ATHLETIC NOTES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1717, 25 January 1905, Page 52

ATHLETIC NOTES

FIXTURES. Jan. 26 —'Stratford Caledonian Society, Feb. I—Elschorpe Athletic Club, reo. 2—ERhaui Caledonian Society, Feb. B—v/aipawaß—v/aipawa Athletic Club. Feb, 9 —Toko Athletic Club. Feb. 15—Takapau Caledonian Society, (By “Advance.”)

H. C. McL.tchlan competed unsuccessfully at the North Taranaki Caledonian Society s Meeting, held at Waitara on the 19ih. He was third in a heat of the lOdyds, the final being won by Marsh (10yds) m 9 4-5 sec. McLachlan was unplaced in the 440 yards, won by R. Watters <2syds) m 51* sen. Fie did net start in either the 220 yards or halfmile events. A. Morris (20yds) won the half-mile in 2min 3.i-sec, with A. Arnott (10yds) second, and VV. Mitchell (Boyds) third. r l ! ho latter won the mile easily off 70yds in 4min 39 2-5 sec. R. Watters (Sdyd.s), and F. Bellshaw (30yd«) ye re plaoed. J£. Cook (owes syds) won the final heat of the 120 yards hurdles easily m 191 sec. The committee were not satisfied as to the bona tides of the race and the stakes were withheld pending an inquiry into the running of some of the •competitors. G. Campbell of Invercargill, won the 220 yards event in 22 2-ssec. A. Arnott (12yds) was second. E. 11. Terry won the Forced Handicap. Earlier m the afternoon he had attempted to lower his own chapping record for 12 inch blocks, which stands at 26 sec. The time taken was 26 2-ssec, and consequently the record put up in Tasmania stands.

Atheietes and cyclists are well catered for at the Hawke’s Bay Highland Society's Gathering on February 22nd. The 120 yards handicap is worth £l4, 220 yards, 440 yards, and 880 yards handicap £7 10s each, one mile £l4. The one mile cycling handicap is worth £3 10s, and the two mile event £l2 10s. Nominations close on February s,‘rp

The attractive prizes offered by the Masterton St. Patrick’s Day Sports Association should meet with a liberal re ponse from runners. For the handicap, of three distances worth £36 in cash, half-mile £3. mile £3, 120 yards hurdles £4 10s, 220 yards hurdles £4 10s, half-mile cycle £6. one-mile cycle £6, and two mile wheel race £l4, entries close on February 27th. The annual meeting of the Wei tuna District Athletic Club will be held cu March 1. Nominations for the 100 yards, 220 yards (ladies’ bracelet), 440 yards, 880 yards, one mile handicap, and 220 yards hurdles close on February 15th. SHRUBB’S RECORDS. Shrubb, in his repeated attacks on records from a mile and a half to eleven miles, has at last succeeded in placing all the series to his credit a feat which most good judges were convinced he would sooner or later achieve, savs a writer in the London “Sporting Rife.” His records from six miles to eleven at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, on Saturday, November 5 last, completed the senes ; and the name of the redoubtable W. G. George will no longer appear in the amateur record lists. PAST FAILURES AND SUCCESSES. It is surprising that the one, four and ten miles path and cross-country champion should he able to set up on a November day records at which he had failed in the more genial months of the year. His first attack on the ten miles accord seems to have been made on May 14, 1993, at Brighton. He then covered the distance in 51min 30 2-ssee, failing oy only 10 2-ssec to heat George’s record. As recently as Septembci 24 last he made another bold bid for honours at Stamford Bridge, but had to rest content with covering the journey m 51min 58 4-5 sec. The following is a complete list of the records which he holds:— Time. Mis. m. s. Place and Date. H 64/ 3-5 —Stamford Bridge, September 26, 1903. 2 9 17 —Reusing ~©n Oval, September 12, 1903. 3 14 17 3-5 —-S' muford Bridge, May 21, 1903. 4 19 31 3-5 —I* eston Park, Brighton, October 25, 1902. 5 24 33 2-5 —Stamford Bridge, May 12, 1904. 6 29 59 2-s—lbrox Park, Glasgow, N veaiber 5. 1904. 7 35 4 3-5 —Ibrox Park, Glasgow, N vember 5, 1904. 8 40 16 —lbrox Park, Glasgow, N vember 5, 1904. 9 45 27 3-s—lbrox Park, Glasgow, N vember 5, 1904. 10 50 40 3-s—lbrox Park. Glasgow,

N vember 5, 190-4. 11 56 23 3-s—lbrox Park, Glasgow, Nove ber 5, 1904. One hour: 11 miles 1137 yards, at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, November 5, 1904. Two of Sid Thomas’s records (tho.-.o for six and seven miles) were

among those which Shrubb lowered. The contest in which Thomas secured them was the Twelve Miles Open Race promoted by the Essex Beagles on October 22, 1892, at Herne Hill, and it is probably known to few that they were achieved under a great disadvantage, as the race was run on the cycling track, and the use of spiked shoes was prohibited. F. E. Bacon ran on that occasion as a member of the Ashton-under-Lyne Harriers, and retired at six miles.

Tli© distances to which the champion is likely to turn his attention in search for record honours are from twelve to fifteen miles. Possibly if he had run on last Saturday he could have secured the former, and his chances of beating the thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen miles records are shown to be great, by the fact t liat lie was close at Appleby’s heels when that runner passed the thirteen and fourteen mile stages, and ho was only beaten at the conclusion of the fifteen nuies by eleven seconds. The pei formances of both Appleby and Shrubb were marvellous, as they heat the world’s professional record, which had stood for fifty years, by close on two minutes. Tlie long distance records to which reference has been made are quoted below : Mis. h. m. s. Name, Place and Date. 12 1 2 43 —S. Thomas, Herne Hill, October 22,

1892. *l3 1 9 27 1-5—F. Appleby, Stamford Bridge, July 21, 1902. *l4 1 14 52 —l r . Appleby, Stamford Bridge, July 21, 1802. *ls 1 20 4| —F. Appleby, Stamford Bridge, J uly 21, 1902.

* World’s records

It is more than doubtful, however, whether Shrubb, who has now held the one mile championship for two years, will succeed in getting the one mile figures to his credit. This record, 4min 10 4-5-sec, was made by J. Links, at the amateur championship meeting at Stamford Bridge on July o, 1902. Shrubb’s win in the championship at Rochdale last July in 4min 22sec was one of his best performances at the distance, but with ix special preparation be may prove equal to Rinks’s achievement. But W. G. George may rest assured that his splendid mile professional record of 4min 12;faec will remain unassailed.