HARRIER NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21406, 6 August 1931, Page 5

HARRIER NOTES

By Amateub. HANOVER BAPTIST Th« Hanover Baptist Club, which is » probably the keenest of the younger clubs. \ is going forward in great strides, mainly due to the fact that it has the good fortune to have many promising juniors, of whom great things may be expected. F. Lancaster is one who, with more racing judgment, should prove a tremendous asset to the club, as he has to his credit already this season first place in the Maiden Race. This he followed up by gaining second place in the club Junior Tfiree-mile Race, while he was in the first 20 in the Otago Junipr Cross-country Race. K. Murray, although only in his first harrier season, employs a free-strid-ing action, and, if he is taken care of and pays more attention to training, should in a season or so be outstanding. S. 1 Robinson, with age and experience, should continue to make his presence felt, as he has done in this, his first harrier season. A. Marshall, D. Meiklejohn, and W. Miiburn are all keen youngsters who should .be prominent in a year or two. The last-named and his brother are very keen, as they come in from Burnside for the runs regularly. H. Rishworth and P. Swan have scarcely lived up to former expectations so far. this season. T. M‘Ansh is a new recruit who shows that he can stay. The team for the Ota"o Crosscountry Championship is comprised mostly of seniors, who should perform well. _L. Medlin has been a great team man for his club, and his entrance into the senior division shortly will be’watched with interest. j V • CIVIL SERVICE Civil Service ran last week from the George Street School, and the intermediate and juniors followed a. trail which must rank as the best of the season. Road, hill, and \bushy country were nicely blended, but apart from the trail chosen, the paper was wisely laid, and credit to the hares, -C. M. Hughes and D. K. Orange, neither of whom had PL® Vl °; taken the position of hares. The last pack indulged in solid, font work, under Captain M'Kernan. and all the fast men gave evidence of their best form. . ahe slow and junior packs combined, and held t very pleasant outing. Smith, Davies, and M'Kersey, who. habitually run with the fast pack, made the pace very solid over the first couple of miles until a word from the pack leader pointed out their indiscretion. Fast pack Tunnera who take an occasional jog with the slow . pack are always inclined to adopt a %ery solid pace, which has a detrimental effect on the rest of the pack, and packJeaders must be severe on those who offend m this way, as what would otherwise be a good run is soon turned into an ordeal tor untrained men. t .. ■ Next Saturday’s race should provide a great contest, and the teams to represent ' the club should be well un to etaodard. Barnes, Brown, Geddee, M. Knight, and M'Lachlan look to be sure of their places in: the first team, but only a punter, would attempt to pick- their finishing order. Garbutt is the obvious choice for tne remaining place, but M'Keich has a level chance of beating him.-. The second team should come from MKernan, /Dotting, Brydone, Milne, Manderson, Livingstone Davies, and Tracey, but should C. K. Melville put in an appearance ne may upset calculations. . , ... For' those who do : not wish to tackle the Five-mile' Race on Saturday a club -run' will be held from the St. Kilda Bathe, under >the' leadership of i. VAndrews. By making provision in this, way, the committee makes very sure that junior and unfit members are not subjected- to such a hazardous task. ( • • . - - • ■ • - • » .<■

