Ashhurst Road Race

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 160, 10 July 1939, Page 2

Ashhurst Road Race

Y.M.C.A. HARRIER CLUB EVENT The Y.M.C.A. Harrier Club held the third annual road race from Ashhurst to Mr. W. K. Woodd’s residence, Whakarongo, on Saturday. D. Comerford was tho winner. There were 21 starters and the first to leave was J. Roberts (Bmin 30sec), who was followed by C. Verry and W. Mitchell (7min), D. Comerford (6min 30sec), K. Wilby (Grain), then the middle-markers, I. Vautier and I. Reading (4inin), K. Woodd and A. Cozens (3min 50sec), J. Woodd (3min 45sec), H. MacDonald (3min 30soc), A. Ncwlands and S. McVicar (3min 25sec), A. Carlisle (3min 35scc), and J. Spall (3 min). Tho back-markers were G. Annoar (2inin), L. Hawthorne and J. Scott (lmin 30sec), D. McCardle (lmin ssec), N. Hearsey (lmin), and C. Weller (scr). C. Verry set a good pace, soon taking the lead from J. Roberts, and at the three-mile' mark he was leading D. Comerford by over 100 yards. He was followed by J. Roberts, K. Wilby and M. Mitchell. Further back were A. Cozens and A. Newlands leading the middle-markers J. Woodd, Iv. Woodd, A. Carlisle, J. Spall, H. McDonald and S. McVicar. Carlisle and Newlands were running well at this stage. L. Hawthorne had dropped his co-marker J. Scott, had passed G. Aunour and had nearly caught the bunch. C. Weller had gained 30 seconds on N. Hearsey and D. McCardle, but still had much leeway to make up. One mile from home the order was D. Comerford, C. Verry, A. Carlisle, A. Cozens, A. Newlands, J. Spall, J. Woodd, L. Hawthorne, S. McVicar and K. Woodd. D. Comerford, finishing well, camo in 100 yards ahead of A. Carlisle, with A. Newlands another 25 yards back third. Thou camo C. Verry, J. Woodd and J. Spall within tho next 70 yards. The following are the times and plac-

ings of the first 12 to finish:— D. Comerford (Gmin 30sec), 34min 45sec, 1; A. Carlisle (3min 15sec), 31 min 55sec, 2; A. Newlands (3min 25 see), 32min lOsec, 3; C. Verry (7min), 35min 52sec, 4; J. Woodd (3min 45sec), 32min 42sec, 5; J. Spall (3min), 31min 59sec, 6; L. Hawthorne (lmin 30sec), 30min 45sec, 7; A. Cozens (Srnin 50sec), 33min lOsec, 8; S. McVicar (3min 25 sec), 33min ssec, ©; C. Weller (scr), 29 min 44sec, 10; K. Woodd (3min 50sec), 33min 47sec, 11; H. McDonald (3min 30sec), 33min 28sec, 12. Fastest times: C. Weller, 29min 44scc, 1; L. Hawthorne, SOmin 45see, 2; N. Hearsey, 31min 17soc, 3; A. Carlisle, 31min 55sec, 4. The excellent teaming of the middle men gave the back-markers little chance to make up much leeway. A. Carlisle was in fine form throughout. Ho made his own pace all the way and should do very well in the longer road races. He has an easy style and a good finish. C. Verry and D. Comerford rather surprised by their good performances and evidently prefer the road to the rough going. C. Weller demonstrated ho is in fine form by beating his last year’s record by two seconds. L. Hawthorne was again at his best on tno road, and J. Spall, one of the club’s most consistent runners, again ran well. A. Newlands and J. Woodd are showing their best form of two seasons back, and both are running better each week. N. Hearsey ran perhaps his best road race for several seasons. D. McCardle was rather off colour but the road running does not suit him and he wisely took matters easy over the last mile. The same may apply to J. Scot't and G. Annear. A. Cozens, S. McVicar, K. Woodd, H. McDonald, K. Wilby and I. Vautier, all from middle marks, ran consistently and finished among the middle placings. After tho race the runners were entertained at afternoon tea by Mr. and Mrs. XT. K. Woodd, during which the vice-captain, J. Woodd, presented D. Comerford with the S. A. Oxenham cup. A run will be held from the Sportsground for those not travelling to Wellington next Saturday.