ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15513, 21 January 1914, Page 5

ATHLETICS.

UNDER UNION RULES.

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In a review of the greatest professional j sports ever held within the precincts of j Auckland, the conditions under which the j New Zealand athletic championships were I decided must not be lost sight of. Ex- ■ cepting those'of Trembath's in handicap events the performances were not up to . the standard of a first-class Australian) meeting, say, the Stawell or the Eight l Hours' Day sports. j Trembath's ability is not a thing of i recent birth. So far back as 1907 he as- j serted himself amongst New Zealand's ! amateur champions, and he has years of j running before him if he be so inclined, j Three years ago in company with L. C. '• McLachlan he crossed to Australia, but ■ his venture was something of a disappoint- j ment. He was, in sporting parlance, an > " easy mark" for (J. E. Holway, the j American champion, over 440 yds. On his | return to New Zealand he dismissed run- i ning from his mind altogether, with the I result that after his two years' spell he is : now enjoying a rejuvenation of his powers, j Excepting in the 220 yds Trembath won | his championships as easily as the opposi- j tion allowed him. Undoubtedly his " .-tar" | performances were in the 440 yds and i !380yds handicaps. He ran practically a solus quarter excellently, as he was only 7yds away in a race won in 48 2-ss. In the 880 yds havidicaD Trembatli gave a very classy exhibition. Apart from making : time his effort was an object lesson in .middle distance running. He commenced ; at quarter-mile pace, and did not swing ! into a lengthy stride until he was alongside ' those who were originally 20yds to 30yds : ahead of him. He indulged Dragavitch I with the lead for some time, and although j ft big gap lay between himself and the ! leader he closed it steadily and surely, I eventually winning by 3yds in lm 55 4-ss. This time surpasses all previous half-mile ! performances "on the Domain Cricket, j Ground. The nearest approach to it, the I writer is cognisant of, is Dormor's lm 561 l-5s last St. Patrick's Day, when he ran I second to B. O'Brien. The comparison j prompts reference to a topic now on the tongues of all local athletic enthusiasts, ; viz., what a "gate" a Trembath-Dormor j match would draw ! Trembath's wins in ] the' 440 yds and 880 yds championships were i merely exercise runs, but in the lOOyds , and 220 yds he found the opposition very strong. In the lOOyds he whipped in the ; field, but in the 220 yds he performed above ! expectations. Drawing insid« position in tlie furlong championship his lack of pace kept him out of the race in the early stages, but he came on the scene at the business end in a not-to-be-denied fashion, and dead-heated with O'Callaghan. The longest and shortest distances of the championships fell to Auckland runners. Barnes won the mile and was runner -op to Trembath in the -880 yds. The time in the former—4m 27 4-ss— as a general surprise, considering the running of the event. After Barnes had placed the issue beyond doubt 220 yds from the finish he dropped into a slow stride, and from that to almost a walk. After his first appearance at the meeting O'Callaghan was voted a certainty for the 100 yds championship, but he went off considerably, and on the final day he made, in comparison, a poor showing. That the 220 yds championship was responsible for this there can be-no doubt. In. the "Elliot" 100 yds, after being penalised a yard, he conceded Brinkman 24yds, but in the 100 yds championship the latter finished slightly ahead of the Westland crack. Clearly, all things equal, O'Callaghan is the best sprinter in the cash athletic division in New Zealand at the present. The winner of the championship, G. E. Kinsey, thoroughly deserves the distinction he has earned Handicapped of late by strained muscles he managed, by a long and patient course of training, to regain his best form. It was ionly by a. matter of inches that' he triumphed over Brinkman after a race in company from the pistol. In the Sheffield Handicap Kinsey was the only back-marker to survive the first round besides O'Callaghan, and he went through to the final, dead-heating Burns for second place. : ' • Amongst the handicap division Cleland was the most successful. "In the four events that he competed.in he secured two firsts and a second, being unplaced in the 220 yds handicap. Between the first and final days Cleland showed an improvement of nearly 2yds in the Sheffield" distance. Cleland's career has been short and sweet.' He commenced with the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, and although'not figuring as a winner ran well, defeating, amongst others, L. J. Mark, who was conceding him 4yds in 100 yds. His next appearances were as a professional at a meeting in the Northern Wairoa, where he happened to be stationed,' and he won all the sprint events. Returning to Auckland he contested and carried off the last Labour Day Handicap, and followed this up- with his Sheffield' win. For the Exhibition meeting he had the advice of L. C. McLachlan, the ex-chanv pion and world's record holder, and s no doubt this counted for something. Burns, who, together with Kinsey, filled second place to Cleland, is a good handicap runner, chiefly noted for that determination that so many lack. The distance men, apart from the place-getters m the championships, were of a moderate standard. Possibly the reason lay in the fact .that sprinters are always catered for more liberally than distance men are. Naturally there were several disappointments, especially amongst the sprinters. Cornaga's breakdown is to be regretted. ' Neither Kinsey nor Brinkman have demonstrated in that they are as speedy as the ex-champion, who was keen on retaining his titles this year. ' Great things were expected of Lambert, who performed worse than the majority of the limit men. He may be miming" into his true form, but as against this there is the probability that his first season will rank as his best. A feature of the carnival was the general consistency of the runners. The control of the meetings was admirable, Mr. Woodley's arrangements working out to the letter. As Inudicapper .and scarier Mr. F. H. Bcrbush further enhanced his reputation. His adjustments provided some spirited competition, and tine starting was satisfactory. Mr.' Burbush gave proof of his earnestness by recalling a field when one of the. competitors got ever so slight a run on the gun. The officials desire to acknowledge ihij courtesy of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club n> plating their plant at their disposal.. This contributed in no Email degree to the successful management of a sports carnival that ranks with the best ever held in New Zealand.

THE AMATEUR CODE.

THIS EVENING'S CARNIVAL.

The amateur spurts carnival; to be held on the Domain this evening, gives promise of producing some fine racing. The entries received are very satisfactory, the 75yds handicap in particular being well filled. Thirty-six competitors have entered. The handicaps have met with the approval of the runners, and the winners appear to be well concealed. G. N. Hii! figures amongst the entries for the one and three mile races, and provided he has continued his training since the meeting at which the Americans competed, he should show up to advantage. The club has a very promising young distance runner in the person of C. C. Francis, who has won a race at each of the three meetings held this year. Old friend Dave Wilson has promised a good contest in the boys' walking race, for which post entries will be received. The boy who walked third at the last meeting, and caused such a favourable impression, will be opposed by Wilson's own boys, who are aged 9 and 14 years respectively. The carnival will open with the heats of the 75yds handicap at 7.30 p.m., and the events will follow each other quickly, the last event being timed to start at 9.45 p.m. Five teams have entered for the Athletic Club's championship relay race, which is causing a good deal of interest. The ground lias been well illuminated, and the public can depend on a good evening's sport. Purchasers of tickets are entitled to enter; the Exhibition without further charge. !