- Eight -runners faced the starter (Mr G. Jordan) in the annual Five-mile Crosscountry held over the Otago-course. The ground was in a sodden condition, ’ and especially on J ane-field'-road, the mud and snow was nearly ankle deep. The dub members and officials are 1 indebted to Mr J. Peterson, theflseith> timekeeper, for. acting ■in that capacity for their event. - The team in the‘Otago C.C.C. will probably be Jordan, Hill, Sadler,, Sell, Finchami and Knox. CARGILL ROAD'' The Cargill Road Club ran fsom Anderson’s Bay as the gpests of Mr and Mrs L. Mercier, one of the club’s vice-presidents. The trail led up' the bill to the Soldiers Momitnent, ’ and then tdown hilr to the lower road. >Tn view of ithe club championship race the members indulged in a long run home from the Cove; For .nest Saturday’s race Rockliff, Bennie, M Indoe, and Fox are expected to run well, whilst amongst the juniors, Grey, Olivers, Yeoihah> and Clark are likely to be prominent. The race will start from the Ocean Beach Sdout Hall. • . < / ■ ANGLICAN .Last Saturday the Anglican Club held Its Five-mile Cross-country Championship over ;tbe course at Wingatui. Following the snow the previous night, the track was in very bad order, and the. performances put up by. the placed men were very creditable. . _ ' . ■■ e i The winner. D- Logan, is 19 years oi age and was having his first race over this ’ distance. He ran a well-judged race, hanging with the leaders oyer the first lap and going into first plac? halfway round the second lap to win by 15 yards. His success once again demonstrates the value of systematic training. . C. R. Holmes, who finished second, has a stood but somewhat unlucky record in this race. In 1928 and 1929 he finished fourth, last year he finished second, and this year he was unlucky in striking such a. runner as Logan. He ran a good race, but though making a great effort could not’catch the winner in the straight. ' The Sealed Handicap went to R. M Douiall, who finished third in the actual race soma 60 yards behind the first two. He was with the leaders most of the way, but could not keep pace with them in the last half-mile. • ~ ~ , J Pringle and J. M'Lachlan ran well to finish fourth and fifth respectively,, and they should be useful members of the team for the Otago Cross-country Race. J. R. Mitchell finished m sixth place after running a sound race, but he does not take the sport seriously enough. He has the makings of a. good distance man, and, if he would settle down to regular training, success in good company would come his way. - ... A. Fitehett ran a disappointing race, apparently being unable to handle the heavy going. On his running during tue last 'few weeks, this is obviously not his true form. ST. PATRICK’S. Although there was nothing surprising about the result of, last Saturday’s CrossCountry Championship, the face nevertheless was interesting. The, event was held at Wingatui on a very heavy course. About 20 runners started, and it was pleasing to note that nearly all finished the arduous journey. S. Airey and Ryan took up the early running from h. ~cmon. who did not make his presence felt till the • commencement of, the second lap. when he wrested the lead from Airey ascending M'Pherson’s hill. Ryan joined the pair descending on to the JanebeW road with- T. Robertson running a lone face in fourth position. Airey overtook Lemon entering the course for the last half-mile, and established a lead which fie held to’ the finish, defeating Lemon by 10 yards. Ryan was 50 yards away third,’ being followed at intervals hy T Robertson, A. Byrne, and -H. Sullivan. A. Byrne thoroughly deserved his win •in the Sealed Handicap, and in finishing fifth in his first attempt over country he showed the way honie to many more experienced racing men. NORTHERN The Northern Harriers’ run last Saturday again proved uneventful. Owing to had weather and sickness only 14 men turned out to the run at Port Chalmers. The change of- country was enjoyed by all present. The pack ran well, all obeying the captain’s orders. Just now Northern’s runners appear to be having their winter’s sleep, very few bothering to train. It ,is extremely unlikely if the club will enter a team in the Otago Cross-country Championship. During the week club members said farewell to the deputy captain (W. B M'Naught). Though sorry to lose so good a,worker, the club wishes him every ■uccess in his new sphere of work. ;■ The One-mile Championship for boys of the Caversham School for a Memorial cup presented by the Caversham Harrier and 4mateur Athletic Club was held on MonSay afternoon under very unfavourable conditions. Thirty-two runners contested

this event, and provided a very fine race, well in keeping with former years. The placed men in particular made efforts which call for the .highest praise. Result: J. Harwood 1, E. Todd 2, A. Mayne 3. This was the ninth occasion on which the race has been held. Previous winners are as f0110w.—1923. D. F. Brown; 1924, K. Brown; 1925 jJ. A. W. Henderson; 1926, G. M. M'Dougall; 1927, C. M'Gregor; 1928, G. M. M'Dougall; 1929, D. Lumb; 1930, W. Sinaill. At the conclusion of the race’the cup was presented to the successful competitor by the hon. secretary of the Caversham Harrier Club (Mr J. W. Holley), who apologised for the absence of th 4 president (Mr J. M. Brown). Mr Holley congratulated the runners on their performances, expressing a hope that their interest in running would be continued in the future.