EDMOND CUP STEEPLECHASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19199, 16 June 1924, Page 8

EDMOND CUP STEEPLECHASE.

ANGLICAN CLTJL RETAINS TROPHY. BROWN FIRST MAN IN A FINE PERFORMANCE The twelfth annual contest for the Edmond Cup took place at the Wingatui racecourse on Saturday afternoon, but the light rain which fell at intervals was unpleasant both for the competitors and the spectators. Among the small number pro sent we re the members of the Anglican Ladies’ Athletic Club, who took a very keen interest in the race. At any time the course is a gruelling one, but this year, owing to the very heavy rain of the past few clays, portion of the track was a veritable quagmire, and the 80 men who took part were indeed plucky to sot out with such a strenuous task in front of them. In spite of the heavy nature of the track, the winner, E. L. Brown, of the Civil Service Club, ran a groat race, and ho did the distance in 17 minutes dead, as compared with W. IT. B. Hobbs’s time of 17min Msec last year. Brown has a great style for a young runner, and at the end of the race he was as fit as at the commencement, and he showed no signs of fatigue. It was the first occasion on which Brown competed in the Edmond Cup race, and as he only took up track running during the past season, his performance is a remarkable one, and he is certainly to be regarded as a coming champion. The Anglican Club, which won the cup last year, was again successful, the No. 1 team securing 66 points. The Caversham team secured 104 points and the University team 105, while the Pacific dub made a total of 117. The race, which was run under the auspices of the Dunedin Club, was capably controlled by the following officials; — Referee, Mr E. L. Macassey; judges, Messrs E. A. Rosevear, P. W. Breen, G. Fercns. C. W. Clark; lime-keepers, Messrs A. Melville and J. Beatson; starter, Mr P. Romorill. Mr -G. Jackson proved an efficient and obliging secretary THE COURSE. The race, which was run over a mile and a-half course, was held under the auspices of the Dunedin Harrier and Athletic Club. The course was as follows: —Commencing opposite the grandstand, the field ran north to the soil wall, then over the post-and-rails and the rail fence along the ordinary steeplechase course. It then lead along the back straight, missing the brush fences, over the ditch and the post-and-rails at the south end of the course, across the water jump, and up the straight past the grandstand. This course had to be covered twice. Nine teams, representing eight local clubs—Dunedin Anglican No. 1 and 2, Caversham, Otago University, Pacific, Civil Service, St. Patrick’s, St. Kilda, and Cargill Road—comprising about 85 runners, as compared with five teams and 51 men last year, faced the starter, but five men withdrew at the end of the first lap. 'THE RACE. Following a good start, the field was well bunched until the first sod wall wn« reached without any runners gaining an advantage, On entering the back straight the pace began to toll on the weaker men, the more experienced runners gradually forging ahead. Tapp (Caversham), Hobbs (Pacific). Brown (Civil Service), White (St Patrick’s), Cox (University), and Bibhy (Anglican) leading the pack. The remainder of the field was considerably spread out. At the water jump Brown gradually secured the lead, and, on coming up the straight the first time he was about 10 yards ahead of Tapp, with White, Bibby, and Hobbs close in the rear. The re mainder of the field had spread out over a distance ol about 150 yards. On taking the sod wall the second time Brown had increased his lead to about 60 yards, with Bibhy second, and Tsvpp and Forbes closely behind, with the stragglers running over a lengthy stretch of the course. By the time Brown entered the back stretch he had increased his lead to about ICO yards, with Hobbs, Tapp, Bibby, and White running strongly. On coming into the straight the second time Hobbs had shortened the distance between himself and Brown, but the latter was still between 40 and .50 yards ahead. Hobbs was followed by Tapp, White, Bibby, Cox, Forbes, C. Frye, Ashby, and Drumm, and the first man, who