AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12093, 21 March 1925, Page 10

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

“DECATHLON.”

BY

(Special to the "N.Z. Times.”) COMING EVENTS. March 21st—Australians at Masterton. March 28rd —Evening Meeting, Athletic Park. March 28th—Test, Australia v. New Zealand. March 31st—Victoria College Inter-faculty Tournament (evening meeting). April 1st —Victoria College Inter-faculty / Tournament (evening meeting). April ilth—Country Clubs’ Championship, at Levin. April Uth —Porirua A.A.C., Porirua. April 13th—N.Z. University Championships, Christchurch.

THRILLING CYCLE EVENT. The propioteors of the ten mile teams’ race, held on the Basin Reserve last week, hare every reason to be satisfied with the result. The large number of spectators were kept interested throughout, and were frequently brought to their feet as the various "sprints’’ were decided. Five teams faced the starter. Elach team consisted of two riders, a "plugger” "sprinter.’ _ The "pluggei-s" startp’l off together, did seven laps, then the ■ sprinters” came in and sprinted one lap. At the end of each two miles the nrsc ricier pfiit tlie starting line received rieveii points for his team, tho second five and the third two, except for the final »prmt, ivnen the winner, received ten. points. The "sprinters" were not bound down to one lap at the end of each two miles, but could, if the 'plugger" so deeired, come in at the end of six laps and take two laps. The hero of the race was "Ginger”Harrison; His partner became indisposed during the progress of the race, with the result that Harrison had to complete the journey on his own. He rode, nine miles in brilliant fashion* and was always well up in the front. Of the five teams which started, threfe were very evenly matched, keeping together right throughout. When the final lap com-, menced, No. 2 team <Bakef and Bright) had 2p points, and No. 1 team (Clark and: Harrison) had 22 points. So that the reimLt depended upon the ifinal sprint. Baker relieved Bright with two to go, but Harriaon. with no relief, hung to his back wheel. When the bell rang the excitement was intense, but it was inbreased tenfold os the three riders entered the straight.. Baker held the lead, but Harrison w«* gradually overhauling him. In a. sensational finish Baker secured the verdict by six inches, with the third team a length away. Tt was a great finish to a great race. The crowd were hot ,slo\t in showing their appreciation of* Harrison's wonderful performance. Several hundred rushed the ground and escorted him back to the pavilion.. Bright and Baker thoroughly deserved their wih. Both rode exceptionally well* mixing pedal power with a liberal sjipply of brains. Credit must also be given to the third team (I*ett and Robinson) for an excellent performance. Although they did hot score very highly as regards points, at no point of the race were they far behind the others. Prior to the big event a 120yds handicap was held. There were eight starters. E. Murphy (7yds) won by a yard from Melrose (12yds), who heat Hill (oyds) by inches. Murphy Is a vastly improved runner, and in good hands should sbon be among the back-inarker». V ' LAST SATURDAY’S MEETING. * The weather was very unfavourable for the afternoon meeting list Saturday. The northerly gale was stronger than it was on the appearance of- the Australians laat month. The track was in good order. and in epite of the gale some very . v-tod performances were recorded. ■ The 100yds produced a stirring contest between Jefikins and Leadbetter. Both.won their respective heats, bat Jenkins, who was on the half-yard mark, did tis in 1-osec -faster than Leadbetter. H. Miller (7yds) won the. final by a foot from Jenkins, with Leadbetter inches away third. Jenkins ran another briliiant race in the 220ydS. Ruhning' 06 the three yard mark he came away with a great burst of speed in the final, beating Hill by about a foot. Wilkins was a good third. Murphy, who won the first heat comfortably, was in a good position when the straight was reached, but faded away over the last 30 yards.

The 440yds handicap Was a’good race to watch. The winner. E. Guy (15yds), ran an Excellently judged rpce,-being well placed throughout, and showing a nice turn of speed over the last 150 yards "W. Kyle (scr). after running brilliantly, was blocked in, the straight and finished fourth. •Campbell foilfid the conditions and the handicaps too much fol- him in the halfmile. Lie would be Wise to take a short spell, as lie is in danger of going l stale. Ih a good finish Per stem (50yds) beat M. Walla (73yds) by two yards. With A. Cornish (93ydS) a similar distance back third. Priestley withdrew from the mile, leaving Melrose (30yds) virtual scratch. When the bell rang, J. Yeates • (lCOydsl, a new funner, went to the front and won by 20 yards from C. Bowler (65yds). Metioso was some yards back third, but the judges decided otherwise. * . There were only five htarters. in the three mile event. Scntehard, who took the lead fairly early, led into the last lap; 300 yards from home Todd opened out, and running easily went on to Wih by 50 vards. A, field of eight contested the one mile walk. The limit men made the iftost of their handicaps, causing the scratch man. Mclntosh, to retire at the end of three laps. W. .Nicholls (200yds) took the lead earlv, and hover lobked like losing. He won by fully 50 yards from A. Hicldiiur (180yds), with J. Blair (140yds) third. Jacobsen. Who has shown great improvement lately, was fourth. Hfe should try to lengthen his stride; Wlii'ch would make him ho close to doing 7mih. There was very poor competition in the two field events, tile re being cttly three, competitors in each. W. G. Kalaugher (late of Auckland) won file 120yds hurdles and the high nimp. Lis effort in tile high jump (sft 74in) was a particularly good one. F. Flighty and C. Louis, both of whom received sin, tied for second place at. sft Tin. Louis was also second. in tlie hurdles, with J, Wifien third. Both had a very etude stvfe over the sticko. The ladies ratio, which was decided in two. heats, war another fine race. Miss F. Stevettsoh Won hy a foot from Miss Wild. Who beat Miss Rayviee hy inches. Although the provincial team* won the relay race hy 39 yards, they failed in their attempt to lower the Australasian record. Of course the conditions were absolutely against tlifem, -but given favourable conditions the record should not be beyond them. THE CYCLE RACES. As usual interest was taken in the cycle races. In the one mile test Flett, the local champion, was opposed -by Forrester (Christchurch), T. Oakley and Chesteriuan (Mastei’toni. It was a great race and, Flett again proved his superiority over Oakley. n'heh the hell rang he shot to the front, oldeeiy folfiwed by Oakley and Forester, who, however, could make no impression on the Wellington "Speed king." Flett won by nearly two lengths from Forrester, with Oakley third. Forrester showed his mettle in the two mile handicap, When he beat both Flett and Oakley, who were his partners on the scratch mark. This event was a popular win for Svd Harrison (140yds) who took the lead half way through and resisted a strong challenge by Forrester, winning by a length. G. Bright (200yds) was a flood tilted. The half-mile handicap was decided in three heats, and resulted in a Win for Clark, who had recovered from his indisposition of the previous Wednesday evening. C. Corneal, who finished second. also wpn the mile handicap, after leading all the why. Corneal is only a boy. and in toe hands should be the goods.

