THE ATHLETE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 17 November 1926, Page 6

THE ATHLETE

VARIOUS NOTES £{&s<># itr kiJtl swing (Conducted by ‘'Miter”) ym.c.a. amateur, athletic CI/IJB Final arrangements for the athletic and cycling meeting at the Richmond Show are well in hand. Officials of the club visited the Show grounds last week, and mapped out a course that will be most suitable for competitors, and will also allow the public a good view of the events. it is many years since athletic events were held at Richmond, and the officials present had a look at the old athletic field in the Show grounds and recalled many happy memories of meetings held years ago on this field. Country competitors from far and wide used to compete at the Richmond meeting, and it is pleasant to note that the inaugural meeting ; of the new club will bo held 'on the old ground. Intending visitors at this combined A and P. Show and athletic meeting will, no doubt, be interested to see what tile jack tars of the Now Zealand Navy can do on the track. Many of H.M.S. Dunedin’s crew will be present at Richmond Park next week, and they will supply a number of competitors in the running events. The .ship’s sports, officers are very energetic, and are determined so to speak to put their best foot forward on Snow Day. - Entries for the cycle road race to Belgrove and back, which will start from the Show grounds and finish in iront of .the grand stand, are coming in well. Competitors are now in active training, and the public are assured of/ a well-contested race.

Entries for all events close on Saturday next, 20th November. The chief foot races in the programme are 100, 220, 440 yards, and half-mile handicaps. ,E. W. S. Stevens, the New Zealand ex-amateur champion, will be a competitor in the high jump. v ROWING > OTAGO ROWING CLUB’S CREW Melbourne critics have the following to say about the Otago Rowing Club’s crew which won the Stewards Challenge Cup at the Henley-on-Yarra Eegattaon October 23:—“The New Zealanders’ win in the Stewards’ was popular. The crew rowed with their usual steady recovery, and hit the water very hard at the catch; they won both heat and final all the way. No. 2, C. J. McAra, was a sick man, and was in great pain after the heat and final, having to be taken to hospital. He . stuck to his task splendidly under trying circumstances. The crew are a fine lot of sportsmen, and do New Zealand credit. Their unassuming. manner has won for them a hd?t of friends in Jitelbourhe.” .... . “The Stewards’ Challenge Cup . (senior fours) was won very comfortably by Otago, the (champion four of New Zealand. In the heat they won. with eaS’e from Commercial (Queensland) and Albert Park. Nagambie.won the second heat from Hawthorn and, University. In the third heat the Wendouree crew, stroked by S. McGorm, won in nice style from the Tasmanian champion four (Mercantile). The Wendouree crew as seated on Saturday, is a more attractive looking crew than their old champion four. In the final Otago were never troubled, and won. decisively, with Wendouree second, closely followed by Nagambie. The rowing of the New Zealanders provided food for thought to our Victorian oarsmen, and. coaches. They are by no jpeans a stylish' combination, and many faults can be found with the individual rowing.. But their combination of effort is splendid. Their steady recovery, followed by a most definite catch and hard drive, ace the cause of their pace/' On the following Saturday the crew won the Senior Pours at the Melbourne -Regatta, and two members Were also successful-in the Pairs... It, looks as though the Channel swim might be made an annual, sporting feature with the entrants classified, (says an, American writer). There should be a race for ladies, a race for gentlemen, a race, for ,parents, one for grandparents arid free-for-all race. The only trouble with this notion is that the proceeds Horn Charinef racing will be comparatively negligible. Obviously, it is impossible to build a grandstand in the Channel, and to collect gate receipts. If this were' possible, the channel swim would be a perpetual annual event. But, after due consideration, it looks as though I may have been almost right in . the first instance. As the boys say,, there is no future in Channel swimming. England once miles ahead of any other country in the athletic world has of date years been receiving strong challenges from the Continent. However, she can still make a good showing in many departments. At Rome, on 7th November, an Englishman, S. Eerris, won the International Marathon Race in 2hr 48min 52 3-ssec, Narienne, a Belgian, being second, and Malvicini, an Italian, third.

WOMEN ATHLETES

TAKING PROMINENT PLACE

At a sports meeting promoted by the London Olympiades Athletic Club, on 21st September, Miss M. A. Gunn broke the women's world’s long jump record of 5.50 metres, which was established by Miss K. Tlitomi, at the Women’s Games at Gothenberg, a few days pre■viously, clearing 18ft 3|in. A number of women athletes were entertained at luncheon recently in London by Lord Doeies. The lunch was the result of a promise made by Lord Decies to Miss Vera Palmer that if she succeeded in winning the sex Ladies’ Athletic 'Club Challenge Cup for the 220 yards race, at the Women’s Amateur Athletic meeting three years in succession he would invite her to lunch and present her with a replica of the cup which she would be able to keep. Miss Palmer, who succeeded in winning the race for the third time in June last, was presented with the cup at the luncheon at which “she was the guest of honour, in making the presentation Lord Decies, who for several years has taken a keen interest in women’s athletics, referred to the general advance in this direction and to the good performances that had lately been put up. n Tt is obvious,” he. said, “that the difficulties first met with by women when they wished to take part in games have been overcome, and that they can now hold their own meetings and receive plenty of support from the public. Ollier countries arc producing women athletes with very great success, and international meetings are constantly held. It is, therefore, necessary that, tin's country, to hold its own, should he able to look for support for athletes from all over the country. It follows' that it is of vital importance that as many new clubs as possible should be formed t/hrouglio|;it England affiliated to tli© Women’s Amateur Athletic Association.”