CROSS-COUNTRY RUNS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 13, 15 July 1935, Page 6

CROSS-COUNTRY RUNS

PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

SCOTTISH SUCCESSES

Despite the keen northerly wind and recent rain, the going was good when the Wellington provincial cross-ioun-tfy championships were decided at Lyall Bay on Saturday over the new 10,000 metres course, which is to bs employed again next Saturday for the New Zealand championships. Scottish Harriers not only retained the A and B grade titles but also provided the winners in the both grades.

J. Riddington, who was second last year to C. Prosser, showed great improvement on his last year's performance, and beat his opponents easily, having a lead of about ninety yards on Prosser at the finish. Riddington ran especially well over the last two miles of the race.

There were eleven teams ot six runners in the A grade race and fifteen in the B grade event. Scottish had a hard fight to win from Brooklyn, and retained the shield by only two points The Wellington Club's runners hung together most of the way, and were'rewarded with third place, but runners from outlying, districts were outclassed in both grades.

The race started-on the main road on the western side of the bay, as the heavy surf made it impossible for them to start on the beach. The course ran across country to the Rongotai aerodrome, along the fence nearly to Moa Point, and behind the golf links across to Monorgan Road. Through part of the aerodrome the trail led again to near Moa Point, and the.lap was covered again, following the sea road back to the finish, in Onepu Road. The following abbreviations represent the clubs participating:—Scottish Harriers, S; 'Brooklyn, B; Olympic, O; Wellington, W; University, V; Hutt Valley, H.V.; Kiatere, X;: Methodist, M; Masterton, Mast.; Presbyterian, P. S. McKinnon (W.) was soon in the lead in the A grade event, followed closely by D. Pederson (B.), O. B. Roberts (8.1, D. Woodley (S.), A. G. Bas;nall (V.), G. Prosser (B.), J. Ridding-, ton (S.), M. Cooke (W.), A. L. Stevens (S.), C. Chalk (W.), J. McConchie (W.>, and A. McKay (W.). Scottish were leading at this stage in the teaming, with Brooklyn and Wellington close behind. Kiatere were doing fairly well halfway back, but the other Wairarapa representatives were tailing the field.

The runners began to string out over the back country, and Scottish and Brooklyn were still leading. The order as the runners left the aerodrome was O. B. Roberts Riddington, and Peder son, and Prosser a few yards back. Stevens was next, and then came a long gap to Chalk. Bagnall, Richardson (O.), Tunbridge (S:), McKinnon, Scoble (S.). Cooke, Quayle (K.), and McDonald. Several runners here took the wrong turning, but they quickly recovered, although Prosser lost almost twenty yards through the mistake. : . . At the aerodrome, Riddington was still in the lead, followed by Roberts and Prosser. The last-named was forced to stop for a few seconds with "stitch." The leaders were now ; sbme distance ahead of the other rminers, anof U seemed that Riddington had the race well in hand. Prosser passed Roberts easily, but Riddington went harder than ever, .and had a lead of about a hundred yards on-him when he finished strongly amid applause;, Prosser finished well, and; Roberts' followed twenty yards away. '■' .• : I Results of the A grade? race are as follows: — .■■•■".- - ■' '. ■

.\ Riddingtoh (Sj. -36niitl llsec .. 1 G; C. Prosser (B.),\36rain 29see ..2 O. B. Roberts (B.), 36min 36sec .. ■ 'A A. L,. Stevens (S.),'3Ginin 41sec .. ■ 4

D. C. Pederson (B.)>*36min -'4Gsce, 5; a Chalk >/;(W,.);; 37minilsec,- ;• Mil G. Bagnall <V^,^37min:/4sec,i 7;' E. Richardson (O.), 37min' 32sec, 8; M. Cooke (W.),*37min 36sec, 9;' S ; . McKinnon (W.)i'37mm 37sec, 10; A. Mackay (W.),' 37min 43sec, 11; H. Scoble (S.), 37min 46sec. 12; V. Tunbridge (S.), 37min 46sec, 13;. F. H. Thorley (M.), 37min 51sec. 14; D. Woodley (S.), 37min 57sec, 15; A. O. Dare (M.), 38 mm 4soc, 16; W. .McDonald (K.), 38 mm 7sec. 17; M. Quayle (X), 38min 7£sec, 18; R. Garhham (O.), 38min 10 sec, 19; E. Lovatt (O.), 38min 27sec 20; J. McConchie <W.), 38min 36sec, 21; A. Barclay (B.), 38min 45sec, 22; D. K. Scrymgeour (V.). 38min 48sec, 23; T. Price (U.), 39min,.3Jsec, 24; R. Greeks (K.). 39min 15sec;-25; R. Ingram (M.), 39min 19sec, 26; P. Wilson (0.),39min 22sec, 27; W. Burgess (X), 39mih 23

