CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 6

CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

ANGLICAN WIN BOTH TEAMS RACES FULLAR SENIOR CHAMPION COLSON TAKES JUNIOR HONOUR For the first time the senior and junior cross-country championships were field on-the same day, at Wingatui, the senior over a 10,000 metre course, thus bringing it into line with the national event, and the junior over the usual three-mile course. ■ Three teams of harriers from Invercargill and one from North Otago made it a truly representative event, but the race for individual honours in the senior event was robbed of a lot of interest through the absence of last year’s champion, .1, G. .Barnes, who is suffering from an injured leg. and was unable to compete in the race. The senior race was contested by the excellent field of eighty-three competitors, rpresenting twelve . clubs, whilst eighty-four runners, representing eleven clubs, faced the starter in the junior race, including a few individual competitors. The races were run in drizzling rain, the track being heavy and slippery in consequence. Pullar, the present New Zealand 440yds hurdle champion, won the senior title comfortably after a good fight with his team mate. Allen. Colson, the promising young Caversham runner, led most of the way to win the junior title easily from the ’Varsity representative, Sutherland, both teams races being won very easily by the Anglican teams, who teamed well. THE COURSE. The senior race was started opposite the water jump, the runners covering half a'mile on the track before jumping the sod wall and going through the bluegums on to Boundary road, thou turning to the left, following the road, and over a gate into M'Phersou’s property. The runners then negotiated a slight rise, proceeding along a ridge, finishing with a short deep hill to the pine trees at the corner. Then downhill for about 300 yards to Janefield road, which was followed to the Otago Central railway line, thence a sharp turn to the left, the line being followed for 500 yards, striking across Gow’s ploughed paddock (about 440 yards), and over the gate on to the course at the half-mile post, along the straight, and past the stand, this course being covered twice, the course comprising twelve fences and eight gates. The junior race started 110 yards from the winning post, and covered the senior course once. SENIOR RACE. When Starter Burk got the field away Pearson (North Otago) at once rushed to the lead, but after the first three furlongs had dropped back, and passing the stand Ross (’Varsity), Pullar. (Anglican), Allen (Anglican). Walkci Anglican). Logan (Anglican), Morn'.-, (Cavers’- m). Whitfield (North Otagej, Curtis (Anglican), Geddes

(Civil Service), Donovan (Caversham), and Brown (Civil Service) were the leading bunch. Ross dropped back going through the bluegums, and Pullar and Allen led up the hill from Walker. Pearson (who had made up ground well), Geddes, Logan, and Morris.

The two leaders were cracking on the pace, and passing the stand with half the distance covered Pullar and Allen led by 80yds from Walker, who was 40yds ahead of Pearson, with Geddes 20yds away ; then came Brown, Morris, Curtis (Anglican), Stewart (’Varsity), Logan, and M‘Knight (Civil Service). At the top of the hill Pullar led from Allen, with Pearson, Geddes, Brown, Morris, Curtis, Stewart, and M'Knight following. Pullar was running very strongly, and opened up a gap going down Janefield road, and leading on to the course proper he had the race well in hand. Finishing strongly Pullar breasted the tape 100yds ahead of his clubmate Allen, who was "00yds ahead of Walker, followed 120yds back by the Palmerston runner Pearson, who was 80yds in front of Geddes; then at big intervals came Stewart. Brown, Curtis, Logan, Morris, and M'Knight. —lndividual Result.—W. A. C. Pullar (Anglican) 1 T. Allen (Anglican) 2 W. H. Walker (Anglican) 3 T. G. Pearson (North Otago) ... 4 A. R. Geddes (Civil Service 5 W. A. Stewart (University) 6 E. C. Brown (Civil Service) 7 I. Curtis (Anglican) 8 L. Logan (Anglican) 9 J. •). Morris (Caversham) 10 Time, 3(imin 43sec. —Teams' Race.—■ Anglican (Pullar 1, Allen 2, Walker 3, Curtis 8, Logan 9), 23 points ... ,1 Civil Service (Geddes 5, Brown 7, M'Knight 11, Garbutt 17, M'Kinnon 29), C 9 points 2 Caversham (Morris 10. Hebbard 12, Donovan 18, Frye 19, Robertson 25), 84 points 3 North Otago, 109 points 4 University, 173 points 5 Leith, 187 points 0 St. Paul’s, 195 points 7 Northern, 198 points 8 Caversham 11., 199 points n Invercargill, 227 points 10 Hanover Baptist. 291 points IT Dunedin, 309 points 12 —Sealed Handicap.—Northern (handicap 185), 13 points 1 Anglican (scr). 23 points 2 North Otago (50), 59 points 3 After the race Air C. W. Clark (vicepresident of the Otago Centre, N.Z.A.A.A.) presented the trophies to the winners and congratulated thou on their running. The race was ably controlled under difficult conditions by officials of the Otago Centre. JUNIOR RACE. From the usual scamper at the start Pullar (Anglican), Davie (Anglican), Greenall (Anglican), Colston (Caversham), Mason (Civil Service). Sutherland (’Varsity), and Broad (Hanover) led past the stand, the same bunch leading over the sod wall through the bluegums, on to the road where Colson went to the front, leading Pullar, Davie, Greenall, Johnson (Anglican), Day (North Otago), and Sutherland (’Varsity). Sutherland ran into second place going up the hill, Colson still holding the advantage, with Pullar, Davie, Johnson, Grennall in close at-

