ATHLETICS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 16 February 1935, Page 8

ATHLETICS

NELSON AMATEUR CLUB NOTES AN6 COMMENTS THIS WEEK’S EVENING MEETING The third evening sports meeting of the Nelson Amateur Athletic Club was held on Thursday evening. Increased entries for the various events couple’d with increased public support ./iade it tlie most, successful meeting, of the club to date. Perhaps, the most pleasing feature from the club’s point of view yvas that, .although- many of the spectators were there for the first time, a large proportion have been regular patrons from the beginning. It is on the regular body of supporters that the success of the club depends, and happily. .their numbers are increasing. The ladies turned out iii full force, each of their events having two strong heats. Th«» almost general adoption of “togs” shows hat they mean business, and there was a marked improvement in their starting and times. Miss L. OVallnghar. led the way home in her heats and the finals of both events and will probably find her. self back a yard or two at the next meeting. Miss L. Howard did very well to run into both finals from the back mark, and rail a particularly good race to be placed in the 100 yards. Misses N. Ford, E. Field and H. Horncastle also worked their way into both finals. . The ladies demanded and got a relay race for themselves, although it meant, fov most of them their fifth sprint for tile.evening. In the final lap Miss Rosewar ne managed tc hang on to a slightlead to get ; a ,win for her team. , The cycle races saw the long handicap men, fill most-, of the places. PyeSmith showed much improved form to win the half and three mile events. Mannsen, Stratford, and Cotton are other tyros who are improving steadily. The mile cycle provided a great finish, Lummis coming up very fast to snatch a narrow win from Stanton with Evans close up. A field of seventeen lined up for the half-mile handicap. Boxer, a promising distance man, made no lace of it from a. long handicap. Walker and Holyoake filled the other places. This race" revealed some promisnig talent qmong the younger competitors who should do well with training and experience. There were increased entries for the junior 100, newcomers in Dodson, Bishell and Lucas filling the placed positions. Owing to scratchings the open hundred was reduced tc seven runners who were put in one heat. Lumsden, a visitor from the Wairarapa Amateur Club, was in. good form and won from off tlie scratch mark. ,

Weston showed good form to tie for second off 3 yards. He will be an acquisition to the club. Country put- in a good team for the relay, man for man. being a. little too good for the town representatives, resulting in a fairly comfortable win. The junior members of the Nelson team did v.evy well, and it is anticipated that the next challenge, from Town will provide a closer finish. This will take place in a week or two.

Trophies. While the club is staging its weekly meetings primarily- to get its active members into form for major fixtures and to keep their, together, the committee has decided, as .an additional stimulus, to adopt a trophy scheme which has been tried out successfully bv many of the amateur clubs in the country. This scheme provides for atrophy, and a. good one, to he awarded to the winner of the most points in a group of events throughout, the season. The committee has arranged the following groups for which trophies will lie awarded this season: Cycling handicaps : senior 100, 220 and 440 yards handicaps; junior 10U, 220 and 440 yards handicaps; 380 yards, mils .and three mile open • handicaps , 880 and mile junior handicaps; 75 and 100 yards Indies handicaps. . There will be a challenge trophy for scratch events, and also for the men’s, Indies’ and schools’ relay events. It was decided that points for these trophies be awarded, at the. next evening meeting and thereafter.

The Next Meeting,

The programme for the next meeting to be run on..the 21st February, is as follows, all , events except the relay being handicaps: 1 lap open cycle; 75 senior; 75 ladies;.7s junior; 75 boys; 4 miles open cycle; 75 girls; final of 7o senjor : it.iaps boys cycle; 100 ladies; inter-primary school relay, 440 yards; 440 yards senior; 2 miles cycle; 220 yards junior; high jump men; and nigh jump, ladies. Entries close with the liandicappor Mr Dunford, ca :i of Hannah’s on Wednesday. General, Mr Willis, the secretary of the Wellington Centre, was nresent at the meeting on Thursday. Ho stated afterwards that he had expected to find worried officials urging reluctant competitors on to their marks (what a reputation Nelson must have, in the athletic world!) but was pleasantly surprised with a meeting which, for the competition and for efficiency of organisation compared , very favourably with any club in the centre. If Nelson continued as. it has started, he could see it. ranking as a sub-centre. The aim of all those interested in athletics is to get Nelson recognised as a sub-centre. With that rank, the district would bo in a position to see in action teams from overseas, such as the British team which opened its New Zealand tour at Hawera this week. Mr Willis also asked the club to prepare for a Wellington invasion on Easter Saturday. At least forty good athletes will he coming over and the club will have to provide only their billeting and a programme. Arrangements arc being finalised for the visi;. to Motucka on Tuesday next. Already a large number of local athletes have nominated, and nominations close with the handicapper on Monday. The cost will be approximately half a crown. Cyclists requiring transport for bicycles must give notice early. The party will leave the Post Office at 4.45 p.m.' The committee lias decided to invite the Motueka Club to Nelson early in March. These interclub visits will not interfere with the local club meetings, so athletes are promised a busy time. The sixteen pound shot is paying a visit to the country districts where some of the members of the club think there is just about'' enough space to handle it. safely The. Vmrteon pounder remains in the dressing shed. Those who wish to practise with it are requested to direct it. only towards the open sea.