CROSS-COUNTRY RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19470, 28 October 1926, Page 11

CROSS-COUNTRY RACE.

TECHNICAL COLLEGE EVENT. OVER 300 COMPETITORS. TWO SENIORS DEAD-HEAT. Practically every boy at the Seddon Memorial Technical College entered for the annual cross-country race yesterday afternoon, there being 312 starters. A. Blow and D. Pry or ran a in the senior event and R. Sanderson won the junior rare. Blow registered fastest time of 19m. 46k. For some weeks preparations have been very active for the race during sports afternoons and a large number of boys have been training before and after schooL For instance, on a recent Wednesday afternoon, after a 2|-mile march in the Domain, the boys were given a lj-mile run arid everyone finished in good condition. It was not surprising, therefore, that when the boys lined up yesterday before the starter there was presented a fine picture of sturdy ".boyhood. It was a sport in which nearly all participated so that spectators were few. The course, about 3£ miles long, was arranged to start as near to the college as traffic would conveniently permit, and the entrance to Blandford Park in Wynyard Street was made the starting point. From here the course lay through the Domain Drive to Manukau Road, returning to the Domain by Maunsell Street, crossing the ! Outer Domain via the trig station, circling round the cricket ground, then across the I cricket ground to the pavilion, thence via the Domain Drive past the hospital to the tea kiosk and down the track to Grafton Road, via Wynyard Street, to the starting point. The juniors, boys under 15, were the first to leave the mark It was not long before the spectators at St. Paul's Church saw the leading boys crossing the rise near the trig. Soon they were seen coming down the Domain track The last stretch was a severe trial but the first 30 boys finished in great style. Sanderson was first home, doing the distance in 21m. lis. Robinson followed, and then came Littler. Other boys followed ia fairly close order as follows:—lrwin, MoCowatt, Frater, Proctor, Eich, Waters, Prince, Shields, Greive, Goodall, Rose, Denton, Piatt, Harper, Hart-Smith and Shaw. The seniors then started, and judging by their early appearance near the trig, it was evident that a good pace was being set by the leaders. Along Wynyard Street two boys ran neck and neck until they reached the tape simultaneously. It was a remarkable finish. The honours fell to A. Blow, who started from scratch, and D. Pryor, 40s. Blow's time was 19m. 463. Following the first two, Davey reached the winning post and he was followed by Plowman, Matchett, Sloane, Barry, Walton, Burgess, H. Johns, Shand, Dixon, Murfitt, Graves, Estcourt, Cooper, Knox, Bartley, Chalmers and Hamilton. House points were gained as follow: Junior: Hindley, 4; Seddon, 5; Binns, 5; Wellesley, 6. Senior: Hindley, 12; Seddon, 8; Binns, 5; Wellesley, 5.