VARSITY ATHLETES WIN WATSON CUP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18393, 20 February 1928, Page 7

VARSITY ATHLETES WIN WATSON CUP.

GRAY BEATS STANDEN IN MATCH RACES. In fine but windy weather in the afternoon, and under perfect conditions in the evening:, the Canterbury amateur athletic championships were held on Saturday. There was only a small attendance of spectators In the afternoon, hut in the evening the presence of Jack Standen and Duncan Gray, of Australia, for competition in a special match race, with the addition of events in which Malcolm Leadbetter and Guy Nicoll would appear, swelled the crowd considerably. The meeting was held as a benefit to Frank Grose, New Zealand cycling title-holder over all distances, who was seriously injured in an accident while training with Standen and Gray earlier the week. Nine clubs entered for the inter-club championship, for which the Watson Cup, held by the C.A.A.C., was presented. The clubs were: Ashburton, C.A.A.C., Varsity, Old Boys, Y.M.C.A., Kirwee, Marist, Technical and Harriers. Of these. Varsity, C.A.A.C. and Technical had the best teams, and Varsity annexed the championship with a very wide margin of points to spare. Technical College were second and C.A.A.C. third. The points for the Watson Cup were: Varsity 59 Technical 27 C.A.A.C 20 Y.M.C.A 16 Ashburton 30 Harriers 3 0 Old Boys 7 Marist 4 Thfe following are additional results: 440 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. G. C. Nicoll (A.) 1 M. Blackmore (C.A.A.C.) 2 D. W. Bishop (Y.M.C.A.) 3 Blackmore Jumped out smartly, followed by Allen. Nicoll and Bishop were both Jostled at the corner. Blackmore led by two yards into the straight, but Nicoll finished splendidly, to win by two yards. Bishop came with a late sprint to gain third place, a yard away. Time—s2 2-ssec. 100 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. First heat: M. Leadbetter (V) 1, A. B. Clark (Tech) 2. The only starters. Won by four yards. Time—lo 4-ssec. Second heat: J. H. Murphy (M) 1, K. R. Johnson (A) 2, J. A. Gasson (C.A.A.C.) 3. Won easily. Time—--10 2-ssec. Final. t Iveadbetter 1 Murphy 2 Clark 3 The field broke twice before the official despatch, when Johnston dwelt on

the mark. At the 75 yards mark Leadbetter was showing the way to Clark, Murphy and Gasson, with Johnston last. The positions were unaltered except that Murphy put in a terrific finish -which carried him past Clark to within a yard of Leadbetter. Clark was another yard back, followed by Gasson and Johnston. Time—lOsec. 100 YARDS LADIES’ CHAMPIONSHIP . Miss E. J. Martyn 1 Miss N. E. Ayers 2 Miss D. Unwin 3 ' The field got away to a beautiful ! start, but Miss Martyn opened out a break and was never headed. Miss Maxi well faded at the finish, and Miss Boyd was last. Time—ll 4-ssee. ; 880 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP. . G. Nicoll (A) 1 i A. L. Tldeman (C.A.A.C.) 2 L G. L. Austin (H) 3 With a field of nine Nicoll and Austin jumped out of the holes very fast, the former going to the lead in effortless manner after 200 yards. Nicoll carried the field through half the journey at. great speed, the watches showing 58sec for the quarter. Thereafter he was never seriously challenged and he went on to win by ten yards, with Austin thirty yards further back. Time —2min 1 3-ssec. ONE MILE INTER-CLUB RELAY CHAMPIONSHIP. Technical (C. J. Thompson, H. N. Gaason, L. Harrington and A. B. Clark) i C.A.A.C. (A. Tldeman, J. A. Gasson, W. J. Batstone and C. H. Tavlor) . 2 Varsity (A. Candy, D. W. Bain. E. B. E. Taylor and R. O. F. King) 3 C.A.A.C. led until the last distance, when Clark sprinted in fine style to win by three yards. Time—3 min 52 3-ssec. One Mile Handicap—G. L. Angus, • 95yds, 1; M. If. Mullany, 150yds, 2; H. Gasson, 115yds, 3. Won by five yards. Time—4min 33 4-osee. 220yds Handicap—First heat: G. L. Ray, 23yds, 1 ; R. G. Freeman, 17yds, 2. Time—2l 4-ssec. Second heat: M. . Blackmore, 12yds, 3 ; R. O. F. King, , 20yds, 2. Time—22 2-ssec. Third heat: t W. A. Thompson, 3 Byds, 3; H. S. Wes- - ton, 16yds, 2. Time—23sec. Fourth , heat: W. J. Calderwood, 18yds, 1; H. . Robinson, 18yds, 2. Time—23sec. Final: Freeman 1, Blackmore 2, Thompson 3. A great finish, with inches only separating the placed men. Time—22 4-ssee. 220 YARDS DANIELS’ CUP RACE. Wickes 1 Bennetts 2 Ellis 3 The only starters. A good race. Time—-25 4-ssec. 100yds Ladles’ Handicap—First heat: Miss E. J. Martyn, scr, 1; Miss D. Unwin. 2iyds, 2; Miss B. Millichamp, 2yds, 3. Time—l2sec. Second heat: Miss F. Maxwell, Iyd, 1; Miss M. Nelli-

