ATHLETICS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10483, 13 January 1928, Page 7

ATHLETICS

AAfATEUR ATHLETICS

GISBORNE Cl TIB

The Gisborne Amateur Athletic and Harrier Club held their weekly programme on the Reserve last evening, beroro a large attendance of the public. The present temporary track i*3 rough in places, bdt within tlfe next week or two no doubt it will be much improved. The times registered were very good in each of the running events, but tho cyclists found the going very heavy, and so had a hard! push all the way. The results were as follows:

Ladies 100 yard's handicap.—First heat, Miss N. AVilson scr. 1, Miss E. Denton 6J- yds. ,2, Miss J. BealC 84 yrs.-, 3- Times 11 4-5 heat, Miss D. Dixey 10$ yds. 1, Miss E. Houghton 12 yds. 2, Miss_.J. Hamnia ri 8J yd's. 3. Time 11 3-5. Final Miss N. Wilson 1, Miss D. ’Dixev 2, Misk J. Haisman 3. Times II 4-5. The, winner ran nicely all the way, overtaking the leaders just 011 the tape, and" getting the verdict by inches.

490 yards handicap, (second distance Martin Aislabie Cup)—M.- McDonald 12 yds. 1, G. AAV Anderson 3( yds;, 2, O. Remnant 10 yds. 3. Time 52 4-5. Six competitors started, in this event, C. Remnant ran the fir'st 220 very fast and sot the back markers a good pace. At the entrance or the straight <G'. Anderson (37yds) was still leading. Here \V. Motionaid mado a big effort and challenged C. Remnant who, found the distance too far and was flowing up. The winner, easing up, finished about two yards in front of the second -placed competitor. Two Miles Cycle Handicap, (First Distance A.lgio Cup)—P. McMahon 35yds 1, E. Algie 60 yds 2, G. Goldsr.iith SO ydis. 3. Seven cyclists competed in "this event, F. Pollard retiring at the end of a mile. At the boll the field .was bunched, and no alteration was made until two hundred yards from the finjsh, where G. Goldsmith went uj> near the front. P. McMahon who was loading also put in some hard work and held the lead until he pn.s'sed the judges, winning by half a wheel. Time Omin. 26 3—5 seconds.

The officials wore:—Judges, Messrs 11. l'\ Forster, A. *S. Parker, F. Maher; time-keepers, A. AV. Mason, A. Ingram, and A. C. Swan; (supervisor, " Mr. P. Fulton; starter, Mr. Tj. Houlahan ; stewards, Messrs W. Jenkins, AV. Hankey, and R, Benson.

; ‘STRIDE’’ AND HTS CRITICISM. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your athletic writer “Stride’’ is bent on giving me a rough time, for, in his last few writings, I have been the material of solid straffs. Criticism is welcomed, but in fairness to all, such criticism should he in the interests of the sport and not untrue. While your writer is content with giving me a rap over the knuckles, he should bo consistent. “Stride” blames me for competitors winning at the Kaitoratuhi, Te Kara-K-a, and Ormond sports in times which do not give the hackmarkers a chance. Yet in the previous column lie says that at Ormond the 2'2oyds track' was undoubtedly short, that wind assisted the runners and that the track was heavy and that at Te Karaka, Tom Corkery got a “flying start.” Would not this account ior good times, and would not these conditions assist the competitors on front marks to retain their handicaps for a longer distance-’ Should the adjuster of starts be blamed for track measurements, wind, rain, unfitness, reversal of lorm and flying starts “Stride” has a mania for limes and back-markers are his lu;bby. He complains that the 100 yards at Ormond and Te Karaka were won in 10 2-ssec. Well, Paltridge, the hack-marker whom “Stride” writes of as being short of a gallop- has had credited to him—lo 1-5 seconds (twice) at the Oval on January 15, 1027, 10 2-5 seconds at the Reserve on March 25, 1027, and 10 2-5 seconds at Ormond on January l 3, 1927, lor the 100 yards distance, so lie could not have* been handicapped out of these races. Also lie; .did 12' seconds for the 120; yards race at . the Park Race Course on January 1, 1027. The Kniteralahi 120 yards event was won in 1.2 seconds, therefore he should have deadheated had he run up to form. The 120 at Ormond which “Stride” took great care not to mention, was won in 13 seconds. At Kaiteratahi, the 220 yards was won in 23 1-5 seconds, while Paltridge did 22 4-5 seconds at the Reserve on March 31 1927. The Ormond track “Stride” has admitted was undoubtedly short. The 220 yards at Te Karaka. brought forth sensational time, and 1 consider the winner started off a wrong mark, and told him sc. “Stride” knows as .well as Ido that. Frank Robbie cannot run 220 yards off 161 yards in 221-ssec. The 440 yards rimes at the three meetings, were put up by Jim Egan and Los Barker, who had their hm wins over that course, while Bill McDonald’s win wns : his second, the other being at the Reserve on kebruary 11, 1927, off 21 yards and won in 54 4-0 seconds. In the.Bßo yards at Ormond, Stan Smith Avon off 40yds. his win the. previous day (at Ngatapa) being in 2min. 6secs, off 60 yards, and the other win he has had oa'Cl' the like distance Avas made in 2min. 5 3-5 seconds off 50 yards at the reerve on February 19; 1927, H “Stridc”thinks it to be- in the interests of amateur athletics he should stir the winners' up ior improving. Should he blame a liandicapper for a runner’s improved shoAving? I notice- “Stride” mentions, that Stan Smith has six'Avins, one second and am- third for eight starts during the Christmas and Noav Year sports, hut he was unfair enough not to mention that three firsts and the third wouo in races not handicapped by me, but by a volunteer aa'lio made a better job of them than “Mr. Stride” could have done. Did hot “Stride” notice that in the 880 yards race at Ormond -,tan- Smith’s AviVi Avas from a field of M-rht in Avhich only: four finished and that in Hie one mile four started (one ~ cyclist) and only tAvo finished—a wsc of a I‘unners fitness, overcoming