sec, 28; R. Violich (S.), 39min 26sec, 29: A. O. Fisher (O.), 39min 35sec, 30. The placings of tho teams were as follows:— Scottish. —Riddington 1. Stevens 4, Scoble 12, Tunbridge 13; total, 30 points. Brooklyn.—Prosser 2, Roberts 3, Federson 5, Barclay 22; total, 32 points. Wellington.—Chalk 6, Cooke 9, McKinnon 10, Mackay 11; total, 36 points. Olympic.—Richardson 3, Garnham 19, Lovatt 20, P. Wilson 27; total, 74 points. Kiatere. —W. McDonald 17, Quayle 18, Greeks 25, Burgess 23; total, 08 points. University, 9G points; Methodist, 108 points; C.V.M., 146 points; Hutt Valley, 150 points; Presbyterian, 190 points; Masterton, 190 points. B GRADE EVENT. Led smartly by D. Sutherland (O.), the Scottish No. 1 runners, Cowan, Garty,. Elleray, and I. Holmes, came through in a bunch as the aerodrome was cleared for the first time. Wellington and Brooklyn were next best in the running, but the visiting clubs, Masterton and Kiatere, were well back, Presbyterian, Hutt Valley, and Scottish No. 2 mixing things freely in middle places. D. Viggars was the first University runner through, T. Mulcahy, captain, and W. Owens heading the Wellington men. Hard pacing over the lap saw W. Owens (W.) go to the front, D. Sunderland falling back to the middle runners. The order on leaving the aerodrome for the second time was: Owens, Garty (S.), Mulcahy, Fitzgibbon (B.), McGregor (B.), and Elleray (S.). Cowan (S.) had fallen back, as had Holmes. Black, Scottish No. 1, was going well up. Brooklyn were running strongly with Scottish No. 2 and Kiatere making a fair showing. At this stage Scottish No. 1 had 28 points, Brooklyn 37, and Wellington 60 points. Entering the aerodrome Garty had taken over, from Owens, who reversed positions soon after. Elleray was some 30 yards away, and Cowan had moved up past McGregor. Racing down the beach road, Garly had' again gone ahead, and with Elleray pushing past Owens, a Scottish final was to be witnessed. Four hundred and forty yards from home Elleray had joined issue with Garty, and both men continued at a fast gait. Some 120 yards from home the pressure was applied. Both men raced to the lane of spectators together, matching stride for stride in one ; of the most desperate finishes for years. Garty appeared to get home by inches, but a declared dead heat merited the great efforts of the runners. With Cowan home into fourth place, the strong Scottish position was clinched by R. Black, who went well over the last mile and a half to fill eighth place. Brooklyn No. 1 teamed fairly well throughout, but owed third place to a weak Wellington fourth man.

The Wairarapa men were never in the picture, and they were, however, too far back to make any impression. J. Garty and B. Elleray (Scottish

No. 1), 38min 41sec, dead heat 1 W. Owens (Wellington No. 1). 39min 3 H. Cowan (Scottish No. 1), 39min ssec ... ■. 4 R. McGregor (B.), 39min 5 2-ssec, 5;

T. Mulcahy (W), 39min 23sec, 6; W. Hiscock (B.), 39min 36sec, 7; R. Black (S.), 39min 46sec, 8; V. Filzgibbon (B.), 39min 47sec, 9; T. Hurley (H.V.). 39min 54sec, 10; H. Walls (P.), 39mm 56sec, 11; J. Blanchfield (O.), 40min, 12; H. Brady (W.), 40min 27sec, 13; I. Holmes (S.), 40min 32sec, 14; P. Porter (V.), 40min32 2-ssec, 15; I. Watson (B.), 40min 40sec, 16; D. Viggars (V.), 40min 43sec, 17; A. Thomson (B.), 40min 48 sec, 18; I. Hulme (O.), 40min 53sec, 19; A. Harris (P.), 40min 59sec, 20. TEAMS' SECTION. Teams' section results are as follows:—Scottish No. 1: B. Elleray li, J. Garty I£-, H. Cowan 4, Black 8; total, 15 points.- Brooklyn No. 1: McGregor 5, Hiscock 7, Fitzgibbon 9, Watson 16; total, 37 points. Wellington No. 1: Owens 3, Mulcahy 6, Brady 13, H. R. Thomas 24; total, 46 points. Presbyterian No. 1, 79 Olympic, 90-V points; Hutt Valley, 124 points; Scottish No. 2, 128 points; Brooklyn No. 2, 171 points; Kiatere, 181J points; Masterton, 1914 points; Wellington No. 2, 252 points; Methodist, 268 points; Pre*byterian No. 2, 288 points.