OTAGO CROSS-COUNTRY

Evening Star, Issue 23325, 22 July 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

OTAGO CROSS-COUNTRY

SENIOR TITLE TO GEODES COOMBS WINS JUNIOR TITLE SENIOR TEAMS' RACE TO CIVIL SERVICE CAVERSHAM TARE JUNIOR RACE The senior andl junior cross-country championships of Otago were held under ideal winter weather conditions at Wingatui Racecourse, and although the course was heavy it was in surprisingly good condition considering the weather earlier in the week. Ihe senior event was the thirty-first annual contest, while the junior event was the fourteenth. The fields were well up to the standard of previous years, all the leading cross-country men in Otago ana Southland taking part, with the exception of the previous champion, L. Dickison, who is not racing this winter. For the fifth successive year Civil {service accounted for the teams’ race, winning with 14 points to spare from Anglican, with Morningtou in third Pl Ray Geddes, the Civil Service champion, regained the title he lost last year. He took the lead actually from the start, and running with a beautiful easy stride was never extended; in fact, during the second lap he appeared to be only jogging. less, the time was good, and it would have taken a real champion to have downed him to-day. Second place went to the Mornington champion, lorn Kennedy, who went easily his best race to date, running strongly throughout. Third place went to George Austin, the Caversham- champion, who was the oldest man in the race. He Kept near to the leader during the farst lap, and running strongly over the second lap put up nis best performance in ttus trace, , i In the junior .race Caversham turned the tables on Civil Service, who defeated them at Invercargill last week. Teaming well, they won comfortably by 11 points from Mornington, with Civil Service in third place. . , Harold Coombs, the Celtic United 18-year-old runner, ran a very confident nice to win by 25 yards from Burrows, of Mornington, with R. Mai tin, the previous champion, in third place. THE COURSE The senior race was started three furlongs back from the finishing post, the runners thus covering nearly halt a mile on the racecourse before taking the sod wall and going through the bluegums on to the Boundary road, which was followed to MTherson s property. The runners here climbed a gate, turned to the right up a slight rise to the top fence, where a turn to the left was made, and undulating country covered over two paddocks, downhill through a ditch at the bottom and up the steep bill by the pines, then downhill through a very muddy path to Janefield road, which was followed to the Central Otago railway line, where a turn to the left was made, the railway line being followed tor about a quarter of a mile. Then a turn to the left was made through Gow s property diagonally to the racecourse, where a ditch had to be crossed, cornin'* on to the'course at the half-mile post and ronnd to the finishing post. This course had to be covered twice, a total distance of 10,000 metres (6* miles) and comprising 12 fences and two ditches each lap- , The junior race started half a furlong from the winning post, covering the. senior course once, a distance or three miles.

TROPHIES In -the senior race the winning team hold the championship banner for 12 months, while the individual champion holds the Fairmaid trophy. In the junior event the winning team hold the Taverner Cup. . The races .were for teams of six, the first four men home in each team counting for points, thus bringing them into line with the national event. In previous years six men were in a team, with five to count. JUNIOR RACE A field of 53 runners, representing six local clubs and the Invercargill Club, and individuals from Milton and two local clubs faced the starter. Leaving the racecourse Turner (Caversham), Burrows (Mormngton), I> Courcy (Mornington), Coombs (Celtic United). Martin (Toko.), and Ryan (Celtic United) comprised the leading hunch. Turning along Boundary road, Ryan had a 50yds lead from Coombs, Turner, Maydon (Anglican), Burrows, Martin, and De Courcy. The two Celtic United runners, Coombs and Ryan, were out in front going through the first paddock, with Burrows, Turner, Morrison (Caversham). Martin, and Walker (Civil Service), and Sutherland following. Coombs had dropped his teammate by the time the Pines were reached, and had a commanding lead from Burrows, Walker, Turner, Morrison, and Martin. Coombs, who was. running very freely along Janefield road, held his lead along the railway line and through the paddocks. Coming on to the racecourse with half a mde to go, Coombs had a lead of 70yds from Burrows, with Martin, the previous champion, 40yds further back; then came Morrison (Caversham), Arthur (Leith), Flockton, Turner. Sutherland, and M'Kersey. Burrows made a determined bid to catch the leader, but although he got to within 20yds Coombs sprinted strongly to win by 25yds from the Mornington champion, Burrows, with Martin, the sole Milton representative, 150yds further back in third place, Morrison and Arthur having a great duel 25yds further back, with Morrison just getting there. Then came Flockton, Turner, Maydon, and M‘Kersey. RESULTS H. F. Coombes (Celtic United) ... 1 W. Burrows (Mornington) 2 R. Marton (Toko.) ... ... 3 R. F. Morrison (Caversham) 4 N. Arthur (Leith) ... 5 E. J. Flockton (Caversham) ... ... 6 N. S. Sutherland (Mornington) ... / L. F. Turner (Caversham) 8 C. M'Kersev (Civil Service) 9 L. W. N. Gerrie (Caversham) ... 10 Time. 17min 45seo TEAMS' RAGE Caversham (Morrison 3, Flockton

