CENTRE ATHLETIC MEET

Evening Star, Issue 21631, 29 January 1934, Page 4

CENTRE ATHLETIC MEET

SCRATCH RACING EVENTS One of the features of the Otago Centre (New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association) evening meet at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday was the double win scored by the Hanover Baptist Club, whose representatives won both mile events. The A grade mile resulted in a comfortable victory for I. Craig, who has done all that has been asked of him this season, and is now a strong candidate for championship honours. O. A. Broad, of the same club, won the B grade mile in very fair time for this grade. The meeting was held in good weather, and a Tight south-westerly blew over the ground, favouring the sprinters a little. Competition in the A grade was disappointing, but in the 100yds A. B. Thomson ran another good race to win in 10 2-ssec. In the B grade there was some good racing, one of the best performances being J. G. Hannah’s win in the 440yds in 55 3-ssec. For the first time at an open meeting electrical timing apparatus was used, this being the invention of Mr S. Anderson, the prominent Leith and Otago representative cross-country runner. It is worked on the electro-magnetic principle, and proved a most successful innovation. Results (Ang., Anglican; C.S., Civil Service; U., University: L., Leith; Car., Caversham; Han.. Hanover Baptist; M., Mornington; St. K., Bt. Hilda) : 100 YARDS A GRADE. A. B. Thomson (C.S.) 1 W. A. C. Pullar (Ang.) 2 R. IV. Maskell (U.) 3 Eight starters. Thomson was slow away, but came with a driving finish to beat Pullar by half a yard, Maskell a yard back third. Time, 10 2-ssec. 100 YARDS B GRADE. First heat: W. Pettet (Ang.) 1, J. S. Shepherd. (Ang.) 2, H. J. Tyrie (C.S.) 3. Eight starters. Half a yard each way. Time, 10 4-ssec. Second Heat: B. Spiers (U.) 1, R. Pilling (Ang.) 2, H. J. Hall (C.S.) 3. Six starters. Won comfortably by two yards, a yard between second and third. Time, 10 3-ssec. —Final.— B. Spiers (U.) 1 R. Pilling (Aug.) ... 2 J. S. Shepherd (Ang.) 3 Spiers got away well and finishing strongly won by 11yds, inches between second and third. Time, 10 3-6 sec. 440 YARDS B GRADE. J. G. Hannah (Ang.) 1 F. Williams (C.S.) 2 E. Ashby (L.) 3 Eight starters. . Hannah jumped into the lead from the start, and moving down : the back straight opened up a gap of five yards. Striding very smoothly, lie led into the straight and put in a fine finish to win by ten yards, five yards between second and third. Time, 55 3-ssec.

ONE MILE A GRADE. I, Craig (Han.) 1 J. 11. M'Laren (Pac.) 2 A. R. Geddes (C.S.) 3 Only starters. Geddes led out, followed by Craig and M'Laren, the lastnamed going into the lead at the end of the first lap. Craig was biding his time, but led at the half distance. M'Laren again went to the front in the third lap and led by two yards at the bell. Along the back, a furlong from home. Craig shot to the head of the field, M'Laren endeavouring gamely to respond, but being unable to sustain his effort. Craig sprinted into the straight, hut eased up over the last forty yards to win by 15yds, Geddes 30ytls back third. Time, imin 43 1-5 sec.' 100 YARDS’ LADIES HANDICAP. Miss H. Ferguson (Byds) 1 Miss N. Rout (2yds) 2 Miss C. Batchelor (lyd) 3 Six starters. Won by 2yds, a yard between second and third. Time, 11 3-ssec. ONE MILE B GRADE. C. A. Broad (Han.) 1 J. S. Asher (C.S.) 2 L. Waugh (Ang.) 3 Eleven starters. Broad ran a soundly-judged race, and at the half distance was in second place, behind Coupon, with Waugh third, and Asher lying fifth. Broad and Asher were both handy at the end of.the next lap. and timing his sprint nicely Broad won by 3yds. inches between second and third. Time, 4min 53 3-ssec. 880 YARDS RELAY HANDICAP (Four 220’s). Civil Service No. 1 (F. E. Smith, E. L. Botting, J. Gerken, and A. B. Thomson), scr 1 Anglican (J. S. Shepherd, R. Pilling, W. A. C. Pullar, and W. Pettet), 6yds 2 University and Hanover Baptist Combined (B. Spiers, C. A. Broad, A. Clark, and R. W r . Maskell), 10yds ! ... 3 Six starters. Civil Service No. 1 took the lead entering on the second distance, Botting running a fine furlong to place the issue beyond doubt, Thomson, the last man, winning as he liked. Time, Imin 38 3-ssec. HOP, STEP, AND JUMP, A GRADE. A. K. Chirnsido (M.), 37ft 7in ... 1 K. Miller (Cav.) and R. Pilling (Ang.), 86ft llin. (equal) 2 Only competitors. This event was held in the old pit, and owing to the approach a number of competitors would not compete. All three placed men are capable of over 40ft, but under such bad conditions could not be expected to do near their best. HOP, STEP, AND JUMP, B GRADE. H. A. Brown (St. K.), 35ft 9in ... 1 A. Chisholm (C.S.), 32ft 6in 2 Only competitors. The same conditions prevailed as for the A grade. CHAMPION MAY NOT COMPETE. There is every possibility that J. G. Barnes, the New Zealand one-mile champion, will not defend his mile and three-mile titles at the Otago amateur athletic championships on Saturday. The Civil Service athlete has been handicapped this season by an injured knee, which prevented him from starting training until well on in December. During the past few weeks lie has taken every opportunity of competing in an effort to strike form, but has been unable to do so. Barnes told a ‘ Star ’ reporter on Saturday night that he realised that he was hopelessly out of form, and that there was little chance of his competing in the Otago championships next Saturday.