HARRIER RACE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 229, 24 June 1936, Page 15

HARRIER RACE

Scottish Club’s Open FiveMile Event

A WIN FOR KERSLAKE The first inter-club handicap harrier race for many years was held yesterday under the auspices of the Scottish Harriers and Amateur Athletic Club. The most outstanding feature of the ace was the brilliant performance registered by J. Riddington (Scottish), w.ho won the fastest time trophy with 26min. 54sec., which is exceptionally fast time for a five-niile road race. Riddington proved that his win last Saturday in the Dome Cup race was no flash in the pan, but he was forced to go all out to beat his club mate, A. L. Stevens, who ran an excellently judged race to gain fourth place and second fastest time with 27min. ssee.

Forty runners, representing practically every club in the Wellington district, faced the starter, Mr. T. W. Leslie. The course, which was of two laps, was from St. Giles’s Church. Kilbirnie, along the bay road to the Evans Bay power station, turning to the right and down Coutts Street into Yule Street, Endeavour Street, Freyberg Street, Childers Terrace, and back to the starting point at the Kilbirnie reserve.

Over the first lap very little change took place, except that Miller (Presbyterian) and Kerslake (Methodist) increased their lead over the rest of the field, while the remainder bunched up more. The second lap, however, told the tale. The fit men immediately clapped on the pace and left their less fit companions. At the end of the first lap both Stevens and Riddington appeared very fit, with Prosser (Brooklyn) hanging on very determinedly. Stevens clapped on the pace, but it did not appear tp make any appreciable difference to Riddington. who was gradually closing up the gap. With a mile to go, F. Kerslake appeared to have the race well in hand, and he went on to finish comparatively fresh from H. Miller (Presbyterian), with G. Appleby (Brooklyn) third. The rest of the field bunched rip near the end of the race, and niany spirited finishes took place. The following are the finishing positions of the first ten men, their handicaps being shown in parentheses:—F. Kerslake (Methodist), 31.21 (3.50), 1; H. Miller (Presbyterian), 32.13 (5.45), 2; G. Appleby (Brooklyn),-32.34 (2.2], 3; A. L, Stevens’ (Scottish), 32.35 (30sec.), 4; C. McCalman (Brooklyn), 32.43 (2), 5; J. Riddington (Scottish), 32.54 (scr.), 6; G. C. Prosser (Brooklyn), 33.19 (32 sec.), 7; V. Tunbridge (Scottish), 33.23 (40sec.). 8; F. Thorley (Methodist) 33.26 (1.40), 9; I). S. Woodley (Scottish), 33.30 (1), 10. Fastest times: J. Riddington (Scottish), 26.54, 1; A. L. Stevens (Scottish), 27.5, 2; G. C. Prosser (Brooklyn), 27.51, 3; V. Tunbridge (Scottish), 28.3, 4; D. S. Woodley (Scottish), 28.30, 5; C. Bruce (Scottish), 28.34, 6; G. Appleby (Brooklyn). 28.36, 7; R. Violich (Scottish), 28.37. 8; A. Congalton (Presbyterian), 28.38, 9; W. Hiscock (Brooklyn), 28.41, 10. At the conclusion of the race Mr. W. Ballantyne, president of the Scottish Harriers Club, thanked the various club? and officials for their hearty co-operation in making the inaugural race such a success. and then presented the trophies to the successful competitors.

A special trophy for the first first-year runner to finish was won by C. MeCalman (Brooklyn).