HARRIER RACING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 96, 6 April 1934, Page 14

HARRIER RACING

THE HASTINGS PACK Season’s Bright Prospects MUCH ENTHUSIASM SHOWN (By “Paperchaser.") With track athletics now definitely finished for the season, a large number of Hastings and Napier ath'etes are already preparing for the cross-country season, and Indications point to a very successful year for the Hastings Harrier Club. This will be their third season of activity, and being a sport that is gaining a big hold in the district, members are confident that the coming season will see an even greater number taking part than in previous years. The annual meeting of the Hastings duh i.s to be held in the near future, and it is predicted that it will be a very enthusiastic gathering. I believe there are quite a number of new runners who are leaving the football field to join in the healthiest of all winter sports. Very attractive programmes have been arranged during the past two seasons and this season should see an even more attractive itinerary, as the club intends to go even further afield with their weekly runs. Support of Napier Runners. The most pleasing feature of the activities of the Hastings Harrier Club is the large number of Napier athletes who are on the roll, and it ha* been very gratifying to record the perfect harmony that has ruled at all times. Last year an attempt was made to form a club in Napier, but this fell through for lack of support. A meeting has been arranged for next week, I understand, for the same purpose, but whether anything will come of it it is hard to say. The Napier athletes who are at present members of the Hastings club have signified their intention of retaining their connection. Napier is rather unfortunate in that it has not the environs for enjoyable country runs, and although the formation of another club in the district would give the sport a good lift, it ie much better to have one thriving club than two with small memberships. Past Season In Review. Although the annual report will no doubt give a complete summary of the activities of the club last season, it perhaps will not be amiss to give * brief review of the main events. The club championships were held over a marked course of 10,000 metres, or about 6| miles, and it was pleasing to see a good muster of over 20 runners. Although a substantial win w*e secured by the honorary treasurer, CoL bourne Wright, who did the distance in 39min. 44secs., the race was very interesting. The club is indebted to Messrs Stickland and Bryant for the donation of two certificates for this event.

The Hastings club was represented by two teams, an A and a B, at the Wellington Provincial championships, at which 25 teams took part. The Hastings representatives performed very creditably in both grades* a particularly good performance being put up by C. Wright, who finished in eleventh position out of a field of 66, doing the 61 miles in 37min. 34secs. The event was won by A. Stevens, who is the Hastings club’s delegate on the Wellington sub-committee, in 36.05, so that indirectly at least the Hastings club was victorious. With the raising of the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay provincial district to centre status, however, will mean that Hawke’s Bay championships will have to be held this year, and the Bay representatives will have to compete at the New Zealand championships as a separate body. The most pleasing feature on the season’s programme is the inter-change of visits between the Masterton and Hastings clubs, and these contests are always eagerly looked forward to. Last season the honours were even. At Hastings, the local club scored an undoubted victory by 86 points, members of the team filling the first five places. In this event the Angus Cup was up for competition for (he first time, and was won by M. Cameron. In order to further advance the activities of the club, a road race between Hastings and Napier was included in the programme last season and this event was an outstanding success. Twenty runners took part, and it was indeed creditable that 16 of these finished the complete course. A surprise win was recorded by Ron Poppelwell in the good net time of 1.37.57, this runner finishing a gcod six minutes ahead of the next man. An excellent race was put up by C. Wright from scratch in 1.24.00, easily the fastest time, and to run into fourth position after conceding handicaps up to a 22.30 limit was really very creditable. The club was also presented with a cup by Mr. C. Forsvtb for this event, and it was main’v on this account that the race was hold, Brieht Prospects. With all these successful functions to look back on, member* are enthusiastic of the prospects of the coming season, and an enthusiastic membership is the first big step to a successful season. There is no doubt as to the popularity of the Hastings Harrier Club, and this fact is well borne out by tho increasing number of invitational runs that are included in the programme each season. With a large representation from Napier this season, it will be natural for tho seusiders to expect runs in Napier, so that an even greater field will be covered during the coming season. There is also prospects of at least one trip to Danncvirkc, where our old friend, Alan Preston has formed a club and we join in wishing this club every success, I am certain that the Hastings club will he only too ready to give every assistance to fo«ter the sport in Southern Hawke’s Bay.