LAND & WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 55

LAND & WATER.

ATHLETICS. 1 ? POLE VAULT RECORD. BRISBANE, August 15. At an athletic gathering in the State pole vault championship E. Keskinen vaulted lift OJin, a Queensland record, which surpasses the previous record of the New Zealander, J. Te Pa, established in 1899. CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING. - SYDNEY, August 21. The 10-mile amateur cross-country championship of New South Wales resulted as follows-: —A. Cainsford 1, M. Mackenzie 2, R. Bateman 3. Time, 51min 49sec. The time indicates that the distance was apparently 1000 yards short of 10 miles. CHAMPIONSHIP OF VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, August 21. The five-mile amateur cross-country running championship of Victoria resulted: —George Hyde 1, E. Moore 2, C.

BILLIARDS. ' NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP. WELLINGTON, August 20. The final of the amateur billiards championship was completed at the Federal Club on Saturday afternoon and evening. Freeman (Wellington) was leading Roberts (the champion) by 280 on the first session, in which Roberts’s display was lamentable. At the afternoon session he was fully extended, and required 944 to reach his points. lie did this, and finished the session 53 ahead of Freeman. The session score was: Roberts 1332, Freeman 1279.

Roberts’s breaks were : 80. 50, 62, 44, 32, 35, 31, and Freemans’ 29, 36, 35. 26.

The averages were: Roberts 10.4, and Freeman 6.6. At the final session Roberts converted a 6 unfinished to 36, and his first 10 visits produced 252 against Freeman’s 123. Only 47 visits were required, Roberts making a good string of breaks and missing little or nothing. In striking contrast to Friday night, he played the red magnificently, scoring freely. He made three or four brilliant runs through and screw shots to secure position. With Freeman making breaks of 26, 39, 69, 35, 67, 22, and 26, Roberts treated him with respect and gave no chances, and in the closing stages compiled 49, 30, 35, and 79. His average for the final session was 14.16 and for the whole final 8.6, for 237 visits in all. Freeman’s average over the whole final was 7.5. The final score was: Roberts 2000, Freeman 1779.

The gold championship medal was presented by Mr H. Gilbert (president of the Federal Club) and a gold medal was also handed to the runner-up. Thanking the Federal Club for running the championship, Mr F. W. Vosseler (manager of Billiards, Ltd.) said it did not reflect credit on Wellington that amateurs should allow Auckland to continue to grab the championship year after year, when they had such a brilliant coach as M'Conachy, and he hoped before long to see Wellington produce a player who would be able to hold his own with the best A tribute, was paid to the high excellence of the table, which present and past champiofis declared to be the best provided for the championships.

CLARK M CONACHY’S REMARKABLE BREAK.

Clark M'Conachy, playing J. Besant, Kn Auckland professional, in a friendly

game of 500, on a 200 break, made a break oi 426 in 20 minutes. This is believed to be a world’s record in quick scoring without nursery cannons. The previous best score, 500 in 21 minutes, included nursery cannons, the quickest method of scoring. M’Conachy’s break was wholly at the top of the table. DUNEDIN CLUB. A good attendance of members gathered at the Green Island grounds on Saturday afternoon, and although the weather conditions were unpleasant the shooting was well up to the standard. A new member in Mr E. Levido was initiated in claybird shooting. The first match consisted of a sweepstake handicap of 15 birds, and the following were the best scores:—E. I’. Graham, 17yds, 15 birds ;-L. E. Wilson, 11yds, 14; J. A. Graham, 16yds, 14; G. E. Turner, 18yds, 13; T. Callaghan, 11yds, 13; A. A. Fairbairn, 11yds, 13; J. Hutchison, 11yds, 13; and R. M'Donald, 12yds, 12. Handicaps of one “star” having been allotted to L. E. Wilson and two "stars” to J. Hutchison, the former brought his total to 15 and the latter to 14. E. P. Graham and L. E. Wilson then agreed to divide the first and second prize money. E. P, Graham fired only one second barrel for his 15 breaks. A six-bird double rise sweepstake followed, and again E. P. Graham secured six breaks and took the first prize money. For second prize monev G. E. Turner, R. M'Donald, L. E. Wilson, J. A. Graham, and A. A. Fairbairn shot off, and the money went to G. E, Turner. The afternoon concluded with another double rise sweepstake of six birds, and with five breaks each, G. E. Turner E. P. Graham, and T. Callaghan carried on, and the first prize money finally went to G. E. Turner, with E. P. Graham second.