5, Turner 7), 24 points ... 1 Mornington No. 1 (Burrows 2, Sutherland 6, Wallace 11, Gardiner 16), 35 points ... ...... 2 Civil Service (M*Kersey 8, Walker 10. Richards 13, Collins 14), 45 points 3 Celtic United. 50 points 4 Leith, 89 points 5 Anglican, 94 points 6 r "'-«rcargill, 118 points ... ... 7,

SEALED HANDICAP Celtic United, 66 points (handicap 40 points), 16 points; and Caversham, 24 points (handicap 8 points), 16 points (dead heat) ... 1 Mornington, 35 points (handicap 16 points), 19 points ... 3 As Caversham won the teams race, the sealed handicap goes to Celtic United. SENIOR RAGE An excellent field of 68 competitors, representing nine local and the Invercargill Club, lined up for this event, the competitors getting away to a fast start. There was the usual scramble for places rounding the bend, but passing the stand the field was already beginning to string out, the leaders being Geddes (Civil Service), Logan (Anglican), Mackinnon (Civil Service), Marrett (Anglican), Kennedy (Mornington), Barnes, Watson, Coutts, and Whittleston (Civil Service), Beatson (St. Kilda), and Paterson (Celtic United). Geddes and Mackinnon led along Boundary road from Kennedy, Logan, Barnes, Marrett, and Beatson. The order varied little over the next few paddocks, but after taking the hill by tne pines Geddes had a 10yds lead from Mackinnon, with Beatson in third place. Then came Logan and Kennedy. Geddes led on to the course, and with half the distance covered had a lead of 50yds from a bunch comprising Logan, Mackinnon, Marrett, Davie, and Kennedy ; then 50yds away came Austin (Caversham), while 25yds away were Hubber (Invercargill) 100yds to Beatson : then at intervals Moore (Mormngton), Coutts, Colston (Caversham), and Barnes. Geddes was bowling along very freely iri front, and although the bunch had closed up before the sod wall was reached he had opened up a lead of 100yds going across the country, with Davie, Marrett, Kennedy, and Mackinnon still running together. Cornin'* down from the pines Geddes had a further 50yds lead, with Kennedy, Mackinnon, Logan, Marrett. and Davie following. Kennedy had closed up to within 50yds of Ureddes by the time the course was reached, with Austin, who had made up a lot of ground, in third place; then Mackinnon, Logan, and Marrett together, Davie and Hubber. Geddes was still running very easily, and took things quietly round the racecourse to win by 60yds from Kennedy, who was flat out to beat Austin by 25yds, with Mackinnon 60yds further back, Logan and Marrett being together a further 100yds back, with Davie 200yds away; and Hubber, Colston Moore, Beatson, Coutts, Barnes, and Kennedy following, some of the runners being over a mile ana a-halr away. RESULTS A. R. Geddes (Civil Service) 1 T. O. Kennedy (Mornington) I G. L. Austin (Caversham) 3 W. Mackinnon (Civil Service) ... 4 A. Marrett (Anglican) ... 5 L. G. Logan (Anglican) o G. Davie (Anglican) ' A. Hubber (Invercargill) » G. R. Colston (Caversham) 9 C. Moore (Mornington) 10 Time, 35min 22sec. TEAMS' RACE CIVIL SERVICE (Geddes 1, Mackinnon 4, Coutts, Barnes), 30 points •" v 1 Anglican (Marett 5, Logan 6, Davie 7, Mornington (Kennedy 2, Moore 10, Munro 17, Crooke 19) 48 ... ... 3 Caversham, 54 ... ••• f University, 100 ... ® Celtic United, 119 ... ... ” Invercargill, 127 ••• < Leith, 160. .' - « Baptist, 161 ... ••• j* St. Kilda, 164 ... ... - - -10 Caversham No.' 2, 182 H SEALED HANDICAP Baptist, 161 points (hep. 180), 19 points ••• 1 Celtic United, 119 (hep. 120), 1 ... 2 University, 100 (hep. 100), 0 ... 3 The races were capably controlled by officials of the Otago Centre of the N.Z.A.A.A., the president (Mr C. VV. Clark) who presented the trophies after the races, being referee, while Mr S. S. George (secretary of the Harrier Committee) had charge of the secretarial duties, other officials being—judges, L. W. Woods, T. Ryan, R. Watson. E. J. Dorman; timekeepers, A. J. Holloway, W. E. Matthews, J. W. Tapp; course stewards, E. Freeman, R. Abernethy, J. Guthrie, and W. N. Connell; handicapper, B. R. M’Kernan; starter, H. J! C. M’Kenzie. L. R. M'Millan was an efficient Press steward. OTAGO TEAM The following team has been selected by the Otago selector (Mr B. R. M‘Kernan) to represent the province at the New Zealand cross-country championship to be held at Hastings on August 12-—A. R. Geddes, W. Mackinnon (Civil Service), G. L. Austin (Caversham), T. O. Kennedy (Mornington), A. Marrett and L. J. Logan (Angljcan). Emergencies; G. Davie and A. Hubber (Invercargill).