ATHLETICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3829, 2 August 1927, Page 60

ATHLETICS

By

AMATEUR.

NOTES. Tho Anglican Club has lost an enthusiastic member by the transfer of A. C. Baird to Auckland. Baird competed for his club in relay races last season. G. Kells is racing very badly at present (says tho Auckland Star) and the way he runs on a Saturday afternoon suggests that he would bo all the better for a short spell from the track. Tho last Marathon raco held in Wc’limrton was run on November 9,1909, and' was won by H. Thompson in 2hr 58min 23sec an Australian and New Zealand record at tho time. It is rumoured (says tho Christchurch Sun) that tho University Club has tho chance of acquiring ono of the best coaches in New Zealand in place of A. Mercer, on ono condition. That condition is that members of tho club who go into training do so. thoroughly and work strictly to instructions. A. J. Elliott .was unplaced in the. final of tho 75 yards’ handicap at Auckland on Saturday week after winning the first heat from scratch. He was baulked bv the click of tho pistol, and was left behind at the start. He finished in fourth place with Buckley, who had a handicap of Byds. Canterbury has two or three likely contestants for the New Zealand women’s 100yds championship, and it is to be hoped (says the Christchurch Sun) that it will be able to raise a team for the relay race, which went by default to tho Wellington women at tho last championships. If the question were taken up, no doubt Otago could be induced to send up a taem also, and that would add to the general interest of tho meeting. On August 27 tho Australian title for Marathon racing will be decided in the St. George’s Marathon at Sydney. This decision is a result of the recent mail vote taken among the various States’ athletic associations. It is the first occasion in the history of amateur athletics in Australia and New Zealand that the union has recognised a Commonwealth title. M. Hayden, Sydney’s foremost road athlete for tho past 15 years, is a sure starter, and as he has twice won the Victorian Marathon, he knows how to run th® 26 miles 385 yards. Tho New Zealand cross-country champion, J. W. Savidan. left Auckland on July 19 to compete in the Australian and New Zealand cross-country championships at Adelaide on August 6. lie will be opposed to G. Hyde and W. White, of Victoria, recognised to lie in the first flight of Australia’s harrier runners. The response to the appeal for funds to send Savidan to Australia lias been very poor, but his passage money was paid with the assistance of several loyal supporters of the amateur cause.

ENGLAND DEFEATS FRANCE. LONDON, July 30. At Stamford Bridge England beat France by nine events to four and 66 points to 45. Olympicer Lowe cleverly won the 800 metres race by a foot from the French champion, Martin. Time, Imin 54 l-ssec. West Indian Jack London, from the Polytechnic, won the 100 metres race in 10 7-10 sec. Mourlon (France) when leading at the three-quarter distance spurted and collapsed. He was removed on a stretcher. Lord Burghley was beaten for the second place in the 110 metres hurdles. The winner was Gaby, in 14 9-10 see. Olympicer Butler won the 200 metres race in 21 9-10 sec. Cantab Rinkel won the 400 metres race by 4ft from the Parisian champion, Feger, in 50 l-ssec. France won the high jump (6ft lin). the long jump (23ft 2Jin), also the weight-putting and the 5000 metres race. HARRIERS’ ROAD RACE. PORT CHALMERS TO DUNEDIN. The road race from Port Chalmers to Dunedin, which is open to members of harrier clubs affiliated to the Otago Centre of the New Zealand . Amateur Athletic Association, was held on Saturday under conditions that were by no means favourable. The weather was dull, and the wind, though light, was bitterly cold, while the fain which had fallen so persistently for the greater part of the week made the track heavy and slippery in places. The duties of starter were entrusted to Mr A. Burk, and the time-keepers wove Messrs T. P. Williamson, 11. A. Hogg, A. Burk, and A. Melville.

There wt-re very few scratchings, and when the runners lined u_ close to the Mussel Bay station 48 competitors faced the starter, who despatched the limit man on his long journey just after 3.30. A notable absentee was J. W. Tapp, of the Caversham Club, who was on ';e scratch mark. The last man to leave the marg was C. W. Frye (Caversham), who was sent away at .3.40 p.m. The race was won by E. P. Rowlatt, a young member of the Caversham Club, who had a start of Grain, while second place was filled by R. Pate, if the Leith Club (smin 30sec). C. R. Hebbard, of the Caversham Club (4min lOsec) was third, and H. Emmerson, anotL.r .net bcr of the Caversham Club (2min 15sec) was fourth. Pate ran into the lead in the early stages of the race, and h-Id pride of place for the greater part of the journey, but Rowlatt, who was always handy, went to the front in the conj.u'.ing part of the journey, and won nicely by about 15yds, with Hebbard about SO Is further back.

