KAITANGATA SPORTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3015, 27 December 1911, Page 62

KAITANGATA SPORTS.

The Kaitangata Athletic Club held , its 20th annual sports meeting 'under fairly favourable weather conditions on the 25th. The ground was soft, the going being veryheavy, but, with the exception of the first two races, no times were taken. Very good entries were forward in the running events and keen competition resulted. The Sheffield Handicap was annexed by V". Branson, of Auckland, who came to light in great style in the final. Forbes, who gained second place, won his heat and the semi-final in convincing-style, but was outclassed in the final A protest has been entered against Branson on the ground of alleged incorrect past performances. Good finishes were the order of the day in the running events, and a particularly good one was seen in the mile, which was won by K C. Gee, from scratch, with a well - timed effort. The 220yds was secured by Robinson, who also won his heat in the 75yds Dash, but failed to gain a place in the final. There were five entrants in the High Jump, which was won by R. Kirk with a jump of sft 2in from scratch. Four men of muscle came forward in the Cumberland wrestling, and a good deal of skill was evinced, the winner being C. Dickson, who secured a similar position last year. The Katangata Pipe Band was on the ground during the afternoon, and contributed items at intervals, besides Drovid-

ing the music for trie dancing. The attend- T dance throughout the day was good, the gate takings being considered extremely satisfactory. A concert and dance was held in Wilson's Hall in the evening. Following are the results that were decided up to the time our reporter left the j ground : Sheffield Handicap, 130yds.—First heat: J. D. Forbes, scr, 1; J. Cunningham, 9yds, ' 2. Also started: H. G. Curran siyds, P. ' Thomson 10yds. Won comfortably. Second heat: F. Martin, 9yds, 1; E. Bishop, 11yds, 2. Also started: T. Sim© 2yds, J. G. ' Foster 62yds. Third heat: V. Branson, 4yds, 1; J. Pettigrew, 7yds, 2. Also started: A. Murdoch Byds, N. Bissett 11yds, j S. L. Robinson syds. Fourth heat: A. M'Cunn, 4£yds, 1; J- P. Barr, Byds, 2. j Also started: G. Dick Byds, A. Mayne 9yds, O. Holden 11yds. Semi-final: First heat: Forbes 1, Cunningham 2. Also 6tarted: M'Cunn and Barr. The men got away from a good start, and ran abreast till near the tape, when Forbes forged ahead, and won comfortably. Second heat: ! Branson 1, Martin 2. Also started: Bishop 1 and Pettigrew. A good race. Won ' fairly easily. Final: Branson 1, Forbes 2, ! Martin 3, Cunningham The men got j off from a fairly good start, but Branson, running remarkably well, soon established a j lead, which he maintained till the finish, j winning by a couple of yards. A close ■ struggle for second place took place between Forbes and Martin, the former winning bv inches. Time, 13 2-ssec. 220yds Handicap.—First heat: S. L. Robinson, Byds, 1; F. Kearney, 14yds, 2; J. G. Forster, 10yds, 3. Also started: D. Sime 10yds, W. J. Harvey 16yds. Robineon ran a fine race, and won with >. a good effort. Time, 25 l-ssec. Second 1 heat: T. Sime, 10yds, 1; E. Bishop, 12yds, I 2; A. M'Cunn, 7yds, 3. Also started: G. ! Dick 11yds, P. Hussey 13yds, P. Thomson 15yds, O. Holden 16yds. Time, 25sec. ■ Final: Robinson 1, Foster 2, Kearney 3. Also started: T. Sime, Bishop, . and M'Cunn. A well-contested event, with a close finish between the three placed men, I who came up the home turn abreast, ! Robinson winning by about.a foot, with a similar distance separating second and third men. Half-mile Handicap.—E. C. Gee, 10yds, 1; C. Wilson, 30yds, 2, R. Rooney, 30yds, 3. Also started: H. Holmes sor, R. Fleming 20yds, W. Kemp 25yds, W. J. Harvey 30yds, A. Owon 30yds. A woll run race on the part of the placed men, though some of the limit men raced away at top speed from the pistol shot, and were obliged to j drop out before the race had been run. 75yds Handicap.—First heat: S. L. Robin- | son 2 2 yds and S. F. Kearney syds (dead heat) 1. Also started: J. Cunningham 3£yds. Second heat: J. Pettigrew, 3yds, 1. Aiso started: T. Sime l£yds, D. Sime 4yds, G. Dick syds, T. Massey 5 5 yds. Third heat: J.- Forbes, Iyd, 1. Also started: F. Martin 2yds, J. Foster 3yds, J. C. Barr 3yds, Thomson 4 2 yds. Fourth heat: H. G. Curran, 3£yds, 1. ' Also started: A. M'Cunn 2yds. 0. Holden sAyds. Final: Forbes 1, I Pettigrew 2, Curran 3. Auso started: Robinson. A good sprint, with a very tight finish. j One Mile.—E. C. Gee, s ct, 1; H. Holmes, ' 10yds. 2; C. Wilson, 35yds. 3. Also started: | R. Fleming 30yds, R. Rooney 45yds, A. i Owen 50yds, W.. J. Harvey 50yds A good race with a magnificent finish. The field was well bunched together until the last lap, when the three placed runners went out in a string. Coming round the homo turn Holmes had' the lead, but was replaced j bv Wilson until near the tape, when Gee, who "was lying third, put in a splendid , burst, and won by a couple of feet. | 440yds.—D. Sime, 12yds, 1; T. Sime, ! 15yds, 2; T. Kearney, 10yds, 3. Also started: V. Branson scr, J. Mill 9yds, I H. Holmes 10yds, G. Murdoch 10yds, W. J. j Harvey 16yds, P. Hussey 17yds. . Another , well run race, with a pretty finish, very , little separating the placed men. I Reels and Strathspeys.—A. Dickson 1, J. i Morrison 2. J. Hay and S. Gibson also competed. , ! Irish Jig.—H. M'Donald 1, Miss J.- Frame 2. Miss 3". Murray and J. Gray also com- j I>B High Jump.—R. Kirk (ser), sft 2in. 1; ; D. Balloch (4in). sft lin, 2; W. Wilson ! (2in), sft, 3. Also competed: T. Massey and F. Martin. Cumberland Wrestling.—C. Dickson 1, T. Ke-an 2. Also competed: E. Data and J. M'Guffog. " TREMBATH DEFEATS TAYLOR. SYDNEY, December 21. Trembath (New Zealand) defeated Taylor over 350 yards by five yards. Time, 40sec, He was also victorious in a 500 yards race, winning by five-ya-rds. Time, Imin 7scc. ;