AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22585, 25 November 1936, Page 20

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

EVENTS AT CARLAW PARK TRACK IN ROUGH CONDITION BENDS INCORRECTLY MARKED An opportunity to examine the track on which .T. E. Lovelock will run 011 December 5 was provided officials of the Auckland Athletic Centre last, Saturday at the sports carnival held at Carlaw Park in aid of the Crippled Children's Fund. The stand and terraces at the park will provide excellent accommodation lor spectators to watch the champion in action, but. after a survoy of the actual running track, one is forced to admit that it cannot compare with the level and fine tuil of the Domain circuit.

The roughness of the bends, particularly the one into the straight, threw runners out ot their stride and was the cause of bad spills in practically every cycling event, at times as many as six riders crashing down together. Taking the bends at speed would have been much more comfortable to athletes and cyclists alike had the chalk lines been correctly curved in semicircles. but both bends consisted of a series of straight lines drawn from peg to peg. In every event athletes were seen propping, and chopping their strides around each post, while cyclists experienced considerable difficulty in negotiating the bends at a good pace. It is to be hoped that on Saturday week care is taken to see that the corners arc marked in the proper manner. GOOD RUN BY H. D. BALL EXCELLENT JUDGMENT SHOWN A large field started in the 1000 yards handicap, but the leaders in the early stages set too slow a pace, thus playing into the hands of the> backmarkers, G. W. Bell, 10 yards behind, and H. D. Ball, scratch. In the first lap Bell displayed rather poor judgment by running at a fast pace right through the field into second position, a move which sapped much of his energy over the first quarter of a mile. On the other hand Ball ran an extremely well-judged race and at the commencement of the final lap began a steady run which gradually carried him past his opponents. He entered the straight alongside Bell, but the latter had overtaxed his stamina too early in the race and Ball went ahead to win easily. The University champion's careful training is now having its result, and there is 110 doubt that for the big races early next year he will bo in splendid condition. Bell, who convincingly won both the 410 yards and 880 yards handicaps on Labour Day, is well built for middledistance running and has a long springy stride. He is a former mile champion of Canterbury and has also finished second to T. G. Broadway for the half-mile title. At present he is living out of Auckland and finds training a difficult matter on account of the absence of a convenient track.

Old Grammarians, the provincial champion relay team for the past three years, comfortably won the one mile medley relay championship in spite of the fact that two of its outstanding members were absent. Later in the season, with H. Tyrie running the 440 yards. W. Roberts and F. A. Finlayson the sprints, and A. J. Savers the 880 yards, the combination should prove capable of breaking the New Zealand record for the event.

In the final of the 100 yards ladies' handicap Miss D. Lumlev ran splendidly from the scratch mark to gain second place, inches behind Miss X. Mackie, who was on a fair handicap. So impressive was Miss Lumle.v's performance that she was awarded a special trophy. The Auckland Club girl is running splendidly and will make t. s . of Morrinsville. move fast if the latter wishes to retain her provincial titles.

QUARTER-MILE CONTEST SEPARATE LAXKS XECESSARY An interesting point was raised during the week in connection with the 440 yards invitation race to be staged at the Lovelock meeting at Carlaw I ark on December 5. The six runners who' have been invited to participate in the race comprise what is undoubtedly the finest field vet to contest a quarter-nnle in Auckland. Three of them, W. S. Bainbridge, Auckland and Xew Zealand champion in 1985. W. Baker, present Auckland champion, and A. J. Savers, holder of the Dominion schoolboys' record for tho distance, have all broken 50s, while the. other three, H. Tyrie, present holder of the Xew Zealand title, L. H. Johnston, provincial 880 yards champion in 1935, and T. Kerr, runnerup to Baker last year, have all approached very close to that time. Ihreo of those runners competed at the sports carnival at Carlaw Park on Saturday and formed the opinion that the invitation event could not be run in lanes as the straights of flic track pnssed too close to the ienees. However, the president of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Centre, Mr. H. L. 'lowers, stated yesterday that the race would definitely be run in lanes. He said that the width of the track would be decreased, while the two straights would be lengthened. In his opinion it would be decidedly unfair if a field of six runners of such equal calibre were asked to contest a quartermile without lanes.