On the Track

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 61, 15 March 1924, Page 18

On the Track

UNSOUND POSITION LACK OF FUNDS NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. COMING EVENTS. VttTCh 17—Evening Meeting (Marist Club). Xarch a?- 'Viijon Benefit Meeting, Athletic !'».«■- : .ipiil 19—Meeting at Porirua. April 10—Country Clubs' Championships, at Masterton. April 21— X.Z. University Championships, Athletic Park. (By " SPEINTEH.") If the weather at Dunedin to-day is anything like that which has ruled- in ■Wellington and elsewhere during the week, the competitors at the New Zealand championships will not have a pleasant time, and the meeting will not meet ■with the success it deserves. It is to be hoped, however, that Dunedin will be wearing its best weather cloak". Unfortunately the chamiponships were forced to be held later than has been usual in other seasons, and for the future the -New Zealand Council should see that the. meeting is not left until near the end of the season. The entries, as published this week, suggest that there, is a lack of interest in the New Zealand championships this year. " For some events they are fair, but on the whole they are disappointing. A' reason may be supplied at the conference in Duntdin, and, whatever it is, the council hould make a point of devising ways and means of improving the position for future championship meetings. From information gathered by the writer it is evident that some of the centres are pretty well "on the rocks" in the matter of finance, and, of course, the council is none too well off in that respect. This has no doubt a bearing upon the somewhat poor total of entries for today's championships, as those centres .■which have sent representatives to Dunedin have been unable to find the amount of money that would enable them to be well represented without calling upon athletes to bear a portion of the cost of sending them to Dunedin. It is understood that the Auckland representatives were called upon to pay the whole of their expenses. That does not speak well for the public support given to the sport in the North. The position is bad enough in Wellingon where'two or three thousand people usually turn out to an afternoon meeting, but even this centre ■was not well enough off in the matter of .finance to cover the- full expenses of the team. Canterbury's position is indicated by the small team sent to Dunedin, and by the following item- from a Christehurch paper: "M'Holm, who also ■will be manager of the team, offered to pay his own expenses if Low were selected. It was decided that, should funds permit, W. J. Batstone (pole vault) and A. E.^Laing (mile) should accompany the team.". These things make the position of amateur athletics in this country far less_ bright than people may be led to believe by the fine performances which are put up from time to time, and notably at the recent Australiasian championships. The sport cannot be carried on.without finance. It- is in need of being placed on a much more solid footing, and this should be a matter for the urgent consideration of the New .Zealand Council. Visits from overseas ' athleiw would no doubt have a beneficial efrct financially and otherwise. . '

At the New Zealand championships, today . tnere. are only two present champions defending their titles. They are J. W._ Shirley (Auckland), who won the high jump championshio last year, ami G. Harvey (Wellington), who'won the pole vault last year.

There are fair fields for the 100 yards arid 220.yards events, but the finish in both cases should rest between Ti-acv (Wellington) and H. D. Morgan (Otago), wth.W. L. Elliott (Auckland) as a possible surprise packet, and C. H. Jenkins (Wellington)" a likely place-getter. Tracy, on present form, should'win both events, and nothing should stop him from winning the 440 yards championship, in which his most dangerous of three opponents is Charlie Taylor (Canterbury). Taylor and Tracy had a keen tussle over .the quarter at" Christchurch last Saturday, hut it is doubtful whether Taylor will be able to reverse positrons with Tracy. Taylor will have a better chance of success in the half-mile in which Wellington will "be well represented by Melrose and.Campbell. The Wellington pair will keep Taylor busy all the way, as either of them should be able to cover the journey in the time i?.min'.2 2-ssec) recorded by Tavlor last (Saturday. __ " The entries for the mile and three miles events show that "Wellington has an excellent chance of success, better in the mile than in the three miles. Form points to Melrose for the mile, but the Otago men should keep Dufresne, with all his improvement, at a fairly good gait all the way. . The hurdles" events may find the Aucklanders. Gribbie and Shirley, in form good enough to win, but the opposition for the Wellineton man, Lander, docs not appear to be" as'strong as was expected, and he has a reasonable chance of being first or second. M'lntosh..(Wellington) and Mackenzie (Otago) are having the walking events to themselves. That there should only be two walkers at the championships is most disappointing. The high jump championship should be, retained by Shirley if his form is right, but Wayte (Otaao) may be difficult to dispose of. Wilton's chances w" success in the broad jump and the hop, step, and jump are quite good.' It will come as a surprise if he is beaten in the broad jump. The pole vault will be a "go" between G. Harvey and Batstone, with the Wellington man on top. Harvey (Wellington) hopes to give M'Holm a hard tussle for supremacy •with the .hammer. Brown and Morgan should be able to gain points for Wellington in other fieid events, but Dunbar (East Sydney) looks to be a sure winner of the javelin event. The entry of only two teams for the relay is another matter for regret, particularly as relay racing has become popular ' the world over. Wellington's team should "be capable of heading off Otago. The ladies' championship ought to show that Wellington possesses a, champion in Miss Swinburne. It is possibD, however, that Miss M'lveil (Auckland) may keep pace with the WeV'ington lady, "The cycling ' events should be interesting matches, with the Oakley brothers (■Wellington) and Grant (Auckland) standing out as the principal competitors.

