NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 68

NOTES BY AMATEUR.

Considerably over 100 runners took part in the combined run from St. Joseph's Hall on Saturday. Representatives from all the town clubs were present. The pack was in charge of Capta-in Hussey, and a most enjoyable run was obtained. Tie fourth annual Interclub Cross-coun-try Championship takes place at Wingatui next Saturday. Probably from 10 to 12 teams will take part in the race; included in these will be teams representing the Timaru Harriers and the Tokomairiro Harriers. The result appears to lie between the Dunedin and Caversham Harriers. The Dunedin Harriers have a strong team, and will be assisted by H. Buxk. The Dunedin Harriers have alerady won it on the three occasions the race has been held, and the Civil Service "Club have -filled second position each time. This year the Civil Service Club will not have a strong team, and do not expect to get placed. A gold medal ■will be driven to the first man home. The. following will represent the Tokomairiro , Harriers . in - the Cross-country Championship:— C. Bowie. J. Carru there, F. Clark, P. -Hayward, J. M'Hutcheon, and E. -Moore? • Thelelub do 'not expect to do anything in this -race, but have merely come up for the experience and to give a lift to the sport. Athletes will regret to learn of- the serious illness of Mr William Lang, president of the Ota-go Centre. Mr Lang was in Oaznaru on business, and was taken ill during - the night, ' bursting a blood-vessel in the head, and h.e now lies in a precarious condition, and it will be some time belore he will be able to get about. Mr Lang has done a lot of hard work in connection with the centre, particularly with regard to the Schools Championships, and was the organiser of the art union and carnival which the centre are holding next year. We trust he will scon be about again.

Mr J. E. Green, late secretary of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, transferred! to Dxmedin, has been elected a member of the Civil Service Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club.

S. G. Sharp, three-mile New Zealand and Australasian champion, was the -winner of the first Interclub Cross-country Championship. He ran in the colours of the ir.M.C.A. Harriers, and won in a, walk, creating a big surprise to those not in the know. I gather that there is a possibility of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Championships being held in Dunedin , this comin# season. If this i 6 so, the local centre should' go into the matter of what ground they -will be held on, with a view to having the track at the Caledonian or Carisbrook Grounds improved. The New Zealander H. St. Murray, vrearing the colours of the Pioneer Club (Christchurch) at the English Amateur Athletic championships, won his heat in the. 120 yds Hurdles, beating E. B. Savage, of the Canadian Olympic team, by half a yard in 16 3-ssec. Savage led over five flights, when Murray got on terms, and won a fine race.

All doubts are now at rest as to the part Guy Haskins, the New Zealand athlete, played at the English Amateur Athletic Championships and the Olympic Games. Representing the New Zealand Olympic team, Haskins, who had put -up some ga-eat performances in the mile in America, ran "absolutely" in the English Mile Championship, won by H. A. Wikon in 4m,in 20 l-ssee.

The Dunedin Club has entered two teams for the Interclub Championship -on Saturday. No. 1: H. Burk, F. Maoe, L. West, D Hodgson, D. Thompeon. and A. Turnbull; No. 2: H. Crawford, W. Rose. F. Munn, N. Anderson, T. Hodgson, and A. Tetnpleton. Harriers are reminded that the Annual Port to Peliehet Bay Road Rece is set down for September 5. The Dunedin Club have the arrangements well in hand, and they are looking for a big entry. Intending competitors should lose no time in getting into condition.

Next Saturday will see a further event in the history of the Interclub Cross-coun-try Championship, and it promises to be an exceptionally interesting and keen race. Since its institution this race has been won every time by the Dunedin Harriers, , and, bo far as can bo prognosticated. ; it would eeem as though they, were ( to add yet anothei win to their already j creditable record. In saying this lam not unmindful of the fact that Caversham have '■ a fairly strong beam in the field and are ; keenly anxious to secure a. victory ; yet . with it all I am afraid the senior club possesses too many guns for the Cavereham brigade. Should victory, however, ultimately rest with the latter team, the bove of the Dunedin Harriers will be among the first and most hearty in their congratulations ; for it is recognised even by the Dunedin men themselves that it would be a good thing for the growth of the sport if some other club could achieve a win in this historic event. Whatever tho result of the teams competition may be, there will certainly be a very close struggle for the individual championship—in fact, the firfct half-dozen men should be remarkably close together, and I for one look for an excellent finish. Mace > 6 fine oerformance recently, when he established a new record for his club over five mile*, proves him to be in splendid fettle. And West, who ran him to tho death, as it were, being beaten by only a yard, us another man who will take a considerable say .in events next Saturday. There is scarcely any tail to the Dunedin team, the remaining men all being sterling performers. Bark is too well known to need mention, whilo Hodg6on and Thompson are rapidly forging a reputation for themselves. Burk. I noticed, was one of the pack on Saturday last from the St. Joseph's Hall, and showed very fair form indeed. Caversham have, if rumour speaks truly, a redoubtable trio in the Frew brothers, and possess also in M'Knight a performeiabove the ordinary. F. Frew is. I understand, in 6plendi<l condition, and is another man who will make a determined bid for first place-. Of the othei clubs 3 can think of none with even a fighting chance. There are c ?:ne polid teams among them, but nothing f.iat can cope •with either the Dunodin or ;he Caveioham. Tho V.M.C.A. ha^e a •workable team, and < <houlil do fairly well. The Congregational Club, while iiowes'ing >.. fine leader in Wilson and a Few other ■<*iunch performers, are y«t rather weak

in distance men. St. Joseph's and Port Chalmers, I 6hould say, are about equal in strength, the Civil Service being, perhaps, a little stronger. Hazarding a guess as to the placing of the teams, I should Bay Dunedin first and Caversham second. As to the individual championship, the probabilities are more involved, but Burk, Frew, or Mace should have a chance, while West, Wilson, M'Knight, Hodgson, and Thompson should not be far away.

