho sporting papers that came by it. The "Athletic News's" scribe, "Streplion," takes tho situation very much to heart. He deplores the existing state of affairs in the following terms, and his jeremiad makes but dismal reading for those who long for old England's reinstatement to ••her old and proper place in (ha forefront of the athletic world. Thus "Strephou":— Once more I have the oft-repeated story of a Black Day for Old England to relate of the championship meeting of tho Amateur Athletic Association at.Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Of the events on the programme hnw many, think ye, were won by Englishmen? Three—the Steeplechase, tho AValk, and the Hurdles; and I am not si> sure but that there is Irish blood in Phillips, tho lucky winner "of tho hurdles. At any rate, of the six events credited to the United Kingdom the Mile fell to a Scot, ]). F. M'Nieol, and tho Long .lumping and tho Shot-putting honours were secured by Irishmen.' In the other events we were wiped out by the visiting competitors. Americans claimed Hundred. Furlong, and Hammer-throw; a Canadian won tha Quarter; Genmuis carried off (ho Half-mile, Pole Vault, and High Jump, and supplied the first man 'home in the Wnlk, though, like Dumbill, tho second man to finish, Muller was disqualified; while a Finn actually deprived William Scott of the honours of the Four Miles. Fancy three Ger- ! mnii champions and a I'iuu oui men at four miles!

But, after all, it is not surprising. Wβ 1 shall ho worse off yet. Take out the Steeplechase and in open athletic competition with the world, we would not win a solitary athletic event included in the championship schedule. Wo cannot even point to the. professionals and say, "Look at our professionals; if tho amateurs are weak the professionals are strong." We have not in the country to-day a native pedestrian who could win a race of any description in competition with tho professionals of the United State?, Australasia, and France. The Coming ot the Germans. Streplion goes on:—By the Germans we are being eclipsed in the athletic sense. Their men are keen, well trained, clever performers, and athletics in the German J-lmpiro are only in their infancy. Men of German blood have dono great things in the United States; at home they arc going to prove groat rivals to tho Americans even. They have learned tho secrets of the Field Events, of half-mile running; they will have us properly beaten in walking and sprinting ono of these days. France, as well as Germany, have men better than our poor best in tho pole vaulting; and when a Finn comes and wins tho Four Miles—well, it is enough to make people ponder. D'Arcy chased Ramsdell (who is not such a tip-topper as Arthur Dully was) homo in the. Sprint; but what happened in the Furlong? We had not a man in the final; and there were five men who qualified. Again in the Quarter wo were outclassed; in the Half-mile wo had not a man in the first three; in the Mile little M'Nieol. after running third last year, won a fine race from the Canadian, Tait; in the Four Miles a smart looking little Finn beat Scott. A Rhodes scholar from U.S.A. won the Hammer; Frenchmen, and many an English official besides, declared that Mennicr won tho Hurdles—we could not tell from the queer angle at the press seats—wo could not provide even one competitor for the Pole Vault; and a German won the High Jump. It is all too awful to contemplate. This is not tho place, nor is it tho time, to suggest remedies for one thing that is patent to all—the fact that wo nre in the athletic, sense very weak, with no prospects of improvement. Has tho English Press Shirked its Duty? It is with the last paragraph that one finds fault , . It is just in such a medium as the "Athletic News" that remedies for the evil days that have fallen upon English athletics should be suggested, and the time for doing so is surely now—right now. It is just' another stage of tho "dry rof" that has set in that made those papers, which devote their whole space to matters athletic and which (for this very reason) are likely to carry weight in the athletic world, shirk the duty of suggesting possible remedies. If there nro remedies, and it is absurd to say that there is no remedy for such a parlous state of affairs, they should bo insisted upon, and who should" insist upon them more emphatically than that section of the press thnt caters for 'nothing hut tho athletic public? One would think that, if no higher motivo could Ire found, a sense of self-preservation would prove sufficient for the carrying on of a crusade against the lethnrgy nnd laissez fairo policy under which amateur athletic affairs are mismanaged by the English authorities. It is ancient history how (ho affairs of the English representatives at the Olympic Games at Athens wero muddled, how agnin at tho Inst Olympic Gnmes in London the mismanagement in the selection and tho training of the Home team was even moro marked and, coming down to the present we have the example of the Festival of bmpiro sports before us to show , that matters are getting worse nnd worse. And then the "Athletic News" says that its columns aro not tho place nor is now the time to suggest remedies. Then what is tho place and when is the time?