Although Wellington is without the services of soniu of its best athletes, the prospects of the shield remaining in the possession of tiiis centre are exceedingly bright^-mare so than they were before the entries were announced.

Present New Zealanc! champions who are not defending their titles to-day are:—G. A. Plummer (hop, step, and jump); J. W. Merchant, America (javelin, hammer, and shot); C. G. Krogness, America (120 yards hurdles); K. Grifferi (880 yards and one mile); M. M. Kirksey, America (100 yards and 220 yards); P. Munro (discus); F. C. Hickling (one and three miles walks) ;H. E. Wilson (440 yards hurdles); R, ' X. Boss lihxee milflali W. 8.. Buckhuxst

(broad jump); and W. Candy (440 yards). A southern writer says that it is quite possible that the Otago runners will effect several surprises at tho New Zealand championships to-day. CANTERBURY MEETING. j Canterbury athletes had a big day last Saturday for their championships; the weather conditions were excellent ' and competition was keen, but the attendance was not up to the mark desired. The track was hard and fast, and quite a number of good performances was recorded, although the fields in some cases were not as largo as is the rule in Wellington. The Canterbury Uentre had to choose an unfortunate day tor the. meeting, as there were numerous other attractions. Tho centre, however is not to blame for the choice of the day; m fact it had little choice. Use of the park by cricketers, and the dates oi the Australian and New Zealand championships left last Saturday as practically the only day available for the holding of the sports. It was unfortunate that the Canterbury flyer 4 L Lewis, injured a tendon while training during tho week and was unable to com PfVl?- Us absence gaye1-L. A. Tracy, of Wellington, a walk-over in the two sprint events. Both these runners represented rvew Zealand at the Australasian championship meeting, and their meeting on Saturday would" have p* - vided some thrills. ■ r In reviewing the various events the Sun states that, taken as a whole, in the championship cv ents Were very creditable. Tracy and Ji. Low, of Canterbury College, both shone particularly brightly. Low who won the athletic championship of Chr' T%£°?' High Sc*°ol « 1919 1920 and 1921 has now come to the front as one of. the best all-founders in Canterbury. On Saturday he annexed the WJI f°V he 20yds hMdl» J "40yds hurdles, long jump, and putting-the-nth the 100 yds and 220 yds championships, and then proved his ability to fight out a. hard tussle, by beating C H . Taylor and C. L. Rigden in the quarter: mile, after a, great race. He ran with splendid style and action, and should have no difficulty i n taking the two sprint titles to Wellington from the i\ew Zealand championship meeting, although the Canterbury representative, laylor, should give him another great ace over the longer distance. When it is considered that he wasn't bustled in t>,inn™. 06, 1"3 ,times o£ 10 X'ssec for the 100yds_ (equal to standard time) and SLj iV" » the 220 yds < 3-ssec Olltside standard time) Were very good day W ioh? (C-A.A:C!) started the day well by winning the throwin S -thehammer championship with a throw of 132 ft 7m which is 2ft 7in better than the standard, and later he won the discus event with a throw of 104 ft 7in. •J- H. Hall Otago University) was runner-up i n each event, and a\so jumped sft Sin to tio in the high jump champions U p with W. H. B. BuckCst ( ffi ■ ?°' h° pad the Penalty °f interW r'l?1"? 2- J- W" Caldel' (C^terbury College) won the hop, step and jump with a distance of 42ft s/Z W J. Batstone (Ashburton A.A.C.) won the pole vault, clearing 10ft O^in. B Roper (K,rwee A.A.C.) was the only other competitor., * With Lewis eliminated, Canterbury is poor m sprinters, as Tracy demonstrated. G H. Maxwell (C.A.A.C.) and C..&. Mackwell V.M.C.A.) filled the places in the 100 yds, -and C H. Good man (C.A.A.C.) and C. L. Rideen (C-» terbury College) did likewise' ii the I but none of them looked like | a sprint champion beside the Wellina ton man. b