Phe Interclub Teams Race on Saturday next promises to be the event of the year. There are 12 teams entered, including South Canterbury Harriers and Tokomairiro Harriers. It has been arranged to billet several of the Timaru Harriers. The course is much the same as last year. Trail layers leave by 1 p.m. train on Saturday; officials and competitors by 2.10 p.m. train. Officials : Superintendent, Mr J. R. Wilson ; referee, Mr J. "E. Green ; judges — Messrs R G. Anderson. J. T. Hainan n, L. Sanderson, J. B. Callan, jun. ; timekeepers, Messrs W. G. Burk and W. M 'Donald; starter. Mr W. M'Donald ; secretary, Mr A. V. Thomson. The South Canterbury ■> team arrives by the first express on Friday. Competitors are reminded that they must be at the startingpost not later than 3.45 p.m. Following are the teams for the race: — No. .1 team Dunedin Harriers — H. Burk, F. Mace, L. West, D. Hcdgson, D. Thomson, A. Turnbull; No. 2 team Dunedin Harriers — N. Crawford, W. Ross, F. Munn, T. Hodsson, N. Anderson, A. Templeton; Southern Bible Class— N. Outram, C. Clark, W. Wix. J. Bond. F. Richardson. R. White; Congregational Harriers — W. G. Wilson, A. Wilson, G. Littlejohn, T. Laurenson, L. Lodge, J. Lamb; St. Joseph Harriers — J. Swansonj J. "V. Quelch, P. Gorman, G. M'Cormick, C. Hill, W. C. Hughes; Port Chalmers Harriers— J Y. Love. J. Laing, R. G. Andrews, A. H. Maclean, R. C Love, W. G. Love; Caversham Harriere — F. J. Frew, G. M'Knight, J. Beatson, A. Frew, D. Frew, J. M'Lauerhla-n ; Anglican Harriers—P. W. Breen, G. B. Oliphant, E. O. Handle, J. Rutherford. L. Breen, W. S. Stephen ; Tokomairiro Harriers — C. Bowie, JL Carruthers, F. Clark, P. Hayward, J. M'Hutcheon. E. Moore ; Civil Service Harriers — J. G. Stephens, A. Melville, F. Bond, A. Osborne, L. R. Prideaux, A. Miller; T.M.C.A Harriers— W. Clark, W. Stewart, F. H. Taylor, P. Scott, C. El Mazengarb, J. Stneaton.

The Dunedin Anglican Harriers will hold the club's Championship and Sealed Handicap (combined) on Saturday, August 29, and not Saturday. September 5, as stated in the syllabus. The event will take place at Tahuna Park, and not Forbury Park, as mentioned in the syllabus.

The- Five-mile Cross-country Championship of Victoria decided a few days ago. was won from a field of 56 by C- E. Suffren, of Ballarat, in 29min 43sec. The individual record for this race is as under : 1901, J. A. Stillwell Essendon,- 28min 54eec; 1902, R. A. Ferguson, East Melbourne, 28min 58sec; 1903, J. A. StilJwell, Itesendon. 28min 53sec: 1904, J. R. Riddell, Carlton, 30min lOsec; 1905, G. Blake. Melbourne, oOmin 31&ee; 1906, J. A. Stillwell. Essendon. 29min 11 2-seec; 1907. C. E. Suffren, Balk-rat, 30min 31sec; 1908, C. E. Suffren, Ballarat, 29min 43eec.

At combined and crowded runs it sometimes happens a runner in the haste of packing up inadvertently takes possession of someone else's " apparel " as 'well as his own. This happened at the combined run on Saturday last from Si. Joseph's Hall, a member of a club finding later on "he> had possession of two pairs of pants. Tba extra pair is dark blue irr colout. Application fox same may be made to " Amateur."

Exchanges to hamd make it clear that it was H. St. A. Murray, the New Zealand representative, not IX Murray, of Dublin, who ran second to Bacon, the American, in the 400 Metres Hurdle Race at the Olympic games, but whether it was in the final or in a preliminary heat is uncertain. As it appeared in the Argus and the Australasian the cable message reads: "The New Zealand runner H. St. A. Murray ran second in the 400 Metres Hurdle Race. He was beaten by Bacon, an American, whose time (57sec) constitutes an Olympic record for the event." On th*> other hand, ■the cable as published in the Sydney Daily Telegraph states that Bacon's performance was accomplished in on© of the heats. It is. at anyrate, something to know that Murray was placed, but it would be much more satMactorv 'to know whether he secured his second in a final or in a preliminary.