NOTABLE RACE

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 7

NOTABLE RACE

TWENTY-FIVE MILES. * COVERED IN 51 HOURS. At the Eastbourne Carnival on Saturday a Marathon race, which was over a distance of twenty-five miles of rough and steep country, was watched with interest by the publio., Starting from the Eastbourne recreation ground, the course led to Mount Matthews and back. Seventeen competitors entered for the race, and started off at 9.45 a.m. The pace to Gollan’s Valley was fast; hut from here the country gets rougher, and the climb over the Wainui hill was a severe test, ag was the long five-mile track through the hush. Each competitor was handicapped with a sealed pack weighing 201 b. The winner turned up in F. Fife, of St. John’s Hostel, a member of the Tararua Tramping Club, and a tramping pupil of Mr A 7 osseler.

After the race was over, Mr Fife said' it was the first race he had won. In describing it, he said: “Shortly after the-start three of us went away from the others at a jog-trot, walking up the hills and trotting down them, and kept this up till wo reached the Catchpole, about seven ' miles out. When we reached Baine’s whare, on the bonks of the creek at the foot of Mount Matthews, which was the turning-point, we were each given a cup of tea, which was very welcome after the rough journey along the shingle river-bed. Tho return journey wae taken at a slow run, walking up the more difficult places. 1 was now ahead of my companions, but at the Catchpole I noticed that AV. Clapham was about a hundred yards behind me. Another cup of lea was provided by a couple of good chaps, and 1 set out for the final stages of the journey, which proved uneventful.” The winner said he was just about “done in'’ at the finish. The winner’s time for the race was shr 34min. The second man, W. Clapham, who was only three minutes behind the leading competitor, did not appear to he so wearied os Fife, but he was also glad the event was over. Only two competitors failed to cover the distance. The order and times of return of tho various competitors were:

F. Fife (3.19 p.m.), B team; AV. Clapham (3.22 p.m.), E team; H. Murray (3.27 p.m.), 1 team; J. A. Bane (3.52 p.m.), D' team; G. Glennie (3.37 p.m.), G team;, M. H. Braund (3.43 p.m.), D team; L. Cross (3.55 p.m.), A team; R. Smith (3.58 p.m.), A team; H. S. Thompson (4.53 p.m.), F team; R. 11. Roberts (4.54 p.m.), F team; R. Long ’(5.1 p.in.), C team; C. Brown (5.5 p.m.), A team; C. Coates (5.21 p.m.), E team; AV. O’Loughlin (5.23 p.m.), G team; P. A 7 on Sturmer (6.5 p.m.), B team. G. P. Rayward (D team) and E. P. Wise (F team) did not complete tho course. The starters were divided into teams of three, and the team results were: Clapham, Coates. Murray (17 points), 1; Cross, Smith, Brown (24 points) and Fife. Long, Von Sturmer (24 points), equal. 2. Medals were given for individual performances ah well ns team results. *