PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 66

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS.

By Spoiix.

The Auckland Centre of the AiMetio Union is leaving nothing undone to solidify that organisation, and every week sees new clubs affiliating. In order to bring officials, patrons, and registered competitors into social touch a reunion is to be held in Auckland during show week, on the 25th inst. Although primarily intended for the athletic public of the Auckland province, a 'number of invitations have been extended to well-known, sports and patrons throughout the Dominion, seyeral of whom have already signified their intention of being present at Hh& reunion. The date of the New Zealand! championships has not yet been fixed, but local conditions seem ito favour about the middle of January. ~- The president of the Auckland Centre (Mr Gilfedder) has got in early in regard to the holding of an international athletic parnival in connection with the New Zealand Exhibition, to be held in Auckland during the summer of 1912-13. Mr Gilfedder has placed an outline of the enterprise before the Chamber of Commerce, and will go into details later on. The vice-presi-dent of the Athletic Union (Mr Duncan, of "Wellington) visited Auckland a few days ago, and discussed important athletic matters with the president of the local centre (Mr Gilfedder). Mr T. H. Pardington, of Onehunga, has been elected consul for cycling in the northern province, where wheel events have gained muh prominence of late. W. P. Trembath, the crack middle-dis-tance runner of New Zealand, and his manager, " Lockie" M'Lachlan, left for Brisbane on May 3. Trembath is to run in a match at Queensland ca'pital with A. B Postle, _ for the world's quarter-mile championship. Nothing definite has yet been dome in fch't» matching of Trembath. the New Zealand middle-distance champion, and Harold Wilson, the English crack. Wilson's manager has endeavoured to fix Trembath and Wilson in a match over 1200 yards. Both men are willing to meet; but no promoter has come forward with monetary inducement for the contest.

The triangular. match between C. E. Holwav (America) and Jack Donaldson (Australia), champion, for the 6print supremacy of the world, over three distances—7s yards, 100 yards, and 220 yards, was easily won. by Donaldson, who is now the recognised world's champion sprinter. Holway purposes returning to England om May 17. Holway admits that he was well beaten by Donaldson at Bendigo, but believed that he was the better man over the sprint distance. He wa6 very confident of beating Donaldson over the longer distance l , and thought he could lead the world's champion from end to end in a 75 yards set-to. The American spi inter C. E. Holway, who lost the world's championship to Jack Donaldson, recently raced a horse —and won. He just had to win, for the hoi'se' —a colt—was after the runner to " savage" him-, and Holwav made a fence the tape, and scrambled over it. Holway was assisting to break 'the colt in when it grew fra.ntic, and breaking aw-iy from the rope knocked the breaker down and attempted to break him in. Holway was not hurt, but ho put up the fastest "hundred" of his life to a fence. The incident reminded him of the famous story told by an, old trapper in his own country of the race between a dog and a beaver. ."It was nip and tuck all the' way. First the do;? ,<rained a little, aind! then the beaver eained a little, andl then the dog gained a lot. and was jes grabbin' the beaver when, phitt! the beaver sku'n up a tree."_ A five-mile exhibition race was given by L. J. Ornstein, of Auckland, and J. Fitzgerald, the Canadian champion, at the Waikato Caledonian sports at Hamilton on. April 26. A stipulation: was made that the winner's time was not to exceed 28mi<n 30sec, and many opinions were expressed as to the winner's ability to cover the distance in the time owinjr to the condition of the track. Ovmstein. however, who was in fine fettle, made the pace warm frcim th-3 crack of the pistol, and steadily drew away from his opponent until the conclusion of the race, by which time he had gained a lap and a-quarter advantage over Fitzgerald, completinsr the distance in 28min ssec. *thus being 25sec within the stipulated time. Fitzgerald's time was 29min 57sec. DONALDSON DEFEATS HOLWAY. MELBOURNE, May 14. The world's sprint champion, Donaldson easily defeated Holway (the American) over 75 yards, 100 yards, and 220 yards, winning the first event by sft, in 1 3-ssec; the second by 3yds, in 9 4-ssecT—-a record for a grass trick; and the third by 6yds, in 22 l-ssec.