HARRIERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 68, 29 September 1928, Page 22

HARRIERS

BENNETT MEMORIAL SHIELD WON BY WELLINGTON , CLUB . ■ . . ' \ i (By "Paperchaser.") Despite the atrocious weather -conditions last Saturday, this season's interclub race for the 'Bennett Memorial Shield, over 6$ miles of road, did not lack any of its old enthusiasm when sixty runners assembled at the Basin Reserve to start on the journey. The event was controlled by the Wellington sub-harrier centre, and was run in conjunction with the Palmerston North to Wellington cycle road race. The arrangements left much to be desired, for, apart from making a late start, the officials responsible were unprepared in the way of tally boards, while the point recording at the finish of the race was below requirements. These matters should be attended to in future races. Starting from the Basin, the runners commenced their journey by covering one lap of the green. Fully thirty runners, however, had failed to make themselves conversant with the course and set off in an opposite direction, finding to their dismay that they had to turn back and catch up with the pack. Wilson led the field into Riddiford street, followed by Porter, Bayne, and Marshall. At Constable street the company began to string out, and entering Kilbirnie Reserve Silver, was in front, with Stevens and Bayne a few yards back Fifty yards back, came Wilson, Morris, Pederson, Shepherd Porter, Campbell, Whelan, Andrews, Hivon, and Sinclair. At Point Hal Swell Stevens and Silver had a fifty yards lead on Bayne. The Wfcllington. Club runners at this particular stage wore showing fine team generalship, and were running well bunched together. Coming into Oriental Bay Stevens stepped out twenty yards ahead of Silver, with Bayne still fifty yards back. Andrews had come up into fifth place, while Pederson, who appeared distressed, had dropped back and was now lying sixth. In the home straight Stevens retained the lead, and on reaching tho Basin had established a sixty yards advantage, to eventually win by this distance in the excellont time of 33min 19sec. Bayne put in a splendid finish, and overhauled Silver a. hundred yards from home to securo second place, beating his opponent by ten yards. Tho next in order were Wilson, Morris, Shepherd, Andrews, Pederson, Whelan, Bibby, and Hivon. Tho remainder of the field came in rapidly at close intervals. Wellington won the teams' race with the following runners:—Morris; Shepherd, Whelan, and Mulcahy, Hutt Valley was second on the list, with Olympic third, Scottish fourth, and Brooklyn fifth. In the B grade event honours went to Olympic, "with Wellington second, and Brooklyn third. The harrier season will be definitely brought to a close next Saturday, when' members will engage in a knock-out football competition for the Ingram Cup". For two weeks now the clubs have been training vigorously, and last Wednesday evening the Eutt Valley Club used tho Hutt Eugby gymnasium for training purposes. The contests will bo held at Lyall Bay, and only registered harriers who have competed in not less than threo runs are eligible to play. Any club "ringing in" outside players will forfeit any game they may happen to win.