ROAD RELAY RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1938, Page 11

ROAD RELAY RACE

.__ ♦ ; —; ■ '.. • MARTOfI TO WANGANUI

SCOTTISH HARRIERS WIN

Two teams of Scottish Harriers (Wellington) contested the Marton-Wanga-nui road relay rtfce on Saturday as defenders of trophies won ih last year's race. The course was from the Marton Post Office to Cooks' Gardens, Wanganui. Conditions were good, although a slight head wind troubled some competitors. A and B grade races were held—A grade for -the Young Cup, B grade for the Armstrong Shield. Entries in the A grade were from the Wanganui, Marton, and Scottish Clubs, arid in the B grade from Palmerstbn North, Wanganui, and Scottish. -■.-.. The A grade race resulted in a "win for Scottish (Wellington) by a narrow margin from Wanganui. and in the B grade the Palmerston North Club hadlittle difficulty in annexing the Armstrong Shield, thereby completing an unbeaten record throughout the season in inter-club events. The A grade event was. keenly contested throughout, and a desperate tussle at the end of the first lap saw Smith (Marton) hand over to his team mate a matter of yards ahead of R. Violich (Scottish). Benge, of Wanganui, was a short distance. behind, O. Henderson (Scottish) succeeded early in the second lap in establishing a fair lead and carried on to send R. Ballantyne away over a minute ahead of the second Wanganui runner, who had passed the Marton man. X.'Johnson (Wanganui) succeeded in reducing Ballantyne's lead. From this stage -the two leading teams gradually: . drew away from the Marton team. The high light of the race came in the fourth lap when • Cox (Wanganui), running brilliantly, quickly cut down the lead of .F. B. Suver (Scottish) - and with little more than half the lap gone was only a few yards behind the Scottish veteran. However, Silver fought back in a desperate manner and in, a great finish handedV over to T. Bartlett with a 50-yards lead. Bartlett gradually drew away from Hopper (Wanganui) and made the race secure for Scottish by a margin of 300 yards. The winning team's tune was 2 hours 17 minutes; . ..'".-.'■ T In the B grade race the Palmerston North team early established a lead on the Wanganui Club, The positions did not change, Palmerston winning by 2 minutes. The Scottish team was la long way back. . . ; } On account of counter-attractions I and difficulties in making the -trip, the ! Scottish teams were far from being *t full strength. Praise was due to F. Cox,, who in order to make a full team for the club in the B grade, .ran two laps. The visiting teams were exitertamed by the Wanganui Harrier Clv)» i after the race-at aoinner and.a danec