HARRIER RACING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22519, 9 September 1936, Page 21

HARRIER RACING

REVIEW OF SEASON AUCKLAND'S IMPROVEMENT. SUCCESS AT CHAMPIONSHIPS The closing harrier season can be considered a very successful one, if not the most successful, in the history of the sport in the Auckland Province. Until recent years Auckland's standard of cross-country running was below that of Otago, Wellington and Canterbury, but in the past few months the effect of ten years' work by the clubs has been more clearly marked. Auckland won the provincial championship in 1926, the year that winter running was reorganised in the province, but that was merelj' a surprise result. During the next nine years the Auckland team was given scant attention by the other provinces, in spite of the fact that it possessed two runners who filled major placings each time they competed. It was not until 1935, at Wellington, that Auckland again completely surprised the southern provinces. It was a performance resulting from years of defeats and strenuous training. Unlike the 1926 victory, however, this proved to be no solitary effort, and this year the province retained the provincial championship with a team that was without one of its previous strongest members. Thus, after years of disappointments, Auckland has emerged with an exceedingly bright future. Five members of this year's representative team are just reaching their running prime, while several other young harriers have performances only slightly inferior.

THE LEADING OLUBS AUCKLAND AND LYNNDALE Nine clubs were active in Auckland thiß season, and it was indeed fitting that the champion club was the one responsible for the revival of harrier racing ten yeans ago. This was the Auckland Club, whose representatives carried all before them in the important events of the season. Led by J. W. Savidan, its A team contained some fine young runners. B. H. Birtwistle is entitled to be regarded as the second best distance runner in Auckland, and one whose athletic future appears bright. He has the easy, long-striding action of a first-class distance runner, and should be Auckland's mainstay for several years. G. Hill, F. Savidan, N. Roberts and J. Dunn complete the champion sextet. Each one played a considerable part in the various contests that were decided.

The leading harrier club gained teams rictories in the Onehunga to Auckland road race, the Savidan Cup road race and the provincial championship. The failures of Savidan in the marathon and in the New Zealand event were severe setbacks. In staging a, full-distance marathon race of 26 miles, this club was the first in the Dominion to attempt such a contest. Only a small field competed, but when J. W. Savidan was defeated, considerable interest was created, and next year's race should attract a much larger field.

Second club in the 1936 honours ranking is Lynndale, which scored a meritorious success in the ten-men teams championship. This 6$ miles contest decides annually which is really the strongest all-round club. Lynndale has established a splendid record in the event, and the fact that it won so comfortably this year indicates that, unless the other clubs improve considerably, it is unlikely to be deprived of its title next season. The star men of the club were W. Briggs and R. Crompton. Briggs had an erratic season, a fine effort in the major road event being followed by a mediocre display and defeat by Crompton in the teams championship. In his club title event, however, a brilliant run saw him easily defeat his rival. A complete reversal of form in the provincial championship, however, resulted in him forfeiting his place in the representative team. On the other hand, Crompton was responsible for a very sound performance that won him his first reipresentative honours.

TEOHNIOAL'S SUCCESSES DECREASE IN STRENGTH Technical did not enjoy the run of success it was accustomed to for a lengthy period a few years ago, but gave some good displays. It was placed second to Auckland in both the Onehunga and the provincial title races, being narrowly beaten on each occasion. A. H. Harding was again outstanding and for the second successive year was a member of the representative team. J. Nicholson, although he has lost a certain amount of his former pace, was again a prominent member and one who always merited attention in inter-club events! M. McCarthy, A. Brierley and A. Bi'adley were other mainstays and all gave honest efforts in each race.

Presbyterian had the largest membership of any club and its weekly rune invariably attracted large fields. Like Lynndale it has fostered the policy of nursing the younger runners during recent years, with the result that it gained a most creditable second place to Lynndale in the teams' event. J. Neil, the star of the club, had his most successful season and at last gained provincial honours. Ho is a consistent runner of whom the best has yet to be seen. University had a most successful year and for the first time won the New Zealand University cross-country championship. Much of the club's success this season is clue to L. C. Barker, the former Auckland representative, who has been in charge of the club's coaching. The return to the club this year of It. Haszard was also a big asset and he displayed his worth by winning the club title and narrowly missing a place in the Auckland team. His .collapse a yard from the tape when he appeared a certain winner in the Dominion University event was one of the disappointments of the year. The race was won by E. Stephenson, one of Auckland's most promising performers.

Papatoetoe did not competo in interclub contests, but its star runner, C. Littler, placed his club in the limelight by finishing third in the provincial race and sixth in the national event. So far as inter-club competition was concerned, Calliope also experienced another lean year, but its own ovents were carried out with the usual enthusiasm. N. Ambler, Shorter and Clayton, although not quite up to provincial standard, staged some fine races.

Baptist, the youngest club, has a large membership and its events were also decider] in the right spirit. It possesses a good harrier in Edgar, who performed jpell in open competition^