gen, 41yds, 2; Miss P. Webb, Byds, 3. Time—ll 4-ssec. Final: Miss Martyn and Miss Nelligan, dead heat, 1; Miss Maxwell 3. A great finish. Time—l2sec. BALLANTYNE CUP, FIRMS' RELAY RACE. Farmers’ Co-op. (C. G. Mack well, W. Roseingrave, T. May, W. Shearman) 1 Ballantyne’s 2 Anderson’s, Ltd 3 Reece’s, Ltd., also competed. Farmers’ demonstrated superiority from the gun and won the cup easily for the fourth time in succession. Time—lmin 42 2-ssec. 440yds Second Class Handicap—H. S. Weston, scr, 1; C. D. Burn. Iyd, 2; E. G. M’Kay, 4yds, 3. A good finish. Time—s6sec. 440yds First Class Handicap—S. H. . Truman, 16yds, 1; R. Poff, 21yds, 2; H. Gasson, 20yds, 3. Time—s 3 4-ssec. UNPACED MATCH RACE. (Jack Standen v. Duncan Gray.) First distance (half-mile unpaced) Gray 1, Standen 2. Time—lmin 19sec. Second distance (half-mile, unpaced) —Gray 1, Standen 2. Time—lmin 18 4-ssec. The match between the two Australian Olympic nominees was looked on as the cream of the evening’s programme, though the original arrangement of matches between Frank Grose and Standen would have drawn a great crowd. Both events were ridden under Continental rules and turned into battles of tactics, with the pace on in the second lap. In each event Standen was compelled to go out in the lead. The pair sprinted vigorously over the last 400yds, and on each occasion Gray came from behind to win by half a wheel and half a length respectively. One Mile Cycling Handicap—First heat: L. Selwood, 100yds, 1; R. Daly, 70yds, 2; D. Gray, scr, 3. Time—2min 7sec. Second heat: J. L. Richards, 140yds, 1; H. J. Quill, 120yds, 2; J. G. Mackie, 14CTyds, 3. Time—2mln 7 1-Ssec. Final: Selwood 1, Daly 2. Richards 3. Gray had no chance of making up his handicap although he rode well into fourth place. Time—2min 7 l-ssec. Half-mile Cycling Handicap—First heat: R. R. Fergusson, 15yds, 1; T. E. O’Brien, syds, 2. Time—3o l-ssec. Second heat: H. J. Quill, 60yds, 1; L. J. Pearce, 15yds, 2. Time—3o ,l-ssec. Third heat: T. Gifford, 60yds, 1; T. Egan, 60yds, 2. Time—3l see. Final: Quill 1, Gifford '2, Pearce 3. Won by a length. Time—3osec. Neither Gray nor Standen started in their heats. TWO MILE CYCLING INVITATION RACE. (Points event, five for each lap and fifteen for final.) D. Gray (Aust.), 25 points .... 1 J. Standen (Aixst.), 20 points . . 2 K. Nankivell and S. Campbell, dead heat 3 There were nine competitors. From the gun Standen tore away from the

line, followed by Gray, with the local riders bunched just in behind. Standen kicked away at the straight entrance in the first three laps and gained 15 points. In the fourth lap Nankivell got a break on the field and won the lap from Gray, who had always been lying sfcond. Standen increased his total to 20 in the fifth lap but became pocketed and was unable to catch Gray, who won the last three laps and the trophy. Nankivell anrl Campbell followed him home. It was the most spectacular event of the evening. Hklf-mile Cycling Handicap—First heat: L. J. Pearce, 25yds, 1; J. Standen, scr, 2. Time—6lsec. Second heat: A. W. Day, 15yds, lj H. J. Quill, 90yds, 2. Time—64 4-s«ee. Third heat: D. Gray? scr, 1; L. Selwood, 60yds, 2. Time—--62 3-ssec. Final: Gray 1, Day 2. Pearce 3. Won by a legnth. Time—6l 4-ssec. Standen did not start.