HARRIERS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 23

HARRIERS

Savidan Again Not Up

To Scratch

N.Z. TEAM’S SHOWING

Riddington and Stevens

Perform Well

(Bl-

Whipper-In.)

Improving vastly on the display given a week previously, the New Zealand crosscountry team gave a great performance to force a strong New South Wales side to a draw in the 10-mile track championship of New South Wales at Sydney ou Saturday. But gratified as one must be with the performance of the team there was again disappointment iu Savidau’s comparatively poor showing iu going under to J. Sheaves, the Australian crosscountry champion.

With such a reputation behind him, and in view of the fact that he nia.atained as easy a superiority over New Zealand distance men as he did when he was selected to represent New Zealand at the British Empire Games and the Olympic Games at Los Angeles, Savidan has made followers of athletics wonder at ms second defeat. The fact that Savidan was not able to match the speed of the champion and bis tiring badly toward the end. either show that Savidan was badly off form or that Sheaves was vastly superior to the Aucklander in every stage. The latter assumption is most unlikely, as Savidan off form would hardly fade away to such an extent. As in the 10,000 metre Australian championship crosscountry a week previously, Sydney comment gave it that Savidan failed in an effort to “crack up” the New South Wales man. Knowing Savidan and admitting that Sheaves is in the same class as the Aucklander I cannot see tuat a duel over a distance between live and seven miles should “break” Savidan if he were on form. Relative Form.

Comparisons are not always reliable, but if the performance of J. Riddington is considered relatively, it will be seen how poorly Savidan ran. Riddington covered himself in honour, running well above expectations, but'the fact that Savidan put only a margin of 9 seconds between himself and the Scottish runner at the tape, spoke for itself. Savidan was not the Savidan we have seen out here.

Any talk of his having slipped must be dispelled by his showing this year in varied company. He has won with as great supreriority against higher company, as in the_past. J. Sheaves, whom the Australian papers dubbed “a veteran,” has found a new’ lease of life. He is undoubtedly a man of class and as the manager of the New Zealand team (Mr. C. R. White) says, “should have a chance in the Empire and Olympic Games.” N. F. Cooper has that versatility so rare in cross-country men, the ability to come out and win a national three-mile event, and if his performance was excellent. it served to show how badly W. A. D. Pullar fared. Pullar has soma great performances in track events to his credit and for versatility is the match of Cooper. His lapse of form from the previous week might be ascribed to anything, bu I do not think climatic conditions could be the reason.

If anything was as surprising as Savidan’s form and that of Pullar. it was the performances of the two Wellington Representatives, J. Riddington and A. L. Stevens. Riddington’s chief virtue lies in his staying powers. He has speed enough in a hard cross-country event, but in track running he has not that sprinting verve so necessary in tolling stages. He has yet to make bis mark oyer a selected distance event. Stevens is a typical stayer and while in the “veteran” class can generally be relied upon to run up - form. A. R. Geddes, the young Otago runner, has evaded mention in the reports. There is often the opinion voiced that ail men selected in a national side should give a headline performance. This, admittedly, is what is looked for in tried runners to a reasonable degree, but iu consideration of young runners the benefit, of international experience should outweigh the matter of placing®. Geddes has it in him to capitalise on that experience, and it is this fostering of the young runners of promise that is going to build u,> the sport.

Ilf a “rush” tour when runners have to contend with many difficulties such as acclimatisation and different grounq conditions, the advantage invariably rests with the home team, and it is for this reason that the New Zealand team's performance in pushing the New South Wales representatives to a tie 111 the teams’ section, must be considered meritorious. Farnham, the New South Wales “individualist” in fifth place swung the decision in favour of a draw, as he was ineligible for a placing in the team’s aggregate.