HARRIER CHAMPIONSHIP

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 231, 29 August 1938, Page 12

HARRIER CHAMPIONSHIP

WEST COAST TITLE. WELLER SUCCESSFUL. Taking the lead as soon as the field of forty-nine runners had settled down, C. Weller, New Zealand champion for the past two years, stayed in front all the way over the 63 miles course for the West Coast (North Island) harrier championship held at Palmerston North on Saturday and won the title for the sixth time. Setting a torrid pace, Weller soon established a break on the rest of the field, showing too much stamina for the opposition, and he finished very freshly a clear 200 yards in front of the Wanganui runner Hill. Weller was not fully extended and came home strongly. The course started from the Y.M.C.A., thence along Grey and Russell Streets to Boundary Road. The runners took to the paddocks about 300 yards along Boundary Road from Russell Street and the going was then fairly heavy for the next mile. On reaching the second deviation cutting the course doubled back along the paddocks, coming on to the road at North Street again. From there the runners came through the paddocks at the back of North Street, through the High Street grounds, along Ngata Street and on to Grey Street again. This completed the first lap, a distance of 3J miles, and the second lap was over the same route. For the first two miles of each lap the runners found a.heavy wind, and they found the going hard over part of the deviation. The Palmerston North harriers put up a very good performance, seeing that it was only the third year of the club’s existence. Place-getters were as follow:

C. Weller (P.N.), 35min 17sec ... 1 F. Hill (Marton), 35.50 2 K. Johpston (Wanganui), 36.17 ... 3 H. Hopper (Wanganui), 36.27 4 H. J. Brown (New Plymouth), 36.28 5 D. Smith (Marton), 36.45 6

J. Scott (P.N.), 36.59 7 M. Hunt (Marton), 37.11 8 D. G. Treadwell (Taihape), 37.14 9 C. Cox (Wanganui), 37.33 10 F. Riddle (Wanganui), 36.46 11 K. Galloway (P.N.), 37.50 12 W. Edge (Marton), 37.52 13 S. Oxenham (P.N.), 37.59 14 H. Clarke (Wanganui), 38.2 15 D. McArdle (P.N.), 38.4 ....'. 16

L. Hawthorne (P.N.), 38.14 17 W. J. Carr (Wanganui), 38.24 18 O. Harper (Wanganui), 38.25 19 A. Griffin (Marton), 38.46 20 Next to finish were A. Bevege, G. Ravenswood (Wanganui), C. McVicar, H. McDonald, J. Spall (Palmerston North), L. Stephenson (Wanganui), J. Pike (New Plymouth), W. Balsom (Wanganui), J. Pearce, and J. Mason (New Plymouth). AVanganui narowly won the A grade teams’ race and Palmerston North the B grade division. Placings were as follow:—

A Grade. —Wanganui (H. Johnston, A., Bevege, C. Cox, H. Clarke, H. Hopper, F. Biddle), 28 points, 1; Marton (F. Hill, D. Smith, M. Hunt, M. Griffen, W. Edge), 29 points, 2; Palmerston North (C. Weller, S. Oxenham, N. Hearsey, K. Galloway, R. Lamberton, J. Scott), 34 points, 3. B Grade. —Palmerston North (C. McVicar, D. McArdle, L. Hawthorne, H. McDonald, J. Spall, S. McVicar), 80 points, 1; Wanganui (G. Hallam, W. J. Carr, G. Ravenwood, C. Harper, A. Clark, L. Stephenson), 85 points, 2. There were many followers to watch I the event, the starter being Mr C. M. I Stagpoole and the judge Mr J. Eagle (president of the Palmerston North Club), who wished the runners the best of luck before the field was dispatched. Coming across the deviation on to North Street the first time, Weller had a 75-yard lead on Hill, who was fifty yards ahead of a bunch consisting of Cox, Johnston, and Smith, who were followed by Hopper, N. Hearsey, and J. Brown, the latter of whom was making a “come-back” after some years, and had twice previously held the title. Weller’s early pace obviously had tlib field in difficulties, and he completed the first lap in 17min. 4sec., being 25sec. ahead of Hill at that stage. Following this pair were Johnston, Smith, Cox, Hopper, Bevege, N. Hearsey, Brown, and Oxenham.

After crossing the deviation to North Street the second time, Weller had increased. his lead on Hill to 100 yards, and was going just as strongly as in the first lap. They were some distance ahead of Johnston, with Brown, Hopper and Smith next in a bunch, and Scott following. They finished practically in that order. Weller came in easily 200 yards ahead of Hill, who was over 100 yarn's in front of Johnston.

Subsequently, at a meeting of club delegates, it was decided to recommend to the executive of the West Coast Centre that the next championship fixture be held at Wanganui. Runners recommended as the centre’s representatives in the New Zealand championship to be held at New Plymouth on September 10 were C. Weller, F. Hill, K. Johnston, H. Hopper, H. J. Brown and D. Smith, with J. Scott and M. Hunt as individual representatives.

Afternoon tea was provided by a ladies’ committee at the Y.M.C.A. for the runners and visitors, the certificates and ribbons being presented by Mr Eagle. A dance was h«!d at Whakarongo in the evening.