ATHLETICS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16452, 14 June 1921, Page 3

ATHLETICS.

NEWS AND NOTES,

(By

"SPRINTER.”

The intention oi : the Garrison Sports Association tu hold evening athletic meetings at the King Edward Barracks during the w inter months will have to be abandoned should tile building be closed to public gatherings. The association, however, . will hold, a, big 'athletic meeting at- the end of this year, probably some time in October. No date has yet been fixed, and no arrangements of any sort have been made, but the association fully intends to hold a meeting. There should he a number of. early meetings next season. The Dunedin Centre last year promoted a big spring gathering on October* U. and if this is again held, and the military meeting, cross-country run and proposed C.A.A.C. spring meeting all take place, October will be a very busy month for athletes. Some of the “cracks,” last year were on the track in September, and it is whispered that several of the champions will be getting into trim quite as early this year. It is to be hoped that after the next committee meeting of the C.A..AC. we shall have something definite in the matter of dates. The committee has decided to’ bold the three mile run for the Harrier Cup at the beginning of the season, and the date will he fixed next month. One or more sprint races will be run on the same day.. The proposal to hold a C.A.A.C. spring meeting was also discussed, and it is to bo hoped that something definite will bo done about this next month. Somo members do not eeem to be very clear as to whether the three mile run will constitute the spring gathering or whether the two will lie separate events. I think the idea of the originators of the “ spring meeting ” proposal was to hold a .regular afternoon athletic meeting, the other affair being quite distinct. For this purpose the club can obtain English Park, if Lancaster Park is not available, and there seems no reason why such a meeting run, say, late in October, should not be a success. Last season a programme of evening meetings was drawn up, commencing on November 16. If two or three meetings are held in October a programme of weekly evening meetings can be commenced in the first week in November, and by December everyone should be in top form. There will be a number of meetings in. December, and then will come the championships. • YTheu local athletes were leaving Ashburton after the gala oji April 14 they were told to be fit for another Ashburton meeting on December 16. The date is worth keeping in mind. Whilst conversing the other day on the run for the Harrier Cup, Q. H. Taylor made a suggestion which might be well worth following. His idea was that the three miles run should be held at Plumpton, finishing at the Canterbury Park course. Whilst the race -was in progress sprints could he rqu on the course in front of the stand. Taylor suggested that the big run should be started from the course and finished once round the track, thus allowing spectators a good view of a section, of the race- The. idea might be practicable, and .1 would like to hear it discussed at the next committee meeting of the C.A.A.C. How many athletic clubs will there be in Christchurch next season? The C.A.A.C. and ’Varsity clubs are hound to be strong and there should be at least two other clubs. Old Roys had a dead season last summer but T am informed that they intend to make things more lively next season. This club should be one of the strongest in the town, and with an energetic committee could turn out a team of runners which would take, a lot of beating. At the Y.M.C.A. it is proposed to form a clulc for next season and we shall probably hear more of this in a week or two. Judgiug by the enthusiasm shown at the gymnasium classes, from which the Y.M.C.A. will draw its members the new club should start, the season with sonic very fit members- If we can get .four clubs in the field inter- • club .competition should be created, which will make +ho sport more--inter-esting. The Old Boys Club can do the sport generally a great deal of good by rousing out runner*; from the OldBoys' Association and inducing them to start again. There is always somo good running at the B.H.S. annual meeting and an -Old Boys’ Club would greatly strengthen the sport. Y.M.C. A. w ill have at least three or four good runners to start with and should soon work up a good club. A cable message from v Sydney referring to the visit of the African athletes to Australia, and New Zealand indicates. that the Australasian Championships will be held at. the end of this ''car. The message says that the African athletes ‘-‘will be received in Australia at the cud of the year at the time of the Australian Championships, and in New Zealand from the middle of January to the middle of February.” There are no Australian Championships. Each State holds its own championships and sends representatives to the Australasian Championships. The niesi sage indicates that the Australasian Championships will be held in Adelaide sometime in December. This will prove very awkward indeed for New ZealandTf representatives are sent, the New Zealand Championships will 'have to take place in November, which will mean holding the. Canterbury Championships either iri October or early in November.

The Edmond Cup race at Dunedin on Saturday attracted ninety-seven > entries:, ten teams taking part. Of these, two were from the Olympic and Brooklyn clubs, of 'Wellington. The individual winner was T. Wilson (Olympic) and the Olympic team won the Cup, Anglican No. 1 being second and Brooklyn third. IT. J. Bell (Brooklyn) finished second, Ashby (Caverfihain) third, AY. Burke (Brooklyn) fourth, and AY. Scratdhard (Olympic) fifth. The winner, T. AYilson is only sixteen years of age. He beat Bell by about five yards. R. J. Bell, who won tbo event last year, represented Wellington in the last New Zealand Crosscountry Championships held at Cashmere, and finished fourth, after losing one of Iris shoes- He is an es-Scottish cross-country champion. NV. Burke was another Wellington representative and gained fifth place- W. Scratchard, who was tfie captain of the AVellington, finished second, being beaten by a foot by C. Frye, the Otago captain.