A EIABCO. As regards the professional match race the less said the better. O'Shea had not recovered from his spill in Christchurch and was not fit to ride. He was covered in bandages and had a decided limp, but managed to reach the starting mark without a Stick. The first face, the quarter-mile eptint, was am absolute farce. Both ridefs were going fast enough to keep their machines uptight, and Spencer, after genefously allowing his opponent the ineide running and a goocf lead, came to grief ,at the bend into the straight. In the next second O’Shea came down, fracturing his collarbone, consequently the contest was. abandoned. , , The promoters of the contest, who by the way wei‘6 not the Wellington Centre, should have been honest with the public and not allowed O'Shea to ride. To say that he rode in order to beep faith with the public is mere humbug. The fact is that he was not in a fit condition tosmake a race of it. THE AT INVERCAROn Wednesday, March 11th, the visiting athletes appeared at Invercargill. After several weeks of drought the weather could not have been worse. It was rliming havily, and the-track was dead. Ihe amateur club in Invercargill have been u» against it since they -Were resuscitated a couple of years ago, and they deserved better treatment by the weather man. The attendance Was very poof, only about 250 people attending. The visitors were very successful. Parker won the 100yds, doing both heat and final m lOsec. Grehan, whose ankle is on the mend, dead-heated with Geddes (4yds) m the 220yds handicap. Parker also won the 200yds invitation race. Whyte won the quarter-Piile, and ran second in the SSOyds. w. L. Bews, the Otayo cbampion, ivho was on the mark with Whyte, was third, R. A. Rose startol off scratch in the 680yds, retiring 220 yd? from home. Ih the mile handicap Rose again demonstrated his superiority over Hyde. The Australians also defeated InVefcnrgill in the relay face of half a mile, each man nlnning 220 yards. AT DUNEDIN. The weather was good for the Dunedin meeting, and the attendance numbered about two thousand. N. Grellan returned to form with a vengeance, winning the lOGyds in lOsec. Brownlee (Iyd) was second half a yard away. Parker was unplaced. In the mile handicap E. L/Brown was on the scratch niferk with Bose and Hyde. In A g’foat race Rose bfeht Hyde feV 10 yards* with BroWn third. The tim© equalled standard, 4min 9hsec. Whyte had no difficulty in winning the half-mile and the 440yds. Both events Werfe won by about five yards easing up. Hyde did not statt in the two mile Handicap, leaving Bose and Brown to fielit out tlie issue. Rose beat Brown* by 80 vard* in ffmin 55sfec. , The visitors’ relay team had an easy win in the one mile relay race, ifa which five team** started Ofogo University wore second, and Civil Service third. Cecil Eurness won the one mile cycle race, but fell in the third lap of the three mile event. However, he remounted and continued the race, although hopelessly out of it. He finished half a lap behind the winners, and received an ovation for his effort. JOTTINGS.

At the last meeting of the centre, a letter was received from the Levin Chib protesting against the action of the tr ntre in granting, Porirua a permit for Easter Saturday, the day oh which the couhtvy club’s championships are to be held at Levin. I csUihot: see that the cranking of the pevmit to Porirua is , ?'olrt,g to have any effect Imon the Levin meeting. The members of the Pori run /Tub are not eligible to compete, in the country clubs championships, and the meeting would not draw manv Wellington runners, ns there ave only * three , handicap events on the programme. With n full programme of championship eyehts room cannqt be found For many handicaps. Mr Geo. Hall, the Levin delegate, was the only vote recorded against Torirua's application. Local cyclists will no doubt welcome tne hews that the Petone Borough Council have decided to put the cycling track in order. * The lncal •’Varsity Club have secured tile norvtces of two good performers in Prowse, of Wanganui, and Kaualgher, of Auckland. The secondary schools champion, E: K. Eacdwocd, is also# reported to be 3oihing up. S. Gi. Harifisoh trains a bit .more judiciously he will win more races The night after his great rider in . the ten mile cycle race, instead of bavin# a spell, he- is reported to have done**, a lot of hard training. "Wait_ and see” seems to be the policy of the New Zealand Council. They have asked tlie* local centre to control a meeting ,nyxt Saturday, but as is Usual, the council are giving the centre no assistThey wished to hold the on t-he Basin, but instead of trying to find out if the Basin were available thev apparently thought the.