HARRIER NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22964, 20 August 1936, Page 4

HARRIER NOTES

CIVIL SERVICE CLUB The Civil Service Club extends' nearty congratulations to the Mornington Club on its success in the Junior Cross-country Championship and to G. S. Munro for his individual effort. A. R. Geddes, champion of .the senior event, has been a consistent winner this season, and over the Auckland course, which is not as gruelling as Wingatui, he is expected to do well. J. G. Barnes, in third place, made a good effort considering his indifferent health at the present time. His experience should benefit the Otago team. The consistent team man S. Asher ran a superior race than his previous effort, and a place in next season's Otago team is quite possible. J. L. Gerken, realising the failure of C. A. Broad, who ran disappointingly, set out to make a supreme effort to assist the team to win the championship. ~, „ N. Coutts did not run with the same freedom as in the club championship. Next season should see a big improvement on his twenty-second placing. I. Herbison finished a place behind his last season's performance, and, while he has not fulfilled his earlier promise, he should not be discouraged, as he has plenty of running ahead. M. Tracey, eighteenth, R. Watson, twentieth, and W. Wheeler, twentyfourth, ran solidly, but not the races of which they are capable. E. Asher had an off day, and did not run his best. With the cross-country races over, members are turning their attention to the forthcoming road races. First on the list of races is the Southland Fivemile Road Race, and N. Coutts, D. M'Kellar, G. M'Kersey, S. Anderson, and L. R. M'Millan will probably be making the trip. Any member of other clubs desirous of making the trip should forward their entry to Mr B. R. M'Kernan, 27 Ferguson street, Musselburgh, without delay, and make travel arrangements with L. R. M'Millan. The No. 2 team improved two places in the teams' championship on last year's performance. W. M'Kinnon finished behind Coutts in twenty-third The balance of the team, while not up to M'Kinnon's standard, all ran solid races. B. A. Brown found it necessary to drop out. , The juniors' performance in tieing for second place was fair but not up to expectations. „,, .„ . R. Wilkinson, third in a field of 73, gave an example of his ability, and when he takes it more seriously he should be a promising cross-country athlete. MORNINGTON CLUB By winning the junior cross-country event on Saturday, Munro has the honour of being the first Mornington man to gain an Otago championship title. As a result of his fine performances in club races this season, in two of which he broke the existing record, club members were expecting him to give a good account of himself. He was always well placed, and going down Janefield road he went into the lead where he was shortly joined by his team-mate, Moore, these two running together over the last mile. Moore was the surprise of the team, and for a young runner in his first season shows exceptional promise. He, too, was always in the picture, and moved up with a mile to go to finish a gruelling race less than a yard behind his team-mate. Mornington congratulates them both. W. Hanley, nineteenth, Kroon twentythird, and Tennent twenty-fifth, of the No 1 team, were next home, and it is safe to say these three ran their best races to date. Their fine team effort brought to the club for the second time the junior champion teams cup. Everett, sixth man in the No. l team, did not run as well as expected, but he is a young member who has the makings of a good runner and he will profit by the experience. The second team, which was enteied on a request from the juniors themselves did quite well, Armstrong and G Hanley, in particular, putting up reallv good performances to taKe forty : first and forty-second places reVpity that senior members of the club would not show some of the iuniors' keenness for inter-club races, owing to the default of two members, one of whom is the club cross-country champion, a rather weakened team repSted the club Hall moved up well in the second lap to be the first club man home, and then, with only a few places between each, came Graveso! Roxburgh, Sanders and Wilson This marked the first time since 1931 that the club has been represented in thfs race, and under the circumstances eighth P ace in the teams' competition wis quite satisfactory. It is to be hoped that in future there will be no difficulty in fielding a team to carry the Mornington colours. , ST. KILDA CLUB The St. Kilda members who competed in the open events last Saturday all performed creditably, especially the juniors. For the second year in succession the club carried off the honours in the Sealed Handicap attached to the junior race. The senior team was not so successful, but it was pleasing to see Len Dickison finish as far up as eighteenth. This was his first year in senior ranks, and he has been running very freely throughout the season. leaders. Driving tremendous lengths he finished with a magnificent 69. gaining four strokes on Adams the third round leader and two on Padgham But alas this excellent effort was not good enough and Dallemagne had to be content to be third. A MIDNIGHT TOURNAMENT On a midsummer's night at Brora, in the very north of Scotland, there was played a unique golf competition. It consisted of a four-ball competition, and attracted an entry of over 60 competitors, including a number of visitors. Play commenced'at 10.30. and the last fours returned before 1.30 a.m. The visibility was good until about 1 o'clock, but after that it was by no means bad. as was shown by the fact that the last player to come in had a 34 for the second half. This novel competition was so much enjoyed that those who were engaged in it expressed the wish that it be made an annual event. The best score returned was a 75.

