AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21505, 31 May 1933, Page 18

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

WINTER COMPETITIONS CALLIOPE HARRIERS' CONTEST GOOD FIELD FOR TECHNICAL Winter athletics were continued last Saturday under excellent conditions, when the most important event was the Calliope Harrier Club's race for the Eyre trophy. This event is run annually over about thiee and a-half miles of road at Birkenhead and is principally a teams' event, although the contest for individual honours is always very close. Saturday's event was one above tha average, as an exceptionally close race resulted, the leading positions constantly changing, while the final result provided quite a surprise.

It was expected that Andrews and Rowlands would fight out a finish, but after both had been prominent throughout, the first-named was beaten into third place and Rowlands was only seventh. First and second places went to Clow and Whitmore respectively, two distance men, who appear to be improving with every run. Both were always well placed and over the last mile Clow took command and held on well to win by 25 yards. Close Teams' Contest The whole'field was fairly well bunched at the finish and the general standard of tho club's running appears to be much stronger this year. The teams' contest was very close, Andrew's team finishing in third, fourth, sixth and eleventh positions and gaining 24 points, thus winning by a point from No. 2 team headeel by Clow. The University Club had its best muster of the season on Saturday, 35 harriers having a good run around Mount St. John, Cornwall Park and Ono Tree Hill. Iv. M. Griffen, an exAuckland provincial and New Zealand University champion, is now turning out with' the club and his experience, will bo a great asset. Another acquisition from whom much is expected is R. Kay, who last year finished fourth in the big annual South Island road race of 12 miles from Temuka to Timaru. Hazard and Ball were again prominent in the fast pack, , which showed general good form. Hamson won tho 300 yards run-in from Watson and A. Copeiand. who is another fine harrier.

The Presbyterian Club is doing its best to make the runs interesting for its members and on Saturday it held another run over an excellent course around Point Chevalier and Western Springs. Edwards and Mandeno showed up well throughout the run and in two races in over half a mile Hill and Gillespie were the respective winners. The last-named should bo in the fast pack, as he is a find runner who has had a lot of experience with Technical. Linfoot again showed up well, while Rice, Pidgeoiu and Sharp were also prominent. New Runners Prominent The Technical Club had the largest muster of the season on Saturday, when 47 harriers turned out and were divided into three packs for a run over a six miles course, starting from Royal Oak. Bowman, Smith and Harding were three of the several new men who showed up prominently, while in the intermediate pack Tate and Whitten were again outstanding. Bradley and L. Sinclair were again out with the fast pack and running well, while Pelham and White were also in great form. With Nicholson and Bainbridge to complete their A team's six Technical has a combination which appears likely to beat the record of last year's champion team. Three runs-in over 300 yards were held, the respective winners being Scott, P. Knight and Bainbridge. At the Domain close finishes were again the feature of the afternoon's sport of the Auckland Club. The final of the 75 yards sprint saw It. Oliver score another victory, but 011I3' by inches from Adams and Clark.

Savidan appeared to be going harder in the 3000 yards steeplechase in which the first six men finished within a few yards of each other. It was anyone's race with a furlong to go, but Dowle stayed on best to win by three yards from the fast-finishing Pinson, with Allan and Savidan right on their heels in the next positions. M. P. Byrnes had a run in this event and completed tho course in fine style.