ATHLETICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23907, 7 September 1939, Page 4

ATHLETICS

By Amateur

FIXTURES September 16. —Modified Marathon at Mosgiel. December 2.—Marathon Championship, at Mosgiel VETERAN’S POPULAR WIN Momington’s Success in Port Race It was Mornington’s day last Saturday. when its veteran, F. Sanders, won the Hooper Cup for being first home in the annual Port Road Race, and the club carried off the teams’ race very decisively. The hill club has been coming more and more to the front recently, and it is very pleasing to see its success. Sanders has been running for 10 or 11 seasons, and this is the first important success he has had. It was a popular win and a reward for conscientious training and excellent club spirit. Sanders was a decided “dark horse,’ for the previous Saturday he had not been feeling very fit. Right from the start on Saturday he,showed that he would he hard to beat, 'and, on the smin 30sec mark, he set out very strongly to overhaul the limit men. It was not long before he had gone to the front, and he went on brilliantly to win by a substantial margin. The Celtic United Club provided the second placed man in R. Carroll, off smin 15sec. Carroll is another good club man and has been a consistent performer this winter. He ran a well-

judged race, but could not catch Sanders. Carroll appears to have a good future in road racing. L. L. Hebbard was the first Caversham man to show up, and he went very well off the 3min 15sec mark to fill third place after making up a lot of ground in the concluding stages of the long journey. K. Baird (Civil Service) was a good fourth, and he was closely followed by R. Hughes, of the St. Paul’s Club, Invercargill. Hughes showed up well on the road and he annears to have plenty of enthusiasm Then Momington’s colours figured prominently, as R. S. Muhro. A. C. Ferry, and F. Crooke came almost together to take sixth, seventh, and eighth places, A. C. Marrett (Anglican), who returned the third fastest time, came next. Then J.’ Callister (Mornington) breasted the tape, with the .result that Mornington had no fewer than five runners in the first 10 places—a highly meritorious performance. With 14 points. Mornington took the teams’ race, followed :by Caversham with 29 points and Civil Service with 31; Mornington thus has a good start in the competition for the Nickels Clip, which is for the dub securing the most points in the Port Road Race and the Modified Marathon. There was an interesting struggle on Saturday for the honour of recording fastest time for the race. A. R. Geddes (Civil Service) was the only one bn the scratch mark, but G. L, Austin (Caversham) elected to go back from 15sec to run with him. Geddes went away from Austin fairly early in the eight-mile journey, but in the latter stages the Caversham veteran made up a lot of ground, and was only about 30 yards, or 4sec. behind Geddes at the tape. Geddes has a remarkable record in these races. The race was excellently conducted, and was watched by a large crowd of spectators. It was pleasing to see a return to an entry of 45 runners and also to see competitors from Timaru and Invercargill taking part. An interested spectator was Mr W. L. Hoooer who started in the first race in 1902 and who presented the Hooper Cup for the winner of the event. NOTES Future of Athletics The war will no doubt have its effect on athletics, and it is probable that activities this summer will be seriously curtailed. According to a message received this week, Finland intends going on with arrangements for the 1940 Olympic Games, but if the war drags on there seems to be little likelihood of the fixture taking place. Schoolboys’, junior, and women’s athletics will probably be the chief fixtures of interest this summer, but it is to be hoped that the war clouds will blow away and a normal season can be held. Many runners who would, in the ordinary course of events, be commencing training now have postponed it until they see what is happening overseas. It is to be hoped that it will not be necessary for athletes to go overseas. On Saturday the Leith Club’s second sports meeting will be held at Forbury Park at 2.30 p.m. The events are: 100 Yards, 220 Yards, 880 Yards, and High Jump. Probable back-mark-ers in the sprints will be A. L. Murray, B. A. Timms, and S. V. Avent, Most of the runners in the large fields engaged will be making their first attempts at sprinting and surprise results may ensue. The 880 Yards should see W. Arthur on the scratch mark with J. Stephenson, both of whom appeal as the best me in the club over this distance. For the High Jump, B. A. Timms and A. L. Murray will be giving away large handicaps. One family that has been unlucky in not winning the Port Road Race is the Hebbard family, of the Caversham Harriers. In practically every race for the past 15 years at least one of the four Hebbard brothers has been a competitor. and has filled minor places. In 1925, at the age of 17, C. R. Hebbard ran second, and followed this up two years later with a third placing. A. G. Hebbard was third in 1928. fourth in 1930. and had a sixth placing in 1935. The youngest member of the family L. Hebbard, has competed in the last four races for a seventh, a third, a scyenth. and last Saturday was third again. F. E. Hebbard ran unplaced in 1926 VANBRO. the Faultless Hai<- Cream.*