was running well, breasted the tape about 35 yards ahead of Hobbs, who was about 25 yards ahead of Tapp, while Cox was a little further back. The remainder of the field was well spread out. but some exciting finishes were witnessed even among those well back in the race. The water jump, which had to he taken twice, did not prove a very serious obstacle, the majority of the runners managing to clear it. Tho following were the results:— INDIVIDUAL RESULTS. B. L. Brown (Civil Service) 1 W. H. B. Hobbs (Pacific) 2 J TV. Tapp (Caversham) 5 B J. Cox (University) 4 F. White (St. Patrick’s) 6 J. G. Forbes (Anglican) 6 C. W. Frye (Caversham) 7 J. B. Bibby (Anglican) 8 T C. Drumm (University) 9 11. A. Ashby (Anglican) 10 Time, 17min. TEAMS’ RESULT. Anglican (Forbes 6. Bibby 8, Ashbv 10, Paterson 13. Ormond 14, Stubbs 15); 66 points—l. Caversham (Tapp 3, C. Frye 7, Hethcrington 16, Emmerson 22, A. Frye 26, Mills 30); 104 points —2. University (Cox 4. Drumm 9, Douglas 12, Simmers 21, Hodgkins 28, Bell 31); 106 points 3. Pacific. 117 points—4". Civil Sendee, 191 points—s. St, Patrick’s, 268 points—6. St. Kilda, 329 points—7. Cargill Road, 349 points—B. Anglican Club No. 2 did not finish a complete team a a several withdrew earier in the race, and only five breasted the tape. THE PLACED MEN. E. L. Brown, the Civil Service runner, who put up such a splendid performance, has a style ail his own. He was second to Dufresne in the One Mile New Zealand Championship, and ho first came into prominence by winning a series of handicap events on the Caledonian Ground during tho past track season. A fortnight ago Brown vvon tho Three Milo Railway Handicap from scratch. He is 21 years of age, and commenced cross country running last season. He is also a keen member of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club. W. 11. B. Hobbs, the Pacific runner, who was the second man, won the event last year in 17min 41aec. Ho is 20 years of age, and has won several club events, winning the club’s junior and senior events in 1921 and 1922. He competed in the New Zealand Championship in 1922, Iml did not secure a place, and was third in the Otago Championship Race in the same year. Hobbs ran third in the Three Mile New Zealand Championship Race at the Caledonian Ground last March, and easily vvon the Pacific Club’s Two Mile Handicap from scratch a fortnight ago. J. Tapp, the third man, has a record to be proud of. Ho was second in the Edmond Cup race last year, and ran seventh in the New Zealand Championship of that year, and he secured third place in (he Now Zealand Cross Country Championship held in Christchurch last year. He was one of (lie New Zealand team which competed in the Australasian Championships at Sydney in September la-st. Tapp also has a number of club wins to his credit. B. J. Cox, of the University team, tho fourth man, is a very promising- young runner. He secured seventh place in the Otago championship in 1923, and he represented tho province in the New Zealand championships at Christchurch in that year. CONGRATULATIONS. At the conclusion of the race Mr E. L. Macassey (president of the Otago Centro, N.Z.A.A.A.) presented the cup to Mr J. B. Bibby, the captain of tho Anglican Club. Mr Macassey, who apologised for the absence of the donor of the cup (Mr VV. F. Edmond), congratulated Mr Brown on his splendid performance, and the members of (he teams on a plucky race.—(Applause.) He expressed his pleasure at seeing the members of the Anglican Ladies’ Harrier Club present, and said that they had shown a keen interest in tho race. —(Annlause.) PREVIOUS WINNERS. The Edmond Cup race originated in 1907, when Mr W. F. Edmond presented the cup for competition among dominion harrier clubs, but for tho past two years no teams from other centres have competed. The first race tor the cup was run in Forbury Park on Saturday, June 8, 1907, when it was won by the Caversham Club. Tho following is a complete list of tho winning clubs to date: —1907, Caversham; 1908, Dunedin; 1909. 1912, and 1913, Caversham ; 1914, Dunedin; 1916, Caversham; 1920, Pacific; 1921, Olympic (Wellington); 1922, Caversham; Anglican, 1923 and 1924.