ATHLETIC NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 29 January 1940, Page 2

ATHLETIC NOTES

MAHAR CUP CONTEST KEEN COMPETITION EXPECTED E. LANGLEY AND P. PARKES RIDE WELL AT WELLINGTON Riding lor the last time for the Nelson Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club in the Wellington provincial championships, prior to his transference to Wellington, E. Langley was second in the 10 miles event in which only two completed the race. He also performed credibly in the 1000 metres time trial and reached the quarter finals of the 500 metres sprint. P. Parkes who was the second member of the team rode well to win the half mile junior championship in lmin 19 4-ssecs and gained second place in the 5 mile junior. Last year J. Burn of Nelson won the five mile and was second in the half-mile. The Mahar Cup on Saturday at Motueka will be very keenly contested, by many prominent athletes from Blenheim. Westport and Greymouth. Nelson and Motueka. W. Weenink (Westport) will be competing in the sprints, and will be a hard man to beat, while Butterfield is running in the quarter-mile. Both these athletes are well known representative Rugby players. J. Brown, who while at Nelson College completed for the Nelson Club and was the most outstanding junior, will not be representing the Westport Club because of a broken leg. At last years Mahar Cup contest Brown was the most outstanding junior athlete and was picked this year to win at least two or three events. The Greymouth Club which entered the Mahar Cup contest for the first time last season and gained a fair number of points should do well again this year. In Miss N. McGirr they have a good sprinter who did well at Blenheim last year. T. Harker is another good all-rounder from Westport. The Blenheim Club, the present holders of the cup. should have a strong team. Miss Faulding who is one of the best lady sprinters seen in Nelson, is a likely competitor and should be very hard to beat. Rutherford, who will probably compete in the hop. step and jump and the high jump should be amongst the winners. He won the hop, step and jump at the last Mahar Cup meeting. Nelson and Westport cyclists will be at a slight disadvantage on the grass track at Motueka after riding on a bitumen track. Both the cyclists and athletes will find the short track a little confusing, especially in the mile events, when there will be 5 laps to the mile. The Nelson cycling team has been very much weakened by the departure of the Langley brothers but Cowman and Weir, who are competing in a big meeting for the first time, may cause a surprise. The Motueka Club have some good lady athletes. Miss E. Holyoake who won the ladies’ high jump last year and created a new record, should win this event again this year if she competes, while Miss B. Bowers is likely to gain a place in the sprints. The McConchie baton for the mile relay, at present held by the Nelson Club will be at stake next Saturday and this event should prove, to be the most keenly contested of the'meeting. THIS WEEK’S EVENING MEETING Wednesday evening’s meeting will provide an excellent opportunity for the Nelson team, which has been selected, for a preliminary try out for Saturday’s contest.