HARRIER TITLES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 274, 15 August 1932, Page 13

HARRIER TITLES

Provincial Championships BAYNE’S GREAT RACE Over Difficult Course (Special—by “Whipper-in.”) Masterton, August 14. Running brilliantly, G. Bayne, national mile champion, outstripped formidable opposition to win the Wellington Provincial cross-country championship held from Park Oval, Masterton, on Saturday. Content to leave the pace-making in the initial and middle stages, Bayne placed himsClf in a nice position, but with apparent ease moved up two miles from home, find took the lead over the last Itrtlfmile. He had P. Wilson, the. Olympic club champion, as the most serious challenger over the last stages, but left him just before entering the park, and went on to will by over 20 yards. In the teams section Brooklyn pulled up near the finish, and inflicted a decisive defeat upon the Scottish holders. The B ehampionship went to A. Preston, of the newly-formed Hastings club, the teams championship going to another country club—-Masterton. . Better weather conditions than on Satdny could not have prevailed, the clear, still day and the prospect of fine racing drawing a record gallery. The Course. In the history of the championships there have been few more difficult courses than that used on Saturday. A start was made on the- park track, the trail leaving the east end, continuing eventually along Colombo Road, which was left for the paddocks after crossing the bridge. A detour, embracing every feature of crosscountry, was made for .over a mile, the trail reaching Colombo Road again at a lower point. It then led pfist the hockey grounds, and back to tho piifk. . The course contained nearly 80 fences in the two laps, and proved a severe handicap to the open-country runners. The B grade race started at 2.30 o’clock, the A grade, one hour later. . Seventeen teams of six runners entered, six being in the A and eleven in the B. In the report given below the competing clubs are designated as follow: —Olympic (O), Hutt Valley (H.V.), Hastings (H), Varsity (V), Brooklyn (B), Scottish (S), Masterton (M) and Wellington (W).. Tho A Event. Following the great burst of speed from the start enabling those with claims to the highest honours to win clear off the mark, P. Wilson (O) went to the front with F. B. Silver (S), the many select men being in close attendance. Leaving Colombo Road, Silver was in the vtin, Wilson, G Campbell (O), G. Prosser (B), D. Woodley (S). M. Cooke (W), G. Bayne.(H.V.), L. Hack (M) trailing closely strung out. A. L. Stevens (S),. although indisposed, was filling a middle place. At Colombo Road,, men who had not bten nearer than the first eight, had coine into the running. O. Roberts (B) captured plage after place, and soon identified himself with Bayne, who moved up past WilSon and. Hack at the hockey grounds. Roberts was in the van at half-way. Wilson had recaptured a place, and moved with Bayne following. Then came Haek, Prosser, SilvdP, A.. Barclay (B) V. Smith (H.V.), Cooke (W), C. Campbell (O) and many prominent teamers. ... The teams issue was still elusive, but Brooklyii, Scottish and Olympic were showing up best. At the return to Colombo Road from the paddocks, Wilson and Bayne were well Away together, Haek leading Barclay, who was continually coming through. Prpssser had moved up, and was in .® contending position. Roberts and Silver were fading, Lovfttt; and Smith also being relegated to the role of chasers. , Promise of Great Finish. Bayne and Wilson were pacing each other, both running with ease and freedom, which promised a great finish. WilSon opened up a five-yards lead halfmile from home, but Bayne reversed positions on entering the immediate environs of the park, and started out on a heartbreaking effort. He left Wilson standing, and running on to tho track, had fl 25 yards advantage. • Wilson closed slightly going around the track circuit, but Bayne finished an undoubted winner. Prosser set out after Wilson, but could not wipd out a thirty yards deficiency. The teamers provided exciting finishing, the. fourth Brooklyn man, D, Pederson, striding in well ahead of the foiirth Scottish man. INDIVIDUAL PLACINGS.I The A section Individual placings are as follow: — . ■, G. Bayne (Hutt Valley), STmln. 23sec. 1 P. Wilson (Olympic), 37mln. 27sec 2 G. Prosser (Brooklyn), 37rain. 32sec. .... 3 L. Haek (Masterton), STmln. 3Ssec., 4; A. Barclay (Brooklyn), 37mln. 45sec., 5; O. Roberts (Brooklyn), STniln. Msec., 6; F. B. Silver (Scottfeh), STmln. 57sec., 7; E. Lovatt (Olympic), 38min. 4sec., 8; V. Smith (Hutt Valley), 3Smln. lOsec., 9; A. Burns (Masterton), SSmln. 13sec., 10; C. Campbell (O.), 38mln. 21ssc., 11; M. Cooke (W.), SSmln. 26sec., 12; G. Woodley C. Campbell (O.), 33min. 2lsce„ 11; M. SSmin. STsec., 14; A. Hivon (S.), 3Smin. 47see., 15; A. L. Stevens (S.), SSmln. 40sec., 16; D. Pederson (B.), SBmln. 54sec., 17; S. McKinnon (W,), SSmln. Msec., 18; L. Rutherford (M.), 69niin. 3sec„ ID; G. Patterson (H.V.), 39mln. ISsec., 20. . TEAMS' SECTION. Brooklyn: Prosser (3), Barclay (5), Roberts (0), Pederson (17). Total, 31 points, 1. Scottish: Silver (7), Woodley (13), Hivon (15), Stevens (10). Total, 51 points, 2. Olympic: Wilson (2), Lovatt (8), Campbell (11), Bezer (31). Total, B2 pointe, 3. Masterton: Haek (4). A. Burns (10). L. Rutherford (10), W. Hack (24). Total, 57 pelntS, 4. i'; „ ■ Hutt Valley, 58 points, 5. ' Wellington, 61 points, 6. INDIVIDUAL PLACINGS. The B section Individual placings arc as follow:— A. Preston (Hastings), 3Smin, 36see. .. 1 A. Collett (Hastings), 30mln. Msec. ... - G. Parkihouse (Scottish), 30mln. 23sec. .. 3 J. Mulvey (Masterton), 30min. 41sec., 4; G. W. Buchanan (Scottish), 39min. 45sec., 5; E. Shaw (M.), 40mln. Osec., 6; V. Engstrom (M.), 40inin. lOsec., 7; L. Andrews (H.V-), 40min. 20se.c., 8: V. Tunbridge (S.), Wmin. 21sec., 9; A. Spicer (M.), 40mln. BOsec., 10; W. McDonald (M.), 40min. 43sec., 11; D. Cairns (V.), 40min. Msec., 12. TEAMS SECTION. Placings in the teams section are as follow:— 1 Masterton: Mulvey (4), Shaw (6), Engstrom (7), Spicer (10). Total, 27 points, 1. Scottish, No. 1: Parkhouse (3), Buchanan (5), Tunbridge (9), Ollfent (14). Total, 31 points, 2. Hastings;, No. 1: Preston (1), Collett (2), Holt (10), Jones (40). Total 62 points, 3. Varsity, 76 points, 4. Hutt Valley, 84points, 5. Olympic, 110 points, 6. Brooklyn, 117} points, 7. Wellington, 142 points, 8. Scottish No. 2, 153} points, 0. Hastings. No. 2, 157 points. 10. Scottish No. 3, 165 points, 11.

B GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP Easy Win by Preston Taking charge a mile before the completion of the first lap, A. Preston, Hastings, in the B grade championship event, had no difficulty in retaining a lead of well over 200 yards, which he established going through the second circuit. He ran cleanly and was little troubled by the sudden changes in the contour of the land. The teams’ event was considerably detracted of interest by the eleven clubs, who were changing places continually. Scottish and Masterton on occasions showed conspicuously, but the Masterton men eventually asserted themselves and pulled through well at the finish to lift the championship from the Scottish No. 1 team. The first two miles saw J. Mulvery

(M.) clear of the field, A. Preston (H.) trailing in a handy position. The order was reversed soon after clearing Colombo Road, the remaining middle runners continually picking up and losing positions. The finish of the lap, run in I6mim 20 sec., revealed the strain a difficult course was having on the men. Mobt of-the foremost contenders had dropped badly, and a slow pace was set throughout the second lap. Preston was leading easily; J. Mulvey, A. Collett (H.) following third, 30 yards away. The Scottish and Masterton men Were pushing through nicely, G. Parkhouse (S.), E. Shaw (M.), G. W. Buchanan (S.), V. Engstrom (M.) and L. Andrews (H.V.) coming through well ahead of the next bunch of men. At Colombo Road for the second and last time Preston had opened up a winning advantage, Parkhouse trailing Mulvey in third place. Shaw and Engstfom were the next Masterton men, Spicer, the fourth team man, lying about 12th. Reaching the Oval, Preston was assured of a 220 yards’ victory. Mulvey having a lead of 25 yards over Parkhouse at the tape. The Masterton and Scottish men came through rapidly, but the former clinched the position, .finishing strongly. D. Cairns, the first Varsity man home, ran into 12th position. COMBINED RUN HELD' Harriers who did not go to Masterton for the provincial championships Were invited by the Presbyterian club to join with them in their run from St. John’s Church, Willis Street. There were about seventy runners present, and these, divided into three packs, followed a s}-mile trail up to atid abound Brooklyn. . There was no run-m, but M. Stephenson (Presbyterian) was first man home, the packs being well Strung put. After the run, tho young women of St. John’s invited the runners to afternoon tea in the Bible class rooms. Mr. W. J. Ferguson, president, and D. Morrison, vice-captain of the Presbyteriait club, welcomed the visitors, and Mr. L. Bond replied on behalf of the other clubs. WANGANUI SUCCESSES West Coast Championships . Wanganui, August 13. Wanganui teams won both the A and B grade sections of the West Coast harrier chanjpionships, held over the Bramwell Memorial course at Wanganui to-day. In the A grade Wanganui was first with 1 1 points, followed by New Plymouth, with 24 points. In the B grade. Wanganui led with 67 points; Marton was second with 77 points; Wanganui second team third, with 88 points; and New Plymouth fourth with 107 points. The individual placings were: C. Weller (Wanganui). 1; K. Johnston . (Wanganui). 2; Brown (New Plymouth). 3; Smith (Marton), 4; R. H. Rose (New Plymouth), 5; G. Johnston (Wanganui), 6.