AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18921, 23 July 1923, Page 9

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

CEOSS-COUNTEY CHAMPIONSHIP. HONOURS FOR CAVERSHAM CLUB. i The annual Otago Five-mile Cross-country Championship, which w’us held at Wingatui on Saturday afternoon in ideal weather, was won by J. W. Tapp (Caversham Harrier Club), after a very well-run race. Thor© was a small attendance of the public. The time —20min 13sec—was particularly good considering the very heavy state of portion of the course. The Caversham Club also secured the highest points in the sealed handicap, but as the one team cannot win both events, the handicap was awarded to the University Club. The Caversham Club has not won the championship since 1914, having previously held the banner from 1910 to 1914 inclusive. At the conclusion of the race, Mr E. L. Macassey (president of the Otago Centro cf the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association) presented the championship banner to Mr J. W. Tapp, the captain of the, Caversham team. The following were the officials:—Referee, Mr E. L. Macassey; judges —Messrs C. W. Clark, R. Bennell, B. H. Rosovear, K. Culling, and J. H. List; starter, Sir C. W. Clark; timekeepers—Messrs T. P. Williamson, H. Hogfe-, and A. Melville; track stewards—Messrs R. J. Walker, R. Thompson, and G. H. Luckhurst; trail-layers— Messrs E. Culling, R. J. Walker, and H. Emnierson. Mr R. Swinney again proved a capable and courteous secretary. Thirty-two men, representing six clubs, faced the starter, the Cargill road team running only four men out of a team of six. The University team also started one man short. Several of the St. Patrick's runners withdrew after completing the first round of the course. THE COURSE. The course commenced opposite the members’ stand, and, running along the track, extended po the post-and-rail fence, and then on to Mr Betting’s property, where the ground was very heavy. From Mr Botting’a paddock the track crossed on to Mr Hazlett’g flat fields, where it was a little better, and, veering in a westerly direction, ran near the owner’s residence and on to the Janofield road, which was followed for about a quarter of a mile. It then crossed into ploughed paddocks on Mr Gow’s property in returning to the racecourse, branching out on to the track at the half-mile post, and then round the track and up the straight to the startingpoint. The course, which had to be covered twice, contained no water-jumps. THE RACE. Following the “Go!” the field got well away at a steady pace, and on reaching the post-and-rails it spread out somewhat, Mouat (Anglican), Beatson (Caversham), M’Kernau (Anglican), Tapp (Caversham) leading, with the remainder of the field following a little behind. On the field coming into view alter crossing the hill on Mr Bolting’s property, it was seen that the pace had slackened considerably, with White (St. Patrick’s), Tapp, Mouat, C. W. Frye (Ca.vorsham), Hobbs (Pacific), and Krridgo (University) in the lead- Through Mr lla/iott's paddocks the track was very heavy, but on the Janefiold road the going was a little better. On the field reaching Mr Gow’s property, Frye and Tapp were running closely together, followed by White, Erridge, Bibby (Anglican), Henderson (Anglican;, Beatson, Cox (University), and Hobbs. On entering the straight, Frye and Tapp, who still hung together, maintained their lead, and wore followed by White, Erridge, Bibby, Beatson, Cox, Hobbs, Monaghan (Pacific), and Paterson (Anglican). Passing the starting-point the order was: Frye, Tapp, White, Bibby, Beatson, Henderson, Hobbs, Cox, and Paterson. On reaching the sod wall the second, time the positions remained unchanged, with the exception of White, who withdrew. Frye and Tapp still held on to their lead, and gradually increased the gap on the rest of the field till they were about 50 yards ahead, each man doing his utmost to shako off the other. On again reaching Mr Bptting’s paddock, the order was: Frye, Tapp, Bibby, Erridge, Henderson, Hobbs, and Beatson, with the remainder of the field spread out for nearly a mile. Here Frye secured a lead of about 30 yards on Tapp, but he did not maintain it for long, as Tapp gradually closer! up on him, and on reaching the racecourse again was doggedly at his heels, Bibby, Hobbs, Erridge, Beatson, Henderson, Cox, and Monaghan following in that order. Frye and Tapp had about 200 yards on the rest of the field on coming up the straight for the second time, and a keen tussle ensued between them. Both put on a great spurt, but Tapp gradually overhauled big opponent, and breasted the tape about 15 yards ahead of his clubmate. Bibby, the third man, was about 200 yards further back, with Hobbs, Erridge, and Beatson running closely together, some distance behind.

