HARRIER RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 12

HARRIER RACING.

NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS OF J. W. SAVIDAN. OTAGO WINS TEAMS RACE. Two Aucklanders, J. W. Savidan and N. F. Cooper, finished first and second in the annual New Zealand cross country championship decided at Ellerslio on Saturday afternoon, while the teams event was won by Otago. Savidan, the British Empire six miles champion, finished 150 yards ahead of Cooper, who was a similar distance in front of Johnson, the first Otago man io cross the line. A large crowd witnessed tho start of a field of 32, comprising the finest distance men in the Dominion to-day. The weather was ideal and tho course, although heavy in patches round tho lake, was in good order.

Barker went to the front at the gun, and with Shephard, Canterbury, made the early pace from Silver and McLaren, the rest of the field being in a bunch. Going over the hill Savidan and Cooper moved up together from tho middle, and, sprinting suddenly along the top and over tho brush fences, they got a break on the field and led from the course down Abbott's Way and on to tho trail around tho lake.

Cooper led for tho next mile, but going up tho hill to St. John's College Savidan forged ahead and the order at tho three mile mark was, Savidan, Cooper, Morris, Prossor, E. Johnson, Weller and Barnes, with the rest oj; ♦hi field well strung out. Along tho stretch ;" f road, Johnson gradually closed in on Cooper and Weller also moved up, while Prosser and Morris began to drop back'. Half a mile of running through rough rock-strewn country was a severe test, but Savidan held his lead and Johnson caught Cooper. The last-named, however, soon recovered his position and through the swampy country to Abbott's Way again Savidan led Cooper, Johnson, Brown, McLaren and Weller. Several of tho back men were now moving up, and a close finish for minor places looked likely.

Savidan went up the steep hill and into the course, again 100 yards clear of Cooper who had also drawn clear of the field. Over tho last three-quarters of a mile down the hill and into the straight there was no change, Savidan winning brilliantly by 150 yards from Cooper who was a similar distance ahead of Johnson. McLaren and Brown, both of Otago, were the next to finish and then close on each other came Weller, Barrer, Barnes, Watson and Nicholson, who had put up a remarkable performance to finish tenth, with bare feet that were badly lacerated. Otago teamed brilliantly to finish third, fourth, fifth and eighth, thereby winning the teams' shield by five points from Auckland whose runners finished first, second, tenth and twelfth. The Wellington team was very disappointing. Prosser, who was second favourite to Savidan, being only fifteenth. Brown, Taranaki, who pz-ovided tho big surprise last year, was also a long way bac.L. Following are the detailed results :

J. W. Savidan, Auckland, 35m 565, 1. N. F. Cooper, Auckland, 36m 21s, 2. E. J. Johnson, Otago, 36m 465, 3. J. H. McLaren, Otago, 37m 455, 4. E. C. Brown, Otago, 37m 545, 5. C. Weller, Wanganui-Taranaki, 38m 3s. 6.

Teams Race.—Otago (Johnson 3, McLaren 4, Brown 5, Barnes 8), 20 points, 1; Auckland (Savidan 1, Cooper 2, Nicholson 10, Barker 12), 25 points, 2; Wanganui-Taranaki (Weller 6, Fox 16, Johnson 17, Hingston 19), 58 points, 3; Wellington, 61£ points, 4; Canterbury, 62 points, 5. ,