tendance. Down the hill to Janefield road Pullar went into the lead, but Colson collared him passing Gow’s farmhouse, and running strongly, sooned opened up a fifty-yards break on the field, Sutherland leading the rest of the field. Colson led on to the track by 150 yards, and running very easily, ran home a comfortable winner by ”a hundred yards from Sutherland, while a hundred yards away Davie, Pullar, and Johnson fought out a great finish, the three team mates finishing in that order. Whittaker, Abernethy, Muuro, M'Lachlan, and Callister finishing in that order. —lndividual Results.— R. G. Colson (Caversham) 1 A. W. Sutherland (University! ... 2 G. Davie (Anglican) 3 E. Pullar (Anglican) 4 E, Johnston (Anglican) ... 5 H. J. Whittaker (Caversham)’ ... 6 R. Abernethy (Caversham) 7 G. Munro (Mornington) 8 R. M'Lachlan (Civil Service) 9 J. Callister (Mornington) 10 Time 17min 39 3-3 sec. —Teams’ Race.— Anglican No. 1 (Davie 3, Pullar 4, Johnson 5, Greenall 17, Gave 19), 48 points ... 1 Caversham (Colson 1, Whittaker (i, Abernethy 7, Hebbard 12, Small 32). 58 points 2 Civil Service (M'Lachlan 9, Anderson 14. Coots -lts, Mason 24, Elifi’e 26), 89 points L. 3 Mornington, 130 points 4 Cargill Road, 161 points 5 Kt. Paul’s, 190 points y —Sealed Handicap.— Mornington, handicap 85, 45 points 1 Anglican No. J, scr, 48 points ... 2 Caversham, scr, 58 points 3 PREVIOUS WINNERS. —-Senior. The following it a complete list of previous winners of the teams race i winners of the individual championship being given in parentheses) 1906 Dunedin Harriers (H, Sharp). 1905—Dunedin Harrier* tC. H. Croker). 1907 Dunedin Harriers (H. G. Burk). 1908— Dunedin Harriers (G. M'Knight). 1909 Dunedin Harriers (J. Baatson). 1910— Caversham Harriers (J Beatsoa) 1911— Caversham Harriers (J. Beatson). 1912 Caversham Harrier* (J. Beatson). 1913 Caversham Harriers (J. Beatton)! 1914 Caversham Harriers (M. Mickolson). 1919 Pacific Harriers (D. C. Lister). 1920 Pacific Harriers (C. W. Frye). 1921 ' ■ "iK-an Harriers (C, W. f’rvs) 11.22—Anglican Harriers (D. C. Litter)! 1923—Caversham Harriers (J. W Tapp). 1924 Caversham Harriers (E. L Brown) 1925 Caversham Harriers (E. L, Brown). 1926 Carereham Harrier* (C. W. Frye). 1927. —Civil Service (J. \V. Tapp). 1928. —Caversham (J. G. Barnes). 1929 Caversham (J. J. Morris). 1930 Caversham (J. G. Barnes). 1931.—Civil Service (J. J. Morris). 1932—Civil Service (J. G. Barnes). 1933—Caversham Harriers (J. G. Barnes). —I miior.— 1916 Anglican Harriers (L. A. M'AHa n. 1917 Pacific Harriers (D. C. Lister). 1918— Pacific Harriers (D. C. Lister^.

1929—Alorninglon Harriers (W. A. Stewart). 19,'iO —Caversham Harriers ():J. Masters). 1931 Anglican Harriers (A. R. Geddes). 1932 Anglican Harriers (W. A. C. Pnllar). 1933 Anglican Harriers (I. Craig). OTAGO TEAM. 'lhe following team has been selected to represent Otago in the New Zealand cross-country championship at WingaIni next Saturday:— W. A, Pnllar, T. Allen, IV. H. Walker (of Anglican), T. G. Pearson (North Otago), A. P. Geddes (Civil Service), and J. G. Barnes (Civil Service) on condition That ho passes the dor-tor. Emergencies.—W. A. Stewart (’Varsity) and ,K. C. Brown (Civil Service).