CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 21825, 14 September 1934, Page 10

CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

VISITING TEAMS ARRIVE The Wellington, Canterbury, Auckland, and Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay teams, which will compete in the New Zealand cross-country championship at Wingatui to-morrow, arrived by the through express last night, and were met at the railway station by the president of the Otago Centre (Mr E. L. Macassey) and other members of the centre. The Wanganui team arrived on Wednesday. Doubts existed regarding the ability of the present New Zealand cross-coun-try champion, J, W. Savidan, to make the trip, and, though efforts were made to get him away, he was unable to travel.

The teams paid a visit of inspection to the Phoenix Company’s factory this morning, and expressed pleasure at being afforded the opportunity of seeing through such ah up-to-date factory. This afternoon they inspected the course at "Wingatui, over which the race will be run.

To-night the annual New Zealand harrier conference will be held in the R. rooms, and to-morrow, after the race, the teams will be entertained at 6.15 at a dinner in "the Tudor Hall. On Sunday a motor trip has been arranged around the Otago Peninsula. C. Talbot, of Masterton, was to have nm as an individual, but owing to the fact that J. Riddington was taken ill at the last minute, Talbot has been included in the Wellington team. He is the Masterton champion, and twice tins year in Benson trophy races he led home C. Weller, the "West Coast champion, who was runner-up to Savidan in the national event last year. He showed a loss of form at the Wellington championship, and finished twenty-fourth, which prevented his selection, but he is expected to run well to-morrow. There have been changes in other teams, which will now he: — West Coast ( N.1.).-—C. Weller (capt.), A. Bourgeois, C. Hill, F. Hill, J. Pike, M. Radford. Wellington.—A. L. Steveus (capt.), G. C. Prosser, A. Barclay, D. S. "Woodley, C. Chalk, and C. Talbot. Auckland.—K. Pinson. J. Valder, B. H. Birtwhistle, J. Nicholson (capt.), G. Hill, Canterbury.—A. D. Park (cant.). G. H. Watson, W. G. Taylor, C. H. Matthews, G. S. Harrison, ami L. E. Fox. Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay—A. Lord, L. Venn (capt.),. B. Reid, A. Angus. Otago.—AV. A. C. Pullar, T. Allen, W. H. AValker, T. G. Pearson, A. R Geddes, and J. G. Barnes (captain). Individual Entrants.—W 7 . Sherlock (AA r est Coast, . N. 1.), A. Penberthy (AVest Coast, N.T.). AV. A. Stewart (Otago),, and E. J. Johnston (Otago). HANDICAPS FOR PRELIMINARY RACE. The following handicaps have been declared for the one mile and a-qnarter handicap, to be held at AAlingatui tomorrow prior to the New Zealand crosscountry championship :—J, Mann (Pac.). E. T. Reid (L.) scr, J. AVhitfiekl (N. 0.). A. Angus (AVest Coast, N. 1.), D. Fincham (N.), G. Davie (Ang.) osec, L. M'Millau (H. 8.) C. Pope (St.K.L T. Pullar (Aug.), A. Ross (0.0.) 10, A. Storer (Dj, ), R. S. Anderson (C.S.), F. Mouatt (Pac.), R. S. Moodv (Ang.), S. Ross (C.S.) 15, R. N. Watson (L.), A. Marshall (Dn.), J. Stark (Dn.), A r . Sturgeon (Dn.), T. Helv (Ang.) 20, V. M'Grath (Dm), J. M'Farland (Dm), F. Breese (Dm), J. Lorimer (Dm) 25.