HARRIERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1866, 27 September 1913, Page 22

HARRIERS.

[CoNTUIIItTKD.J ■ THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS, The Brooklyn Club. Last ,Saturday w;i.s the eventful day of the. season for both the Saturday cluhs —it was the occasion of their-an-nual club championships. Both cluhs selected Minimal- for ihOir course, which was one lap (live miles), and pratieplly a circuit of the Jliramal- Hats. Brooklyn Club, with some twenty starters, siJt out from tho Miramar tram tcrmiiuis, and, according to report, the pace was made a cracker from tho start by C. .Murray, who is credited wiLh maintaining his lead until ontori»« tli« third mile. Hero he was passed by F. J. ISynic, who, on entering tlio harder amon<; (lie sand-dunes, greatly increased bis lead. The latter part of the course included about a mile of road, and competitors were greeted will) a fairly stilT head wind. At this stage Byrne had practically a quarter-mile lead from his nearest opponents. U. J. Ballantyne and 0. Murray, and was running with ease. Ballantyne appeared to be a little groggy, with Murray holding him easily, hut the latter must have held him too cheaply, as, in the finish. Ballantyne secured second place. The balance of the field were well strung out. tile distances between the various groups and individuals (excluding Byrne) ranging from 100 to IJO yards. The champion, l l '. J. Byrne, was clocked at .'Wntin. I7sec. 6. lliitton lilled fourth placo. A sealed handicap, run iu conjunction'with the championship, was won by I'. Harvey (3miji. olscc.), A. Olliver (3niiu. 16sec) was second. Wellington Club. The 'Wolliiigton Club anticipated a fair field of starters for their,.championship, but; at thn last moment, only ten faced the starlfcr. For some unaccountable. reason novices and other competitors who have hardly a chance ill the championship honours, seem to baulk at this annual event. The executive endeavours to induce them to start by running a sealed handicap in conjunction, but even this does/not have the desired effect. Some of the older hands express tho opinion that tho title of the race (championship) frighton? the/younger runners. The.v seem to imagine that it is an eyos-ou't "go" from start to finish, and liavo no desire to bo left at the post. Of the ten who did start sk wore fairly even competitors, and this in some degree compensated for tho small field.

The start was elfectecl from the old golf-house, Miramar, by Mr. J: 11. Pollock. R. Eagle immediately went to the front, with Press, Donaldson, Kerr, and Weston on his heels. W. Bennett came a cropper iu the first ditch, and lost considerable ground, which (against the. head wind) he was unable to regain. For the first milo the field was fairly .well bunched, but, with a lair wind, they soon strung out, and. at about two miles and a half, K. Eagle had a considerable, lead from Donaldson e.nd Press, who, in turn, were about 1(10 yards ahead of Bennett, the. rest of tho field being strung out over similar distances. In the last half-mile H. Eagle missed the trail. W. Press took up the running and arrived at.tlie. post first, being clocked at 33min. Bsoe. B. Eagle finished five seconds behind. AV. Donaldson filled third place (34min. Psee.). and W. Bennett fourth (34inin. KJsec.). The sealed handicap was won by ]i. Eagle (lSsec.), with V\'. Press (osec.) second. The Central Club. The Central Harriers' championship, which was decided at Miramar oil September 10, was. won by F. Hodson, whose time was recorded at under 28min. This undoubtedly indicates a much shorter course tiiau the stipulated distance (five miles). The mid-week club concluded its season this week with a wind-up run.from Hussell's tea-rooms, Karori. D. W. Rutledgo secured the attendance trophy; scoring tho possible. The trophy given for the highest aggregate of points in rnns-in was annexed b.v the secretary (C. Duck). The two Saturday cluhs will conclude their season to-day, Brooklyn Clubwinding up with a consolation handicap from Oriental Bay, while the Wellington Club will hold a short wind-up. run from Kelburne Tea Kiosk, and afterwards entertain their friends at afternoon tea, when trophies won during the season will be presented.