HARRIER REVIEW

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 275, 16 August 1932, Page 14

HARRIER REVIEW

Contest for Provincial Championships BAYNE’S SUPERB AVIN

(By

“Whipper-in.”)

Another provincial championship is behind us, and to those who affirm it was not up to the high standard usually attained there is one reply only—that the others were poor shows indeed. From a spectator’s point of view the championship was perhaps the best within memory, and from the. viewpoint of the contestant it was perhaps the hardest. The course was unequalled for its sudden changes in contour, and embraced practically every cross-country feature; but few of the city entrants bargained for such a number of fences—close on 40 for the two laps. Many men used to flat and varied country with a sprinkling of obstacles were put to a serious handicap. but it must be said there were few if any men robbed of places on this account. It was contended that there were far too many fences, which, however, had the most noticeable effect of making the ' times about two minutes slower than usual.

The damp flat land offered many difficulties, and it was seen that the men with spiked shoes had a distinct advantage over those who had sand shoes. The course certainly thinned out the weaklings and served to show the champion runners to advantage. The contest for the A grade championship proved to be one of the few which contained little or no surprise in. the real sense of the word.

The top men all ran to true form — excepting A. L. Stevens, who should not have been competing on account of indisposition.

Bayue’s Superb Win. G. Bayne’s win was superb, and once again we have had the disappointment of not seeing him forced right to the tape. No doubt Wilson pushed the pace throughout, but that he did not hold Bayne for the last 440 yards either showed that he was incapable of maintaining the great pace he himself set or that Bayne to no outward appearance ran over the last 300 yards “all out.” Bayne stated that he was not pushing himself unduly, and felt capable of calling upon a reserve sufficient to withstand tho strongest challenge. This statement need not tax the credulity. It is quite evident that Bayne, who had made no special preparation for the event, will fall little short of national honours on Saturday week. He is certainly exceptional and can only bo compared with the great Randolph himself.

P. Wilson was not discredited in his defeat. He more than showed that touch of brilliance of a few years back, and proved there is no sound logic in the sporting tag, “They never come back.”

The superiority of G. I’rosser, Brooklyn champion, and, up till Saturday, provincial champion, may be said to be short-lived. One of the best holders for years, Prosser has not fallen back, but was overshadowed by superior opposition.

Masterton Representative. For the first time in four years Masterton have produced a Wellington representative. He is L. Hack, who showed his worth when given a trial on Saturday. He is not of the rugged type, but his fortitude in standing up to such a race proves he has enough grit to pull him through anything. A. Barclay, one of the few remaining veterans of class, has again come forward and placed himself in the Wellington team. Year after year he has recorded his name among the first six, and on Saturday, although opposed by younger and more brilliant men, secured a top place. A runner who might have been concerned with the issue had he Barclay’s experience was O. B. Roberts, another Brooklyn man. With A. L. Stevens indisposed enough to be virtually out of the race, an additional burden was placed on F. B. Silver, who has never failed, even with his restricted time for training, to give it a go. On Saturday he was fit, and carried the Scottish banner grandly. For the first time since 1924 he has failed to make the representative team proper, but as he is an emergency his services may be required yet. E. Lovatt, the new Olympic star, Is really an exceptional newcomer. Although a novice runner at the beginning of the season, Lovatt was in the picture the whole time. • He has a promising future. V. Smith is still good, but stiffer opposition deprived him of another place in the representative team. A. Burns, the second Masterton man home, is not brilliant, but is a steady team man. C. Campbell has had his day, but is still able to contribute a useful figure to the Olympic aggregate. M. Cooke, A. Morris, and S. McKinnon were confident and Ct, but for some reason had to be content with minor places. L. Watson is a shaldow of the representative Watson of last year. T. Mulcahy worked hard for his team, but failed to ■make an impression. H. Ellis (Scottish) is not right yet, but worked bard as usual. The B Men, If there was any shod; received on ■Saturday, it was by the B men, who saw A. Preston lift-the title with little effort. Preston, like L. Brown, of Taranaki, at the New Zealand championships in 1930, entered the lists unheralded and unsung, but also, like Brown, received much priiise. It is a credit to the Hastings, club that they can produce a Wellington champion iu the first year of their existence. Preston showed real brilliance, and perhaps magnetically drew a club mate. A. Collett, into second place. Both are good men, and show unusual promise. G. Parkhouse, the strong Scottish claimant, ran well throughout, but found it too hard to make up the leeway gained by Preston and Collett in the last mile. J. Mulvey ran well for Masterton, but again failed to collect the title. An effort, of real merit came from G. W. Buchanan, who has progressively moved from a middle place runner to a top B man. He is clearly out of the ruck. Tunbridge was as gratifying as Olifent was disappointing. A. Carter has slipped hopelessly. Shaw and Engstrom were most prominent in sustaining the Masterton concerted team effort. The Varsity men all finished well, and were complimented on their showing. Brooklyn Teaming. In their observations from the beginning of the season, few followers of the sport made allowances for a probable return to form of the whole Brooklyn team. As decisively as they were beaten by Scottish last and this year, they turned the tables on their greatest rivals of the last three years. The Scottish men, virtually without Stevens, were not vanquished, and fought the issue all the way. The real surprise of the day came from the Wellington team, which collapsed almost to a man. They have been building solidly this year, and yet fell below their Dome display. Hutt Valley, without Bayne, must have been well out of the running. As it was they just escaped the “wooden spoon.” ’ Except for a deplorable tail effort. Olympic went with the best. A good tail man. and they will press the issue close. Mnsterton, essentially men of cohesive effort, were up against stronger opposition. and consequently were overshadowed. ' Tho B teamers did not have the 1931 Scottish possible-scoring team to contend with this year, but had in Masterton a pretty "rod substitute. Tho • X’mgs of most of the clubs were irregular, and except for tho Scottish display the teaming fell below the standard. Summarily the A section exceeded the standard set lest year, and excluding worth of grades quite outshone the efforts of the B grade teams.