HARRIER ROAD RACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22327, 30 July 1934, Page 4

HARRIER ROAD RACE

PORT CHALMERS TO DUNEDIN WIN FOR A. J. BARR J. A. BARNES GAINS FASTEST TIME Although a light south-westerly breeze hampered the competitors to a certain extent, conditions otherwise could hardly have been more favourable than they were for the Otago Athletic Centre’s annual road race for the Hooper Cup. This event was held on Saturday over a course from Port Chalmers to Dunedin. The surface of the course was in better order than it has ever been, as the whole road is now tar-sealed, and the runners had good going all the way, excepting through the short-cut at Sawyers’ Bay, which was inclined to he heavy. The Cavershani Club provided this year’s winner in A. J. Barr, who, with a handicap of smin 50scc, ran a consistent race to breast the type 00 yards ahead of his team-mate, R. Knox, with a minute less. The scratch men, J. G. Barnes and E. C. Brown, gained first and second fastest times respectively, Barnes covering the distance in 40rain 19sec and Brown in six seconds more. Keen interest was centred in the race, and at the finishing point a crowd of over 1000 spectators had assembled to watch the runners come in. The arrangements for the race, which were in the hands of officials of the Otago Centre, were in every way admirable, and the thanks of the centre are due to the North Dunedin police and a squad of boy scouts, who assisted to control the traffic and the crowd. THE COURSE. According to the conditions of the race the competitors may follow any route between the starting-point at Mussel Bay and the finishing line, but they must not go inside the railway - fence. As a result, the runners on Saturday followed the road the greater part of the distance, with the exception of two short cuts across the paddocks between the top of the hill at Sawyers’ Bay and Tunnel Hill. Leaving the road above Sawyers’ Bay, they made their way across the paddocks and rejoined the road at the rear of the railway station. Thence the road was followed for a few hundred yards, and the competitors again took a cross-country course to emerge at the top of the lull above the Sawyers’ Bay tunnel. The race was then continued along the road to the finishing post, which was situated just past the first bridge on Anzac Highway. THE RACE. The limit men of the 66 starters were despatched at 3.35 by the starter (Mr T. P. Williamson), and the remaining runners went off at intervals until, six and a-hal£ minutes later, the scratch men, Barnes and Brown, were sent away. The cut across the paddocks -t Sawyers’ Bay took its toll of the competitors, and as they passed Roseneath C. H. Walker and W. Walker were leading Barr by 20 yards, the remainder of the field being well strung out. At St. Leonards W. H. Walker had taken the lead, and Storer bad moved up into second place, with C. H. Walker lying

third. Barr at this stage was in fourth place and going very nicely. Then came Bcnfell and J. D. M‘Gregor (omiu 40sec). Storer was striding along 10 yards in front of W. H. Walker as they ran through Burkes, and Barr was lying third, a similar distance back. Then, 50 yards back, came C. H. Walker, F. Williams, Knox, Bcnfell, Divers, M‘Gregor, Racklcy and Jackson in that order. Storer had drawn out to a 50 yards’ lead over Barr by the time Maia was reached, and after a gap of about 20 yards came the two Walkers, almost together. Running through Ravcnsbourne, Barr drew up, and near Black Jack’s Point he and Storer were battling it out together,, with Knox and W. H. Walker coming up fast about 100 yards behind. Over the final three-quarter mile Barr lengthened his stride, and, running very easily, came home a winner by GO yards from Knox, who was 20 yards in front of Storer. Barnes and Brown occupied twelfth and sixteenth positions respectively. The individual placings were as follows A. J. Barr (Caversham), smin 50sec 1 R. Knox (Caversham), 4min 50sec .. 2 A. Storer (Dunedin), smin 40sec .. 3 W. H, Walker (Caversham), Gmin 20sec. 4 L. F. Racklcy (Mornington), 4min 50scc 5 D. Divers (Anglican), 4min 40sec .. 6 C. H. Walker (Caversham), Gmin 30scc 7 IT. D. Bcnfell (Hanover Baptist), Gmin 20see 8 A. Romeril (Anglican), 4min 50sec 9 A. M. Jackson (Northern), Gmin .. 10 The winner's time was 44min 54sec. TEAMS’ RACE. The following is the result of the teams’ race:— Caversham (A. J, Barr 1, R. Knox 2, W. H. Walker 4), 7 points .. 1 Anglican (D. Divers 6, A. Romeril 9, C. R. Holmes 26), 41 points .. 2 Civil Service (J. G. Barnes 12, P. Williams 15, E. C. Brown 16), 43 points 3 WINNERS TO DATE. From 1902 to 1914 the race was held annually, and there was then no further contest until 1921. So poor were the entries in the following year that the race was again abandoned, but interest was revived in 1923, and from that year the event has become increasingly popular. The following is a list of winners to date, the name of the runner registering fastest time being given in parentheses : 1002 G. W. Cowlo (P. Bennett, 40mln 17scc). 1002.—.1. F. Frew (11. C. Murray. 4Omin 12sec). 1001 —I*. Ronieril (A. Melville. 13mm CSsec). 1005.—A. French (A. Melville, 43mln 57sec). 1900.—,T. Swanson (A. Melville, 47mln 17sec). 1007. —,1, V. Quelch (J. Beatson. 43min 24seo). 1908.—.7. Beatson (G. M'Knlght, 41mln 45sec). 1009.—. T. M'Lauchlan '(II. C. Murray. 43min 42sec). 1910. J. A. Bond (G. G. Notman, 42mln 49sec). 1911. D. .lack (G. G. Notman. 43mln 25sec). 1912. G. G. Notman (G. G. Notman, 41mln ssee). 1913. V. C. Stephens (D. B. Thompson, 43mln 2(ssec). 1014.—G.. E. Tapp (M. Michelson, 44mln 7seo>. 1021. —It. Monachal! (C. W. Frye, 43mln 47sec), 1923 —.l. B. Bibby (C. W. Frye, 45mln 22soc). 1924.—J. Cameron (J. W. Tapp, 42mln 17seo). 1925—8, M. Stevens (J. W. Tapp, 42mln S6sec). 1020,—W. Buskin (B. G. Coi. 43mln Isec). 1927.—F,. P. llowlatt (B. M. Stevens. 42mln 17iec). 1028. C. E. Birt (J. G. Barnes. 42mln 4Gsee). 1929. —T. Chettleburgh (P. H. Francis. 41m!n Isec). 1930. S. Anderson (J. G. Barnes. 41mln 14soc). 1931. L. It. M'Millan (J. G. Barnes. 41mln 57seo). 1932. E. C. Brown (B. C. Brown, 39mln 65sec). 1033, D. Divers (E. C. Brown. 39min S9sec). 1934. —A. J. Barr (J. G. Barnes, 40mln lOseo).