ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 25

ATHLETICS.

CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP. HONOURS FOR CAVERSIIAM CLUB. The annual Otago Five-mile Cross-country Championship, which was held at Wingatui on Saturday afternoon in ideal weather, was won by J. W. Tapp (Caversham Harrier Club), after a very well-run race. There was a small attendance of the public. The time—3omin 13sec—was particularly good considering the very heavy state of portion of the course. Tlie Caversham Club also secured the highest points in the sealed handicap, but as the one team cannot win both events, the handicap was awarded to the Uniyersitv Club. The Caversham Club has not won the championship since 1914, having previously held the banner from 1910 to 1914 inclusive. At the conclusion of the race, Mr E. L. Macassey (president of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association) presented the championship banner to Mr J. W. Tapp, the captain of the Caversham team. Thirty-two men, representing six clubs, faced the starter, the Cargill road team running only four men out of a team of six. The University team also started one man short. Several of the St. Patrick’s runners withdrew after completing the first round of the course. THE COURSE. The course commenced opposite the members’ stand, and, running along the track, extended to the post-and-rail fence, and then on to Mr Botting’s property, where the ground was very heavy. From Mr Botting’s paddock the track crossed on to Mr Hazlett’s flat fields, where it was a little better, and, veering in a westerly direction, ran near the owner's residence and on to the Janefield road, which was followed for about a quarter of a mile. It then crossed into ploughed paddocks on Mr Cow’s property in returning to the racecourse, branching out on to the track at the half-male post, and then round the track and uip the straight to the startingpoint. The course, which had to be covered twice, contained no water-jumps.

THE RACE I 1 rye and Tapp had about 200 yards on the rest of the field on corning up the straight for the second time, and a keen tussle ensued between them. Both put on a great spurt, but Tap-p gradually overhauled his opponent, and breasted the tape about 15 yards ahead of his clubmate. Bibby, the third man, was about 200 yards further back, with Hobbs, Erridge, and Beatson running closely together, some distance behind. THE FINISHING ORDER. J. W. Tapp (Caversham) 1 C. W. Frye (Caversham) 2 J. B. Bibby (Anglican) 3 W. H. B. Hobbs (Pacific) 4 J. Erridge (Caversham) 5 J. Beatson (Caversham) 6 R. G. Cox (University) 7 J. R. Henderson (Anglican) ... 8 Time, 30min l3soc. TEAMS’ RACE. The Teams’ Race resulted: Caversham—Tapp 1, Frye 2, Erridge 5. Beatson 6, M'Donnell 11 (25 points), 1. Anglican—Bibby 3, Henderson 8, Raterson 12, Mouat 13, Sinclair 16 (52 points), 2. Pacific —Hobbs 4, Monaghan 9, M‘Lean 17, Grey 18, Burleigh 22 (70 points), 3. University—Oox 7, Dmmm 10, Fossey 19, Scott 23. Cook 25 (84 points), 4. St. Patrick’s did not finish a complete team. SEALED HANDICAP. Caversham (5 points), 20 points ... 1 University (40 points), 44 points ... 2 Pacific (20 points), 50 points 3 Anglioan (scratch), 52 points 4 PREVIOUS WINNERS. The championship, which has been an annual event since 1905, with the exception of the war period, has been won as follows: —Dunedin Harrier Club, 1905 to 1909; Caversham Club, 1910 to 1914 and 1923; Pacific Club, 1919 and 1920; Anglican Club, 1921 and 1922. The individual Otago champions were: 1905 (Dunedin), B. Sharp; 1906" (Dunedin), C 11. Croker; 1907 (Dunedin), H. G. Burk; 1808 (Dunedin), G. M’Knight; 1909 to 1913 (Caversham), J. Beatson; 1914 (Caversham), M. Miokelson; 1919 (Pacific), D. C. Lister; 1920 (Pacific), C. W. Frye; 1921 (Anglican), C. W. Frye; 1922 (Anglican), D. C. Lister; and 1923 (Caversham), J. W. Tapp. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP. OTAGO REPRESENTATIVES. The following team has been selected to represent Otago at the New Zealand Crosscountry Championship at Christchurch on August 4: —J. W. Tapp, C. W. Frye, J. B. Bibby, W. H. B. Hobbs, J. Beatson; emergencies—Erridge, Cox, Henderson. The above are requested to attend the Caledonian Ground on Tuesday evening at 5 o’clock for training purposes.