Harriers FROM OTHER CENTRES HARRIER CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 12, 13 July 1935, Page 22

Harriers

FROM OTHER CENTRES

HARRIER CONTROL

KEEN RACING

PROVINCIAL1 EVENT.

B GRADE POPULAR

The Wellington provincial harrier championship, which was to be held at Lyall Bay this afternoon, over the same, course as will be used for the national championship next Saturday, promised to be keenly contested in both the A and B grades. The B grade' race drew large entries, Brooklyn entering three teams, Wellington two, Methodist two, Scottish three, and Olyrrjpic, University, Hutt Valley, and Presbyterian one each. The two Masterton clubs had. also entered B teams as well as A grade teams.

The A grade race was expected to be a close tussle between the Scottish and Wellington teams, there " being very little difference in the ability of the first four men in each team. In the B grade teams' race, Scottish' Harriers appeared to have the fastest combination,- although some of, the younger clubs would be able to make a good showing if their teams were to chase the leaders instead of Tunning their own little, race among the tail-enders.

.The race for'individual honours, and also; for. the: first' six places, which ..would.be trie.first step towards qualifying . for .a- place in • the. ■ New Zealand team,'.promised to be most exciting. G. Pfosser was favoured for the championship, but C. Chalk has been in wonderful condition and promised to put in a strong challenge. J. Riddington and A. L. Stevens would be well to the fore and strongly pushed by D. Pedersen, M. Cooke, E. Woodley, A. G. Bagnall, and J. McConchie. There was a possibility of some of the younger runners coming to light, and Masterton runners were expected to show up well on the solid course.

The Auckland, Canterbury, West Coast North Island, and Otago centres held their provincial- championships last Saturday and their' teams are undergoing special training prior to the. national championships.

The Auckland team is:—J. W. Savidan, N. F.. Cooper,-C. Little, W. Briggs, R. McKenzie, A. Harding; emergencies, J. Bi-Vaider- and A. G. Hill.' J. Nicholson and W. Birtwistle are entered as individuals. '■

The' Canterbury -Centre has chosen eight runners, from whom six will be selected .after special training. The preliminary selection is: A. D. Park, G. H. Watson,. R, Rogers, M. W. Busby, G. R, Clothier, L. E. Fox, E.Bissett, and T. Bartlett.

The team to represent Otago is:— W. Pullar, A: R. Geddes, J: G. Barnes, W: A.'Stewart,: E. D. Craig, and T. Allen. Subject to a, trial, the emergencies will'be G. G. Pearson and S. Curtis. ; . ■ ■ ,

It is evident, on.reading the remits to the harrier conference which were published recently, that there is a strong move for a changed system of harrier control. i ■ '' '.

The question of utilising fees from the hundreds of registered harriers throughout the Dominion is to be raised. At present all the registration fees go to the N.Z.A.A.A. along with the athletic registrations. The Auckland. Centre suggests that the fees be put into a .separate fund under the present control. ■ . ■

There are other matters, suchi as dates of. races and courses, which require earnest consideration. , If a move, is to be made, it would be in the best interests of the sport to make it a definite'one. so that the new organisation could settle into a smoothly-working body.

The time has come when a-definite understanding, .is. necessary about what constitutes a good cross-country course. In England,, fences are obstacles to be used only in steeplechase races, but hills are quite in order in a crosscountry race, it is impracticable to hold a cross-country race around : a racecourse with artificial hurdles, and the test would hardly be sufficient. There is increased difficulty in the cities of obtaining land to run over, and the time will come when races will either have to be run in country districts or on the roads. There is no reason why road-racing, should not be more popular, as the city clubs run on the road a great deal at present, and most of the training is road work.

It is to be hoped that the conference will insist that dates for important events will at least be settled at the beginning of each season. There has been too much juggling of dates during the last few seasons. A postponement of some weeks in the middle of the season is upsetting to runners training to a schedule.