AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22109, 15 May 1935, Page 19

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

OPENING OF WINTER SEASON NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS PROSPECTS OF AUCKLANDERS The official opening; of the winter season took place at Kohimarama on Saturday, when about 120 runners from six of the clubs combined and had a run over about six miles of rough country. Members of the Auckland, Lynndale and Calliope Clubs, conducted their own meetings. The big field at Kohimarama was divided into the usual three packs, fast, slow and intermediate, all of which made an impressive showing as they raced over the hills. At Avondale the Lynndale Club had a much better attendance of runners thau on tho previous Saturday. A difficult course around the rough country at the foot of Titirangi was covered at a fast pace, and the general form shown was quite satisfactory. The Calliope Club held its first events of the season on Saturday, when a novice and senior race, each over tho same course of' 21 miles, were run at Birkenhead. The novice race attracted a good field and was won by W. Smellie, otf the 65 seconds mark, while the minor placings were filled by Sanders and Fagan. Sanders, who started off the .'3O seconds marks, created a surprise by beating the scratch man, Charman, for fastest time and, in doing so, making a fresh novice record for the course. Record for Race The senior event saw a splendid finish with Copeland just winning from Davis and Clow, who made the fastest time from scratch and also a record for tho race. Calliope and Lynndale will combine next Saturday for a series of sprint races and a run across country. At the Domain, only a small field of 13 started on the 3000 yards steeplechase and Savidan, on scratch, had no difficulty in making up his handicaps and winning easily from O. Mills and G. Hill. Four heats were again necessary in the 75 yards sprint handicap held prior to the steeplechase. Good running was seen in each contest, while in the final only a few inches separated each man at the tape. J. Dunn was given the decision from P. Castle and S. Hanson. This sprint race each week gives track men an excellent opportunity of keeping at least a little of their summer form without having to do any serious training. Runners have three weeks left yet in which to prepare for the first open raco of the season, which will take place at Takapuna on June 3. This 3i miles road event will be an excellent trial run for the big 7i miles One-hunga-Auckland event on the followine Saturday. Event in Wellington

With the national cross-country championship to be decided in Wellington in 10 weeks' time there is a lot of activity in the southern centre. .The choice of the course at Lyall Bay is causing a lot of discussion, and there is no doubt that it is a most unpopular course with the runners. At the start there is a good stretch of beach •work, while the remainder of the course contains too much road work. It is not a spiked shoe course and, from a cross-country point of view, cannot be regarded as a proper course. The old course at the Hutt Valley was a splendid one and there is a lot of agitation to have the venue chanced to this locality again. The two races to be contested in Australia will be on fast and fairly flat going and, consequently, the New Zealand trial race should be run over a course that will be as similar as possible. The New Zealand team will comprise six runners and on past form Auckland should be well represented. If available Savidan and Cooper should make the team, while Valder is also a definite possibility if he can reproduce the form that placed him so close up in the national race last year. Otago has three great men in Pullar, Barnes and Allen and present indications are that this province and Auckland will provide the nucleus of the team. E. J. McCachen is running well again. An ex-Ashburton High School boy, he won the Canterbury half-mile title before going to Masterton. While at Masterton, he performed with distinction being a very dangerous handicap man. A rival to New Zealand s Mary Mitchell and E. Munro is Thelma Piake, of Queensland, who was well ahead of her field when she cleared 16ft. 10m. in the broad jump. The local girls here have reached 16ft. 6£in. to 17ft. and it looks as if the colonies will produce a broad jumper equal to worlds' standard before very long. Mr J. M. Dunningham, was elected president of the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association m place of Mr. Richard Coombes, now deceased who had held this honoured position for 42 years. Feeling references were made bv manv delegates in connection with the late Mr. Coombe's great service to both Australian and New Zealand sport.