SPLENDID ATHLETICS

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1936, Page 6

SPLENDID ATHLETICS

GOOD FIELDS AND CLOSE FINISHES

The athletic events, the tracks for which were laid out on the course enclosure, aroused keen interest. Every race drew excellent fields, was keenly contested, and spectacular finishes were the order. Results to date are: — CASH ATHLETICS. 100 Yards Handicap.—D. B. Adam (8J yards), 1; G. Baker (3yds.), 2; R. Scott (lOiyds.), 3. Time, 9 4-ssec. This was a splendid race, only a foot separating the first three. The Aucklander, Adam, was * soon in the picture, but Scott held sway and looked like a winner 25 yards off the tape. Then Baker, off virtual scratch, who was very smart off the mark, came through determinedly. Adam, however, was strong over the last 10 yards and withstood Baker’s challenge, to get there by six inches, with Scott two or three inches further back. It was a stirring duel between the first three. King got a bad start. There were seven starters.

440 Yards Handicap.—R. King (27 yds.) 1, H. Anderson (42yds) 2, A. A. Angelo (34yds) 3. Time, Slsec. A field of eight lined up for the quartermile. Hedley swung into the lead in the first few yards and clapped on the pace. Angelo and Baker followed him along the back, the three going like the wind. Angelo and Baker passed Hedley on the turn, and coming into the home stretch Angelo was out 10 yards in front. Baker- tired, and dropped out, and then Angelo weakened badly 40 yards from home. Anderson came through, but, in a flash, King, one of the best finishers in the North, came with a typical burst and completely smothered the opposition over the final 20 yards, and won brilliantly by two yards from Anderson, with Angelo five yards further back. He just lasted long enough to beat Hedley for third money, the last-named finishing on gamely. Half-mile Handicap.—F. E. Edwards (85yds.) 1, J. J, Campbell (75yds.) 2, H. Anderson (60yds.) 3. The time was not taken. Nine faced 1 the starter in this 'fevent, which was Edwards’ all the way. At the end of the first lap, he led by ten yards from’ Madden, with Power, Campbell and Anderson bunched a few yards in the rear, and King, Northey and Preston running together. On the back stretch, Edwards ran away from the field, but Campbell and Anderson came with a good run in the straight. They could' not overtake the leader, however, and he breasted the tape 15 yards clear, with Anderson a yard behind Campbell. Preston, off virtual scratch, was fourth.

AMATEUR ATHLETICS. Boys’ 880 Yards Handicap.—H. Rogers (15yds) and I. Ferguson (70yds), dead-heat, 1; S. McKenzie (30yds.),-3. Time, 2.20 1-5. Another closely-con-tested event. Seven started, and after a lap, Ferguson went to the front. Brian Wilson, off the back mark, and Rogers, both moving nicely, closed on the leaders as they entered the back stretch the second time, but Wilson could not go on with it when he appeared a certainty. Ferguson clung to it, but Rogers also finished resolutely, and just got up in time to make a dead-heat of it. McKenzie was a few yards in the rear.

100 Yards Open Handicap.—W. R. Massey (Iyd.) I,*'F. A. Finlayson (3 yds) 2, R. Barber (6yds), 3. Time, 10 4-ssec. Nine starters and a bunched finish. Massey ran very freely and nosed his way to the front as they closed on the tape. He won by a foot, with inches between the next two. 220 Yards Handicap.—K. McNaughton (18yds), 1; R. Barber (2yds). 2; W. R. Massey (9yds). 3. Time—26sec. Out on the front mark. McNaughton had a break on the field all the way and stayed in front to win by a yard from Barber, who led the remaining bunch of six. 220 Yards Boys’ Handicap.—B. Wilson (10yds), 1; R. kermode (scr), 2; G. Carrington (syds). 3. Time—26 4-ssec. This was a good race, Wilson finishing strongly to get there by three yards from Kermode, with Carrington a yard further back. 120 YaVds Hurdles.—E. Wilson (13 yds.) 1, F. A. Finlayson (3yds.) 2, P. Wilson (14yds.) 3. Only starters. Won by five yards, with three yards between second and third.

Northland Schoolboys’ Championship (100 yards).—H. Spanhake 1, W. Morpeth 2. CYCLE EVENTS. One Mile Handicap.—D. North QSOyds), 1; M. Hibbert (scr), 2; W. Beeston (scr), 3. Time—2.ss. This was an easy win. Young North had a big break on the field and never looked like being caught, coming home 40 yards clear. The two scratch men, Hibbert, of Auckland, and Bill Beeston, had a good tussle, Hibbert getting second money by five yards. T. Beeston was fourth in the field of nine.