ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23599, 8 September 1938, Page 4

ATHLETICS

By Amateur FIXTURES September 10.—New Zealand Crosscountry Championship, at New Plymouth. September 17.—Por t Road Race. October I.—Modified Marathon. October 29.—Otago Marathon Chamoionship IN DEFENCE OF THE SHIELD The Otago cross-country team left for New Plymouth yesterday to defend the Dominion premiership in the annual New Zealand Cross-country Championship. With it on its long journey go the best wishes of all followers of athletics in Otago and Southland. There is every reason to be confident in the team’s ability to bring the shield back to Dunedin, for it is a young, well-balanced, and keen combination, which should be able to withstand the challenges of any northern team. The performances of L. Dickison (St. Hilda), A. R. Geddes (Civil Service), and L. I. Curtis (Anglican) during the past few weeks indicate that they will be at the top of their form on Saturday. Otago enthusiasts are expecting these three to finish well up in the placings, and it will not be surprising to find them within the first five home. Otago’s next man, W. Mackinnon (Civil Service), has been improving with every outing, and he should not be far behind his three team mates in the national event. G. R. Colston (Caversham) and C. Moore (Mornington) have shown the most improvement in their training, and it is expected that they will run their best races this season at New Plymouth. Although northern athletic enthusiasts do not seem to consider the

Otago team is up to the standard of previous sextets, there is no doubt in the minds of local enthusiasts that northern teams will have to be considerably stronger than last year to take the shield from Otago. The strongest opposition is expected from Auckland and West Coast (North Island), but the former has been considerably weakened by the sensational exclusion of J. W. Savidan and his club mate Watters for not attending special practices. West Coast is something of a dark horse, but it has an outstanding runner in C. Weller. The individual title looks like being retained by Weller, but Dickison is quite capable of beating the champion. And so is Geddes for that matter, but he has not shown top form yet this winter. Savidan’s absence from the field has robbed the race of some of its interest, but his exclusion has certainly caused a sensation before the race. The trouble seems that the Auckland selectors chose a provisional team and requested the members to attend practice runs, but Savidan and Watters did not attend, and so were dropped from the team. It was a question of principle, and the selectors were justified in adopting the firm attitude they did. W. A. C. Pullar, now of Masterton, is also not starting, as he intends concentrating on the mile this summer in an endeavour to beat Rose’s record of 4min 13 3-ssec. Other prominent starters will be A. H. Wayman (Canterbury) and G. Prosser (Wellington), but neither should worry Weller or Otago’s first three men. Thus it would appear that the order home on Saturday should be something like this: Weller or Dickison, Geddes, and Curtis. Otago’s chances are certainly bright.

CLUB NOTES Celtic United Members of the Celtic United Club’s Port Road Race team have now reached the “ winding-up ” stage of their training, and are all looking particularly fit. E. Paterson and R. Carroll .especially have improved a fair bit oyer the last fortnight. A. E. Dyson has been performing consistently on the road, and indications are that he will probably be the first placed man for the team. J. Woods, the club captain. was always a good road runner, and although being unable to tram as he wished will probably be able to give a good account of himself. All members are looking forward to the first sports meeting, and it looks as though there will be big fields in every event. Two excellent trophies are at stake, the Blue Star and Berry Cups, which should be keenly contested among seniors and juniors alike. Civil Service Last Saturday the Civil Service Club held its Five Mile Road Race for the Anderson Cup over a two-lap course, starting and finishing at the St. Kilda tram terminus. Although the field was smaller than is usually the case, most of the runners were in good condition and some excellent performances were recorded. Conditions overhead were favourable, but long patches of soft sand along Lovers’ lane slowed the field up considerably. M. Mackinnon, who has shown great improvement in form during the last two weeks, again demonstrated his ability as a road runner in winning easily, covering the distance in 28min 20sec. He should be a strong contender for honours in the Port Road Race next Saturday week. B. Brown has been training steadily on the road, and his effort in finishing second in last week’s race is a big improvement on anything he had previously shown. He is a lightly-built runner but has undoubted staying power, and the solid way he finished over the last mile augurs well for his prospects in the Temuka-Timaru Road Race on Saturday. W. Mackinnon and A, R. Geddes. who finished third and fourth respectively ran great races. Both runners were striding freely throughout, and the way they handled the heavy going through the sand indicates that they should be well up in the placings in the New Zealand cross-countrv championships on Saturday Mornington It was unfortunate that the Mornington Club’s first sports meeting had to be postponed on account of the bad weather, as it will now be necessary to hold a meeting on the day of the Port Road Race, in which it had been hoped that the club would be well represented. In view of the fact that neither Kennedy, the club champion over the shorter distances, nor Roxburgh, now of the University Club, will be competing at these meeting, nor available for the annual triangular meeting, the selectors will be on the lookout for new material. So far as the 100 Yards is concerned, Templeton off 3yds, seems very well treated. His stiffest opposition should come from Kroon (syds), Everett and De Courcy <7yds), Baucop and Thornicroh (10yds). There seems to be no lack ot middledistance runners this season, and the back-markers in the Half-mile, Callister and Munro (scr), Graveson