HOCKEY. NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, August 17. The New Zealand Hockey Association decided to-night that the interisland match be played on September 17 at Christchurch. The selectors appointed were: _North Island—H. Hatch (convener), L. Kent, and R. Thompson; South Island—S. G. Holland (convener), together with the Buller and Otago selectors. The associations are requested to forward the names of available players to the conveners of the selection committees not later than September 7. INVITATION TO AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, August 18. »An invitation has b n on received from New Zealand for a women’s team to visit the Dominion. As it is not possible for an Australian side to be sent, the NewSouth Wales Women’s Hockey Association will consider the advisability of arranging for a State team to make the tour. CANTERBURY DEFEATS BULLER. CHRISTCHURCH, August 20. In a representative hockey match today Canterbury drew with Buller—three goals each. The game was played in steady rain on a ground that was quite unfit for hockey. WELLINGTON GAMES. WELLINGTON, August 20. Wesley 7, Wellington 2. Karori B 2, Training College nil. LADIES’ TOURNAMENT. WELLINGTON TEAM CHOSEN. WELLINGTON, August 20. The selectors (Messrs Griffin, Scott, and Whyte) announce the following players for the ladies’ senior representative team to represent Wellington at the New Zealand tournament at Palmerston North, commencing on August 31: —L. Dick. A. Smith, F. Martin, A. Yonston, A. Lucena, M. Shaw, D. Judd, S. Swinburne, M. Fraser, M. Williams, J. Harper, M. Wilkins (captain), R. Wapp. OTAGO TEAMS SELECTED. The following players have been chosen to represent Otago against South Canterbury on the Oval next Saturday : — Seniors.—Goalkeeper, W. Twose ; backs —Les Ireland, W. Munro : halves—Withel, D. Gurr, H. Mayston : forwards—E. Renniek, L. Silver. A. Hinton (captain), R Johnston, C. Mayston; emergencies—-

backs, L. Smith, J. Harris, E. Jory ; forwards—J. Watson, E. Brown. Juniors.—Goalkeeper, G. Lane ; backs— C. Whitburn, C. Barnett; halves—W. Clark, J. Smith, T. Moore (captain) ; forwards—S. Greenslade, A. Howie, A. O’Brien, W. Warrington, R. M'Clatchie; emergencies—backs—C. Sew Hoy, D. Mawson ; forwards —R. Holden, A. Thompson.

Training for both teams will take place on Monday and Thursday evening. The following players have bene chosen io represent Otago at the championship tournament to be played at Palmerston North :—Misses L. Gray, P. Lawson, V. Cormack, 0. Butler, R. Gosney, D. Moir, A. Mackie, C. Lyders, M. Blagdon, I. R. Wallace, K. Miller, M. Adams, B. Grigor, C. Benfell, and Mrs Purvis. Mrs G. A. Nelson will accompany the team as chaperon.

THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. BRISBANE, August 20. The hockey carnival began to-day, when New Zealand played Queensland, winning by nine goals to one. The local team was completely outclassed, but fought stub bornly against the superior combination of the New Zealanders. Play was fast, accurate, and scientific. In the first half of the game the Queenslanders held them in check to sonic extent, and the half-time scores were 2 to nil in favour of the visitors. From the first whistle, however, the New Zealanders took the lead, Seaeombe scoring a great goal by rounding off an excellent centre movement. Even play followed, until Watts scored brilliantly from a back-hand stroke. The second half started with New Zealand having easily the better of the play, and towards the end of the match the visitors took complete command, opening a rapid bombardment on the Queensland goal. Before the whistle sounded Watts had secured two more goals, Seccombe another, Bell two, and Spiers and Lusty one each. The sole scorer for Queensland was Best, who completed a fine forward movement.

SCULLING. MELBOURNE’S BIG REGATTA. OTTAWA, August 16. Joe Enwright, of Toronto, a leading American sculler, and a finalist in the Diamond Sculls race, may accept an invitation received to participate in the Australian Henley at Melbourne on October 22. CYCLE ROAD RACE. Despite the rain on Saturday, about 60 enthusiasts journeyed to Mosgiel to see the Pacific Cycle Club’s 23-mile cycle road race for the M'Lachlan Cup. The race started at the junction of the Main South road and Mosgiel to Allanton, then following the road to this side of Outram, branching off to Woodside, turning at the Woodside Store to Maungatua. then back to Outram and on to the Silverstream bridge at Mosgiel. The road was very heavy, and, considering the conditions, the riders put up a good performance. Nine cyclists faced the starter, Mr R. J. Walker. W. Templeton left eight minutes after T. M'Connell, the limit man. T. Young retires about a mile and ahalf from home with a puncture, and P. Trail, who was making up a lot of ground, broke his chain, at the Allanton bridge. The positions at Outram were: Cooper, Campbell, Templeton, and Bowers, all riding within 100 yards of T. M'Connell, who retired at this stage with a puncture. About a mile and a-half from Outram Templeton and Cooper were level with Campbell 300 yards in the rear, and Bowers, who was tiring very fast. W. Templeton (scratch) finished an easy first; his time being Ihr 20min 55sec, with W. Cooper second (Ihr 50min), and D. Campbell third (2hr lOmin), and S. Bowers fourth (2hr 16min). The club was afterwards entertained to dinner by the committee, and the M'Lachlan Cup was presented to the wnner by the president, Mr F. G. Gibson.

WRESTLING. ANOTHER WIN FOR THYE. MELBOURNE, August 21. In the world's light-heavy-weight wrestling championship Ted Thye defeated Sam Clapham by one fall to none in 10 rounds.