HARRIERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6624, 14 September 1908, Page 8

HARRIERS.

OROSS-OCUNTEY CHAMPION SHIP. At Miramar on Saturday afternoon in beautiful iveather tho sixth annual championship of the Wellington Harriers was decided over a five-mile course, which was practically the same as that run over last year. Nineteen members competed iu the event, tho trophies for which were the club’s challenge shield to be held for twelve months by the winner in addition to a gold medal to be won outright ; trophies for the first and second places in a scaled handicap race held in conjunction with tho championship. A course of 2i miles was trailed _by Messrs Watt and Williams commencing from the tea rooms at tho north of Wonderland and striking up the hill to tho westward overlooking Shelly Bay thence down a long spur till the flat ivas reached near tho quarry and back to tbo starting point across the flat. This course had to be negotiated twice by the runners and at the end ot the first lap Wilton and M. Muloahy, both . ex-champions, ivere loading with Press, Bennett and Rowberry close up. Climbing the hill the second time Press worked up to first position and despite a desperate challenge from Mulcahy kept a slight lead till the straight was reached. The final stretch was a straight course of five hundred yards and over this Press extended himself to such purpose that he increased. his lead from Mulcahy to close on a hundred yards and landed homo as champion for 19CS in the excellent time of 31min 35sec. ,

The win was a most popular ono and was gained by sheer doggedness and, determination. This is the fourth occasion on which Press has contested the championship but never before has ho put up such a sterling performance as he did on Saturday, when he beat three previous winners of the shield in Mulcahy, Bennett and F. Wilton. W. . Bennett was a close third with Kowberry, a new runner this season, close on his hells, O. S. Johnson and H. J. Pollock finishing next in order.

It was generally anticipated before tho raco that F. Wilton would bo in tho first bunch but the ’‘sting” was taken out of this runner through “coming a cropper” near the foot of tho hill and receiving a severe shaking. He eventually finished eighth. The scaled handicap resulted ih a wall-deserved win for C. Rowberry, W. Press being second and P. A. Wilton third. As Press also gained the championship ho decided to forego his place in the handicap in favour of the third man thus making P. A. AVilton second and H. J. Pollock third. Tho following were tho officials for the race:—Judge and handicapper, Mr AV. H. Pollock; result stewards, W. D. Robinson and R. O’Flaherty; timekeepers, A. Main and S. J. Smith; course stewards, J. McNie and E. A. Westwood; marksman, Alan Johnson. In place of the ordinary 7 run which was to have been held from Kilbirnie next Saturday, an invitation run will take place from the residence of the club’s president, Mr AV. H. Bennett, iu Woolcombe street.