MTntyre ran one of his best races to date, but Lumb's performance was disappointing. ■ The juniors teamed excellently. The first four members finished in ninth, tenth, twelfth and thirteenth positions. V. Crimp was next, but he was well back, largely on account of inexperience. He started too hard, and unfortunately ran himself out. Cope, A. Fraser, Clarke, and Still ran very well, and they form a solid foundation to a good team. It is hoped that they will keep together in the interests of the club. When it is remembered that the club's active ranks comprise 10 seniors and eight juniors only, it shows how much depends on good team work and training and not necessarily on how many runners there are to choose from. Members are reminded of next Saturday's race for the Ness, Cup, and of the postponement of the function set out in the syllabus till the following week. For those members not running at Carisbrook a run will be held from the St. Kilda Bathing Pavilion. LEITH CLUB Taking everything into consideration _ the Leith members performed creditably on Saturday, the No. 1 team being close behind Invercargill in fifth place. Unfortunately, D. Fincham had a sick turn towards the end of the first round and had to retire. R. M'Kinlay was first man home for the club, and his fourteenth place is one of his best performances. He has put up some consistent performances this season, and retains the form he showed while in the Northern Club. D. Scott and E. Reid teamed well to take nineteenth and twentieth placuigs. It will be interesting to see how they fare in the coming road races. J. Stephenson ran his best race to date to take twenty-seventh placing. As it was his first cross-country he deserves special mention. He should be a valuable member for future teams as he has years of running ahead of him. The No. 2 team was unplaced owing to two withdrawals, but the four who finished teamed well, finishing withm eight places of each other. R. Watson deserves a word of praise for the manner in which he looked after the members of this team during the race. In the junior race two members of the club ran as individuals, and both performed well, R. Dalton finishing sixth and L. Kerr fourteenth. This was R. Dalton's best to date, and he should considerably strengthen the senior teams next year. L. Kerr is also a promising junior as his win in "the club Three-mile showed, and good things are expected from him. CAVERSHAM CLUB With the main event of the season over runners will be turning their interest to the road races, and from now on plenty of road work will be necesThe No. 1 team in the Otago Championship last week again took third place, several of the members running very well indeed. As was expected, G. L. Austin led the team. His performance in finishing eighth is one he may well be proud of. On Saturday s race he has shown that his come back" into big competition is not just a temporary one, and he has set an example followed by few. «... G. R. Colston went on the field a sick man, and at no stage of the race \ was he going at all well. His recovery in the second lap was a great effort, and in finishing twenty-first was second man home for the club. S. J. Maddocks's performance in twenty-fifth place was a good one. He has developed more pace this season, and was striding well throughout.' S Bartlett and L. Hebbard weie close up in twenty-ninth and thirtysecond places. L. Hebbard did not run quite as well as in the club event, but he went well nevertheless. . G. Hebbard started off well, but he was unlucky in getting a bad attaclc of stitch after about two miles. _ A Barr led the second team m, and was' followed by W. Darling. Taking it all round, the team ran very well together. The Junior Race was one of many surprises, and on the day the team did not do nearly as well as expected. The members of the team, however, gained a lot of experience from the race, and as a team ran wejl.