(syds) Crooke and Ferry (10yds), Moore and Wallace (15yds) should provide one of the best races the club has held over this distance. They will have their work cut out to catch such men as De Courcy and Sutherland (40yds), Lamb (50yds), Gardner (70yds). M. Graveson and Tombs (90yds). Not since A. K. Chirnside and J. G. Miller has the club had a really firstclass high jumper, and although Paulin and Munro can be depended on to give of their best when called upon, they are usually required for some other event at the triangular meeting, and the selectors will be looking for new blood to carry the club’s colours. Graveson has always impressed as a likely performer in this event, and with practice could very probably add a few inches to his previous best performance. In the competition itself Burton (Sin) should be well placed, while Stokes (7in) and Thompson (Sin) should also be hard to beat.

Kennedy will be missed in the Long Jump also, but it will be interesting to see whether Callister can reproduce any of his old form. It will be remembered that nearly four years ago Kennedy and Callister competed in the Southland Junior Broad Jump Chamoionship, taking first and third places respectively. With one foot handicap, Callister should be hard to beat, while if Gillon (3ft) and Hamblett (4ft) use their handicaps they, too, will be we'l placed. Others whose performances will be watched with interest will be Bragg (3ft 3in), Gardner (3ft 6in), and Bauchop (sft). St. Hilda On account of bad weather the St. Kilda Club’s second sports meeting scheduled for last Saturday had to be postponed. This complicates matters for the remaining fixtures for this season. and the only possible arrangement is to hold the sports meeting on September 17. Unfortunately this clashes with the Port Road Race, but there is no way out. The club’s Five Mile Championship and Sealed Handicap will now be held on October 1. the triangular sports meeting being scheduled for September 24. Four members are still in the running for an attendance badge, and are to be complimented on their regularity and consistency. They are E. Fraser. T. Beatson. A. Carter, and N. Taylor. Norman Taylor has been training hard for the Port Road Race, in which competition he will be the club’s only representative unless A. Smith feels fit enough for the race. Taylor has determination and is well suited for road work, and he is expected to go very well. DUNEDIN YOUTH IN ENGLAND Followers of athletics in Dunedin will be interested to learn that L. A. Baldock, son of Sergeant-major Baldock, formerly of the Defence Department, Dunedin, is making something of a name for himself in English athletics. This young runner was born in Dunedin and was educated at the Kensington and Forbury Schools. He was still a schoolboy when his parents left to reside in England, and at the age of 14J years he passed his entrance examination for the Royal Engineers. It was not long after joining up with the Engineers that he began to show promise as a runner and was taken in hand by competent coaches. Now he is doing exceptionally well as a junior runner. He has won six cups, seven medals, and has annexed the Junior Championship of Kent. He is just over 16 years now and his best time for the mile is 4min 30sec, which is great time for such a young runner. J. E. Lovelock takes an interest in his career on the track and has given some good advice. Competent judges predict a bright future for him and expect that he will be a British champion in a few years’ time. He is a fairly good all-rounder, but the mile is his best distance. His brother Leslie is also showing promise as a runner. He, too, was educated at the Forbury School and has joined the Royal Signallers. Both youths are very keen on their careers. The elder boy used to be a member of the Green Island Band under the conductorship of Mr F. Clarkson, and no doubt there will be many interested to hear that he is still a good player. The Baldock brothers’ career on the English track will be followed with interest by Dunedin people, for it 1S possible that in one of them there might be a second Lovelock for the Dominion to boast about. AUSTRALIANS’ TOUR A rather ridiculous position has arisen through the New Zealand Council’s intention to look into possibilities of a tbur by Australian athletes early next year in that the Otago Centre months ago made tentative arrangements for a tour of Otago and Southland by three Commonwealth athletes —Backhouse, Woodhouse. and Best. These athletes signified their Willingness to make the tour provided that the necessary permission was obtained from the governing bodies, and the local centre was very gratified at the enthusiastic replies. A tentative Itinerary has been drawn up, and the prospects for a successful toUr seem very bright. , „ , . And now comes the New Zealand Council's decision to consider a tour of the Dominion by Australian athletes, and the centres are to be consulted urgently for their opinions. It was understood that the council had no intentions of arranging a tour by overseas athletes in 1939. and this was why Otago decided to organise a tour itself. If the National Council does go on with its proposal, then in all probability the Otago tour will have to be abandoned. This will be a big disappointment to local athletes, as the tour the centre had mapped out w<puld have done a great deal for athletics in gll parts of the province. Otago has never had the best treatment in the matter of overseas tours arranged by the coun cil. and. without adopting a selfish attitude, local athletes hope that nothing comes of the council’s intentions and that Otago’s tour will not be interfered with