AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 17

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

FINE CROSS-COUNTRY RACE

N. <F. COOPER IN GOOD FORM. TEAMS TITLE TO TECHNICAL With the prospect of representative honours in view, all the 88 starters in the teams' championship of 10,000 metres (6i miles) gave of their best at Avondalo on Saturday, and a fmo cross-country race resulted. There were several surprises, but generally the results were as expected. The course was a particularly trying one, and a thorough test of both speed and stamina. It comprised just over two miles of fast running on the racecourse and roads, and over four miles of really hard cross-country work. The first lap in particular was very rough, and the number of casualties and cases that needed ambulance attention for cuts and bruises must have been a record. Several men were badly knocked about. Readdy, the Hamilton star, was most unlucky having a bail fall which caused his retirement when in a good position about three miles from home. N. F. Cooper set a fast pace at the start, but when Browne, Briggs, Readdy and Nicholson held to him and' forced the same pace for over two miles, there seemed a possibility that . his colours would be lowered. However, at this point, when the runners were beginning to ease up after the strain of tile fast pace, Cooper's stamina stood him in good stead. He rushed to the lead again at a stronger pace, and soon had a break on the field that was maintained to the finish. Briggs Runs Well W. Briggs must be credited with running his finest cross-country race to date, lie timed his early running well, and over the last three miles none of the early pacemakers except Cooper had any chance of holding him. A. Browne ran a fmo race also, but the fast early pace cost him too much. He could not hold Briggs, whom he had comfortably defeated over the same course a week previously. J. Nicholson surprised a number of younger runners by again outclassing them. He is running as well as ever, and on a less difficult course will be an extremely hard man to beat. L. Barker wa3 not as close up as expected, but he finished fresh and may easily reverse the placings with the four who beat him on Saturday Hazard continues to show improvement, while Birtwhistle, Henschall and Dowle, the Auckland Club trio, all impressed as genuine cross-country men. Birtwhistle can be regarded as really promising. He is still young and lightly built, and took the slopes in fine style on Saturday. Francis was disappointing. Much was expected of him this season, but so far he has not shown any of the dash that 13 necessary to place him in the first halfdozen. Bradley and Hill, the Technical pair, both shaped well. The first-named was having his first outing for three weeks, so that he did well to finish in seventh position. A. Clow, the Calliope junior champion, who created a good impression last week, ran very well to finish 16th, and second in the sealed handicap. Even Teams' Race The evenness of the teams in competition will be seen from the fact that the Technical ten beat University by only 20 points, while four clubs were in the first six men to finish. Fifty-five was the lowest possible score for a winning team, but the finish was so mixed that Technical's score amounted to 199 points. Cooper's winning time, 38m 15s, was exactly the same as his time in winning the road race from Onehunga to Auckland, a distance of just under 7£ miles. The Technical Club championship will be decided over a hard 10,000 metres course at Mission Bay next Saturday. A team of five will represent Auckland in the New Zealand cross-country championship at Christchurch on August 27, and although Saturday's race gave the selectors a good line on form, they have a hard task in selecting the best team. This will be announced after tho Auckland provincial championship on Saturday week. The first annual prize night of the Ellerslie Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club was held in the presence of a good attendance of athletes and friends. Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, president of the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, presented the trophies wou at the annual carnival. He congratulated the committee on the fine array of trophies which had been provided during the club's first year of existence. Mr. Kalaugher also said that in J. Nicholson, the club captain, Ellerslie could boast of one of tho finest harriers in the Dominion. When the Auckland team left for the New Zealand crosscountry championships at Christchurch Nicholson, on present form, would be almost certain of inclusion.