CROSS COUNTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23277, 23 August 1937, Page 5

CROSS COUNTRY

OTAGO CHAMPIONSHIP A. R. GEDDES WINS AGAIN CLOSE FINISH RECORDED After leading the field for the last half of the race, A. R. Geddes (Civil Service) maintained a good finish to win the Otago Cross-country Championship for the second time at Wingatui on Saturday. Over the last few hundred yards Geddes was strongly challenged by L. J. Logan (Anglican), but in a great finish he held the advantage and reached the tape a yard and a-half ahead. The race was run over a course that was exceptionally heavy as the result of recent rain, and the endurance of the 60-odd runners was fully tested over six miles and a-quarter of country that included some stiff hill work. The winner's time was 37min 29 2-ssec. The Teams Race was won by the Civil Service No. 1 team, which, with first, third, fourth, seventh and eighth places, had a comfortable advantage over the next team, Caversham No. 1. Third place went to the Civil Service No. 2 team, thus giving the club an excellent average on the day. The course, which was covered twice, commenced on the Wingatui racecourse and led over nearby hill country, after which about a mile of flat ground was covered before the racecourse was regained near its south-western corner. THE RACE When the runners passed the grand stand immediately after the start Logan was leading by about 15 yards from I. L. Curtis (Anglican) and J. G. Barnes (Civil Service), while Geddes was lying seventh. Some changes took place on the hill and over the flat country, and when the runners came round past the stand for the second time Geddes had moved into the lead, where he was 50 yards ahead of Logan, Curtis being third another 50 yards away, C. L. Moore (Mornington) fourth, Barnes fifth, N. Greaney (Civil Service) sixth, and G. L. Austin (Caversham No. 1) next. Geddes increased his lead on the hills, in spite of heavy rain at this time, and it looked as though he must be an easy winner, but by the time the racecourse had been reached again Logan had made up a great deal of leeway, and they came into the straight with only a yard or two separating them. Logan entered a determined challenge over the last 50 yards, but he could not head off the leader, and Geddes secured a well-deserved win by a yard and a-half. Barnes, who was third, was 200 yards away, closely followed by Greaney, Curtis and Austin. INDIVIDUAL PLACINGS The individual placings were as follows: — A. R. Geddes (Civil Service No. 1) 1 L. J. Logan (Anglican) 2 J. G. Barnes (Civil Service No. 1) 3 N. Greaney (Civil Service No. 1) 4 I. L. Curtis (Anglican) 5 G. L. Austin (Caversham No. 1) .. 6 L. Greaney (Civil Service No. 1) .. 7 S. Asher (Civil Service No. 1) .. 8 A. L. Fagg (Toko) 9 A. Ferry (Mornington) 10 C. L. Moore (Mornington) .. ..11 Time. 37min 29 2-ssec. TEAMS* RACE The Teams' Race resulted:— Civil Service No. 1 (A. R. Geddes 1, J. G. Barnes 3, N. Greaney 4, L. Greaney 7, S. Asher 8), 23 points 1 Caversham No. 1 (G. L. Austin 6, L. K. Donovan 11. G. R. Colston 12, A. J. Barr 16, L. Hebbard 17), 62 points 2 Civil Service No. 2 (N. Coutts 14, A. Kirkwood 15, L. R. M'Millan 20, W. M'Kinnon 27, M. M'Kinnon 36), 112 points 3 Mornington, 122 points 4 Caversham No. 2, 140 points .. .. 5 St. Paul's (Invercargill), 164 points 6 Dunedin. 206 points 7 SEALED HANDICAP The result of the Sealed Handicap was: — Dunedin (L. Hill 34, E. Williams 38. W. R. M'Leod 40, P. M'Donnell 45, P. Coomer 49), 206 points—--200—6 ..'••'• 1 Civil Service No. 2, 112—100—12 .. 2 Caversham No. 2. 140—120—20 .. 3 WINNERS TO DATE The following is a complete list of winners of the Teams' Race to date (winners of the individual championship being given in parentheses):— 1905—Dunedin Harriers (H. Sharp). 1906—Dunedin Harriers (C. H. Croker). 1907—Dunedin Harriers (H. G. Burk). 1908—Dunedin Harriers (G. M'Knight). 1909 —Dunedin Harriers (J. Beatson). 1910—Caversham Harriers (J. Beatson). 1911—Caversham Harriers (J. Beatson). 1912—Caversham Harriers (J. Beatson). 1913 —Caversham Harriers (J. Beatson). 1914—Caversham Harriers (M. Mickelson). 1919—Pacific Harriers (D. C. Lister). 1920—Pacific Harriers (C. W. Frye). 1921—Anglican Harriers (C. W. Frye) 1922—Anglican Harriers (D. C. Lister). 1923—Caversham Harriers (J- W. Tapp). 1924—Caversham Harriers (E. L. Brown). 1925—Caversham Harriers (E. L. Brown). 1926—Caversham Harriers (C. W. Frye). 1927—Civil Service (J. W. Tapp). 1928—Caversham (J. G. Barnes). 1929--Caversham (J. J. Morris). 1930—Caversham (J. G. Barnes). 1931—Civil Service (J. J. Morris). 1932—Civil Service (J. G. Barnes). 1933—Caversham Harriers <J. G. Barnes). 1934—Anglican (W. A. C. Pullar). 1935—Civil Service (W. A. C. Pullar). 1936 Civil Service (A. R. Geddes). 1937--Civl) Service (A. R. Geddes). OTAGO TEAM SELECTED The sole selector Mr B. R. M'Kernan) has selected the following team to represent,Otago in the New Zealand cross-country championship at Timaru on September 11:—A. R. Geddes (Civil Service), L. J. Logan (Anglican). J. G. Barnes (Civil Service), N. Greaney (Civil Service). I. L. Curtis (Anglican), and G. L. Austin (Caversham). Emergency, S. Asher (Civil Service). L. Greaney was not available for selection.