•’'r+.wiwM cvm'otients, and surely not the handicapper’s fault Miss Nor- • u .. Wilson’S wins are also a hug-bear j to. “Stride.” Instead of being proud if seeing our Gisborne and Now Zealand lady champion imm-oving he is tbo opposite. Miss Wilson had to do 8 4-sspc in the 75yds and .11 4-5 TlU | 11 34> /twice) over the. ICO for I,or winsr If this js easy for a lady back-marker why is the standard I havo set for the men hard? ‘Stride’s’ .comments on the. cyclist handicapping ,and penalties occupy only one ipclyof' space, which shows ’lie is lop-sided and proves that his-heart is witlrW.

sprinters, -while lie is not sure of his ground amon(j-tlic pedlers. He also makes the misstatement that Jim Morcer AA'on at Te Karaka find Avas not penalised. H- -tell,- “Stride” that Jim iVtofcer avas'- pemlliscd, and that I my,s,elf placed him. on -Mas new mark. The cydlist AvilL hear me out that .'this, is-’so. .-‘‘Stride” also write-s that. .George Goldsmith. Avas penalised 25 yards for his win in. the halfmile at Ormond. This is ..also a misstatement ami a,-torn hibad guess. I Avas- the. only one in possession of the, Ormond handicaps for the following reason: On my arrival at the Ormond sports'- ground, I applied to Secretary Beattie for my allotted handicaps for the purpose, of adding the penalties earned fetf'Twins previous to the meeting, T whs informed that my adjustments..*,'had been mislai'd .and I then had to get to work .-(while “Stride” Avas fishing for material for his ‘notes) and do a fresh sot of handicaps. The copy,- never left my hands and -is still in my possession, AVhicli proves, “Stride’s” remarks to be without proof. The ham dicaps of the place-getters-in the various jjvents Avere- given to your representative fox' publication-by me after the .races were over. The cyclist hack-marker, Jack Douglas,, is not squealing over the results, as he never expected to do any Avinning. Alter the meeting I asked him Avhy ho could not get up to the fields, and ho informed mo. that lie Avas not lit, and that, after cycling a short distance. his legs-.Avo-uld give out.on him. If “Stride” would like to assist the Apart, I can gjve him a list of competitors Avho have, not paid their nomination fees to the country clubs. By publicitfj-f through his column, he could, perhaps, reduce this handicap. Sir, it is easy to pass comment on an official alter a race is von, so r hereby challenge “Stride” to-marne the Avinners before the start and to nominate the Avinning time, of the next OA'ent that 1 :handicap. If he can do . these tilings, then perhaps I Avill respect iris superior (-u knowledge. Trusting this letter in full Avill find space in your paper.—l am, A’ours, etc., ARTHUR C. SWAN.