HAMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 229, 26 August 1938, Page 3

HAMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS.

WEST COAST FIXTURE. The West Coast harrier championships will be held in Palmerston North for the fipt time tomorrow afternoon. The race, a two lap one of 61 miles, will commence from the Y.M.C.A: at approximately 2.30 p.m. Fifty-eight of the host distance runners in the West Coast district, representing clubs from New Plymouth, Wanganui, Taihapc. Marton, and Palmerston North, will ho participating. Tho course, which can be followed easily by car or bicycle,/ starts from the Y.M.C.A,, thence along Grey and Russell Streets to Boundary Road. Tho runners take to the paddocks about 300yds along Boundary Road from Russell Street, and the going is then fairly heavy for the next mile. On reaching the second deviation cutting the course doubles back along the paddocks, coining on to the road at North Street again. From there the rurincm come through the paddocks at the back of North Street, through the High School grounds, along Ngata Street on to Grey Street again. This completes the first lap, a distance of 31 miles.

Tho following arc tho teams and runners participating:— Marton. —A team: F. Hill, D. Smith, G. Bromley, M. Hunt, M. Griffen and W. Edge. Palmerston North. —A team: C. Weller, S. Oxenham, N. Hearse,v, K. Galloway, R. Lamberton, and J. Scott. B team: C.'. McVicar, D. McCardlo, L. Hawthorne. H. McDonald, J. Spall and S. McVicar. Wanganui.—A team: H. K. Johnston, A. Bevcge, C. Cox, H. Clarke, H. Hopper and F. Hiddlc. B team: G. Hallam, W. J. Carr, G. Ravenwood, C. Harper, A. Clark and L. Stephenson. New Plymouth.—A team: H. J. Brown, W. Balfiom, J. Pike. J. Mason. J. Pearce, and G. Hodgson. B team: L. West. J. Welham, J. Aburn, S. Balsom, F. Morinc, and T. White.

Taihapc.—A. Thurston. D. T. Treadwell. R. Spence, C. Arthur. T. Nicholson, and K Walker. Individual runner?. —W. Hill and J Taylor (Marton), J. Worley (Palmerston North), A. Pemberth.Y and N. Grant (Wanganui). K. Brinsley, K. Sneaton, J. Millar (Now Plymouth). On present form the issue in the, A grade appears to be between Marton, Palmerston North and Wanganui, with odds slightly in favour of Marton. The B grade refits between Palmerston North and Wanganui. Some of New Zealand's bett distance runners will be competing, including C. Weller (Palmerston North), present New Zealand and West Coast champion. The following are brief sketches of some of the. best known perform era: — C. Weller (Palmerston North), present champion, is 24 years of age, and is at the peak of his form at present. He has represented the West Coast at Dominion cross-country championships for the last eight seasons. He jumped into prominence in 1933, runnling second to Savidan at Wanganui when only 19 years of age. He has been West. Coast champion 1932-34-35-36-37 and New Zealand champion 1936-37. With the exception of J. W. Savidan, Weller is probably the best cross-country runner produced in New Zealand since the War. , , . , N. Hoarsey, another local runner, is also in fine form, and although only a young runner should make the West I.oast team for the New Zealand championships at New Plymouth this season. H. J. Brown, of New Plymouth, who is staging a comeback after four years 'absence, is likely to be Weller’s mast serious opponent. Ho has won the West Coas title on four occasions, the last time in 1933, when ho defeated Weller. He ran second to Randolph Rose at Hie New Zealand cross-country, championships at Wellington in 1930, and was a member of the victorious West Coast team at Wanganui in 1933, filling fifth place' on that occasion. .. . 11. K. Johnston (Wanganui) is a runner of wide experience, being runner-up in the West Coast championships on several occasions and was third at the New Zealand championships at Wanganui in 1933. He also ran well during the track season over the one-mile and three-mile distances. C. Cox (W'anganui) is another young runner who should do well F. Hill (Marton) has been runner-up at the West Coast championships on the last four occasions. Ho is &n excellent runner and has done well at New Zealand . championship meetings. D. Smith, W. Edge, and G. Bromley, who have distinguished themselves at West Coast and Now Zealand championship meetings, help to make Marton formidable in the teams race. Edge finished ninth in the New Zca.and championships at Timaru last season and G. Bromley has finished third on the last two occasions at the West Coast championships. D. Smith has a good record for track running. Taihapc is entering a team for the first time and little is known of their ability. In the B grade Wanganui and Palmerston North are verv evenly matched and there should not be much between them at the finish. . , t, i H. McDonald, one of the Palmerston North runners, has a good record in track running, being a very good performer m the 880vds and one-mile distances.