The best race of the day was the quarter-mile championship. Only irTi r\ dT' ,and C" H- T^' C.A.A C.) started, and the first-named took the lead, the others keeping very close up With hah' the distance covered Ridgen crew level with Tracy/and then sprinted, but the Wellington man replied to the challenge, and TaX also turned on some more speed. Coining into the straight fc was anybody's race and then Tracy took the lead laylor put in a strong challenge, arid the pan- raced together for tho tape, droppmg Ridgen. Tracy jumped ahead .over the,last-yard or two, and won by a foot in the fast time of 52sec, which is equal to standard time: C H. Taylor proved beyond doubt that he is the best half-miler in Canterbury and G. G. Lockwood (Canterbury College) and W. W. Bra sington (Canterbury Co!lege)-tho only other starters-could not get to within manyyards of him. He won by 20yds in 2mm2 2-ssec. He did not start the mile, which was won easily by A E Lamg (Christchurch Harriers) in 4min 40sec. P. w. Large (H. 5.0.8.), who Was second, and R, D. Wood (Ashbureis. llie three miles championship resulted in a win by 350 yds for H. F. Ault College). Ault won in 16mm 47 4-ssec, and finished fresh. He did the first mile in smin 15sec the second in smin 44sec, and the third in smin 47 4-ssec. Three others ~started out only L. H. Heslop (Canterbury College), finished. NOTES. 4iH\ E\ V i!°°n' who was injured at , the Australasian championships, is due |to arrive vrom Sydney on Tuesday A , sports meeting on i,i s behalf is to be jheld at Athletic Park on Saturday [ next and judgmg by the programme which has been arranged the public are being treated to one of the best meetings conducted locally. The cause is deserving of hearty support, and it is hoped chat those who enjoy good sport will roll up m large numbers. Those who attend the meeting will have the oppori tumty of seeing a number of New Zealand champions in action, and there will also be two Australasian champions— i iracy and Munro. R. A. Rose is. -etill in hospital at Masterton, but is now reported to' be making satisfactory progress towards recovery from tho operation which he underwent recently. A question that.is being discussed in , local_ athletic circles is: "Why was [ Tracy not one or the first nominees for j the team to go to the Olympic Games?" I It is difficult to understand why those in I control of the sport in this country overi look tho excellent claims of the champion sprinter. I An- attraction for Saturday week is the Victoria University inter-faculty sports meeting at Athletic Park. The students are always capable of providmg^ a good sports menu. The evoning meeting under the auspices of the Marist Club', which was postponed last Monday on account of bad weather, is to b e held at Athletic Park next Monday. It has been decided, to make a start at 5.45 p.m. sharp with tho programme, the first event being a 440 yds handicap.. Other events will be: 755 yds Irish Free State Cup, 100 yds, 100 yds ladies' race, two-mile cycle, boys' race, and probably a relay. -. N. G. Gribble, off 3yds, won the 100 yards- event at the Auckland Club's carnival last Saturday. The time was 10 l-ssec. W. L. Elliott (scr) was second in a heat, run in 10 2-ssec. Shirley cleared sft Bin in the high jump, and won the 120 yds hurdles event from Byds behind in 17 2-Ssec. Vallance (scr) was third in the mile, the time for which was 4min 41 3-ssec. H. G. Reed won the Victor Lindorum Cujp 8 points.