The fastest time was recorded by R. Al. Stevens, who put up a very fine performance under the conditions in regis ring 42miu ITscc. This time Las been beaten on only two occasions—by G. M'Kr’ght in 1908 and by G. G. Notman in 1912— and equals the performance put up by J. W. Tapp in 1924. Stevens was the first man home two years ago. C. W. Frye, who covered the distance in 42min 57sec, recorded the second best performance, and Emmerson also did well, his e ’'eing 43min Isec. The prize for the first unplaced novice will be allocated at the next meeting of the Otago Centre.

By virtue of his win Rowlatt has secured the right to hold the Hooper Cup, which was presented by Mr W. L. Hooper, a vice-president of the Otago Centre, for the next 12 months.

After the race trophies were presented to the winners by Mr E. L. Macassey (president of the Otago Centre).

The result was as follows: — E. P. Rowlatt (Caversham), 6min ... 1 R. Pate (Leith), smin 30sec 2 C. R. Hebbard 'Caversham), 4nffn 20sec 3 H. T. Emmerson (Caversham), 2min 15sec 4 R. AL Stevens (Civil Service), Imin 30sec t> J E. Dunn (St. Kilda), 4min 50sec 6 S. Parker (Leith), 4min 7 D. E. Rowlatt (Caversham), smin 40sec 8 R M. Watson (Leith), smin lOsec ... 9 W. Buskin (Pacific), 4min lOsec 10 E. Fish (Pacific), 3min 40sec 11 F. Mount (Pacific), 3min 50sec 12 B. R. M‘Kernan (Civil Service), 4min 40sec 13 H. Ormrod (Anglican), 3min 40sec ... 14 C. W. Frye (Caversham), 45sec 15 Tho actual time of the winner was 46min 16sec. FASTEST TIMES. R. Al. Stevens (Civil Service), 42min 17sec 1 C. W. Frye (Caversham), 42min 57sec 2 H. T. Emmerson (Caversham), 43min Isec 3 THE WINNERS. The winner, E. P. Rowlatt, who is 19 years old, is one of the best of the younger members of the Caversham Club. He finished third in the Caversham Club’s three-mile handicap, and this is his first season with the harriers. R. Pate is a member of the Leith Club, and is 19 years of age. He began running this year, and was a member of the Leith team in the Otago cross-countrv championship. He won his club’s fivemile sealed handicap.

Hebbard, who is 19 years of age, was runner-up in the Port road race in 1925. and at present is captain of the Caversham Club. He finished among the first 13 in the recent Temuka-Timaru road race.

Emmerson is one of the most consistent members of the Caversham Club. In 1925 he finished sixth in the Fort road' race, and he was fourth last year. He has represented Otago at the New Zealand Cross-country Championships. Stevens, who secured fastest time, won the Port road race in 1925, and is the present holder of the Otago University tliree-mile flat championship. On Saturday week he won the Civil Service Club’s five-mile championship, and at present he is running as well as ever he did. He is 20 years of age. C. W. Frye, who secured second fastest time, is still one of Otago’s best distance men. He has held both the Otago and New Zealand cross-country titles during the past- six years, and secured fastest time in the Port road race in 1921 and 1923. On the flat he has held the Otago Three mile Championship. PREVIOUS WINNERS. The race was first contested in 1902, and’was held annually up to 1914. No race was held from 1915 to 1920, but it was revived in 1921, though it lapsed again in 1922 owing to the poor entry received. Since 1923 the race has been held annually. Following is a list of previous winners (names of winners being given first, and then those of the runners gaining fastest time): — WINNERS TO DATE.

Year. Winner. 1902 ... G. W. Cowie 1903 ... J. F. Frew 19.94 ... P. Roinerfl 1905 ... A. French 1906 ... J. Swanson 1907 ... J. V. Qnelcli 191IS ... J. Be at son 1909 ... J. M’Langhlan 1910 ... J. A. Bond 1911 ... I). Jack 1912 ... G. Q. Kotman 191.1 ... V. C. Stephens 1914 ... G. E. Tapp 1915-20 No races owing 1921 ... R. Monaghan 1923 ... J B. Bibby 1924 ... J Cameron 1925 ... R. M. Stevens 1926 ... W. Buskin

Fastest Time. p. Bennett 46.17 H. 0. Murray 43.12 A Melville 43.53 A. 43.57 A. Melville 47.17 J. Beatson 43.24 G. M‘Knight 41.45 II. C. Murray 43.42 G. G. Kotman 42.23 G. G. Notin an 43.25 G. G. Kotman 41.5 n. R. Thomson 43.26 M. Michelson 44.7 to war. c W. Frve 43.47 c. W. Frve 45.22 J. W. Tapp 42.17 J. W. Tapp 42.36 B. G. Cox 43.1