THE FINISHING ORDER. J. W. Tapp (Caversham) 1 C. W, Frye (Caversham) 2 ,T. B. Bibby (Anglican) 3 W. H. B. Hobbs’ (Pacific) 4 J. Erridgo (Caversham) 5 J. Beatson (Caversham) 6 R. G. Cox (University) 7 J. R. Henderson (Anglican) ... 8 Time, 30min 13sec. • TEAMS’ RACE. Tiro Teams’ Race resulted: Caversham—Tapp 1, Frye 2. Erridgo 5. Beatson 6, M’Donnell 11 (25 points), I. Anglican—Bibby 3, Henderson 8, Paterson 12, Mouat 13, Sinclair 16 (52 points), 2. Pacific —Hobbs 4, Monaglum 9, M‘Leau 17, Grey 13, Burleigh 22 (VO points), 3. University—Cox 7, Di’umrn 10, Fossey 19, Scott 25, Cook 25 (84 points), 4. St. Patrick’s did not finish a complete team. SEALED HANDICAP. Caversham (5 points), 20 poiifts ... 1 University (40 points), 44 points ... 2 X'acifio (20 points), SO points 3 Anglican (scratch), 52 points 4 THE PLACED MEN. J. W. Tapp, the winner, was second ift the Edmond Cup event last year, and seventh in the Now Zealand championship of the same year. He was second in the Caversham Club’s Vice-president’s Three Milo Handicap this year, and he won tiro club’s 2i-Mile Cross-country Championship in 1922, and was second in the Caversham Club’s Five-mile Championship of the same year. 1 C. ■W. Frye, who is also a Caversham Club runner, has a lengthy list of meritorious performances in club, provincial, and dominion events. He won the New Zealand Five-mile Championship in 1929 and the Otago Championship in the same and following years, but was third in the Otago event in 1922. He secured the Otago Three-mile Track Championship four times out of four starts, and has represented Otago in the New Zealand Cross-country Championship no fewer than six times. In the Edmond Cup race ho has run second on three occasions, and secured third place this year. He won the Southland Threemile Championship in 1911, and the South Island Three-mile Championship the following year, and he also secured the Southland Club’s Five-mile Championship in 1913. J. B. Bibby (Anglican Club), who has just recovered from influenza, put up a remarkably fine performance, considering he has only had two runs since the Port Chalmers-Dunedin Road Race, which was hold on June 30. He won the Port Chalmers Rond Race this year, and secured seventh place in the Edmond Cup race of 1923, and ran fourth in the same ovont iu 1922. ■ He is prominent in club events, PREVIOUS WINNERS. The champion ship, which has been an annual event since 1905, with the exception of the war period, has been won as follows:—Dunedin Harrier Club, 1905 to 1909; Caversham Club, 1910 to 1914 and 1923; Pacific Club, 1919 and 1920; Anglican Club, 1921 and 1922. The individual Otago champions were: 1905 (Dunedin), B. Sharp ; 1906 (Dunedin), C H. Croker; 1907 (Dunedin), H. G. Burk; 1008 (Dunedin), G. M’Knight; 1909 to 1913 (Caversham), J. Beatson ; 1914 (Caversham), M- Miokelson; 1919 (Pacific), D. C. Lister; 1920 (Pacific), C. W. Frye; 1921 (Anglican), C. W. Frye; 1922 (Anglican), D. C. Lister; and 1923 (Caversham), J. W. Tapp. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP. OTAGO REPRESENTATIVES. The following team has been selected to represent Otago at the Now Zealand Crosscountry Championship at' Christchurch on August 4:—J. W. Tapp, C. W. Frye, J. B. Bibby. W. H. B. Hobbs, J. Beatson; emergencies—Erridge, Cox, Henderson. The above are requested to attend the Caledonian Ground on Tuesday evening at 6 o'clock for training purposes.