HARRIERS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 144, 19 June 1931, Page 9

HARRIERS.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Xennett Cup. There -will be a splendid field of ninety-four runners for the second annual race for tne Kennett Pup. to be conducted by the Christchurch Harrier Club at the Riccarton Racecourse tomorrow afternoon. Included in the fifteen teams are all the best distance men in Canterbury, and many of the most prominent performers from Dunedin and Wellington. The holders of the cup, the Cavershom Club (Dunedin), will be represented by n strong team, which includes J. W. Tapp, who has held the New Zealand cross-country championship. J. .T. Morris, who ran third in the New Zealand three-miles championship last summer, and other first-class men. This is a fine, even team, and will be hard to The Civil Service Club (Dunedin) will also be represented by a strong team, led by J. (J. Barnes, who is well known in Canterbury. Barnes was the first man to finish in the Edmond Cup race at Dunedin last Saturday, when Caversham won the teams race with 62 points. Civil Service being second with 66. Six men count lor the Edmond Cup. while only four count for the Kennett Cup. The first four members of the Civil Service team scored 20 points in the Edmond Cup, and Caversham's first four scored 2S. Other members of the Civil Service team who are well known in Canterbury are K. C. Brown, who secured fastest time in the Papanui Amateur Sports Club's road race two seasons ago. R. C. M’Rachlon, ex-New Zealand half-mile champion, who during the Christmas holidays was present at the amateur athletic meetings round Christchurch, and A. 11. Ge.ddes. who won a race at Amberley on New Year’s Day. M’Lachlan ran his best long race to date in the Edmond Cup, when he finished in fourth place. The Civil Service team is a splendid one, and appears to have a great chance of success. The only other visiting team is the one from the Scottish Club (Wellington), which was second to Caversham in last year’s race. Scottish have in their team F. B. Silver, A. R. Stevens and R. A. Sinclair, who are all good performers. The team will race well, but will hardly be up to the standard of Civil Service and Caversham. The Christchurch Club's No. 1 team Is the strongest of the local teams. It includes R. M. Bnrrer, G. H. Watson and J. W. Sheppard, who are good men. The club filled third place last year, and the present team should be capable of improving on that performance. J. .T. Morris is the holder of the Olliver Cup, the trophy awarded to the first man to finish in the Kennett Cup. There will be a spirited contest for the individual championship to-morrow, with R. M. Barrer, J. G. Barnes, J. J. Movris, A. Ij. Stevens, A. D. Park, R. *A. Sinclair and G: H. Watson as the most prominent competitors. The arrangements for the race are now complete, and the officials have everything in hand for a successful race. The Scottish team arrived in Christchurch this morning, and the Dunedin visitors are expected to-night.

The prises will be presented at the racecourse after the race, and a dance will be held at Dixieland in the evening. On Sunday, the visitors will be taken for a motor drive round New Brighton and Sumner. Idmoad CTup. Caversham retained the Edmond Cup In Dunedin last Saturday, after a spirited contest with Civil Service, the respective scores being 62 and 66. Caversham have held the trophy for the past six years, and their record in connection with this race is remarkable. The individual championship was won by J. G. Barnes, with J. M’Raren second, J. J. Morris third, R. C. M’Rachlan fourth, K. C. Brown fifth, A. Mann sixth and J. W. Tapp seventh. The winner, J. G. Barnes (Civil Service) won the Edmond Cup Steeplechase in 1927 and 1928. and was second in 1 929. He was second in the Otago cross-country championship in 1927, and won the race in 1928 and last year. He secured fastest time in the Port road race in 3 928, and won the TemukaTlmaru road race the same j’oar, also carrying off the Canterbury cross-coun-try championship. He was fifth in the New Zealand cross-country championship at Christchurch in 1927, but was twelfth in 1928, when he was suffering from an injured leg. He won the Canterbury mile and three-mile championships in 1930, and last winter put up fastest time in the Port road race, won the Temuka-Timaru road race (with fastest time), and won the Otago crosscountry championship, as well as being fifth in the New Zealand cross-country championship. He ran well during the earlier part of last track season, but was below form for the New Zealand championships. Jottings. A meeting of the Canterbury Centre's Harrier Sub-Committee will be held next week, when the syllabus for the remainder of the season will be drawn up. The New Zealand cross-country championship will bo held at Auckland on August 29, this date having been approved by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. The Port Chalmers-Dunedin road race Will be held on June 27. East year's race was won by S. A. Anderson, while J. G. Barnes secured fastest time. The record for the race is held by P. Francis. Trouble has been caused at the championship course at Cashmere through one of the clubs laying paper on certain property on the hills and breaking down a fence. It will be necessary for the Harrier Sub-Committeo to go thoroughly into this matter with a view to seeing that this trouble does not occur again. Clubs have been warned previously that care is necessary. The Otago cross-country championship will be held on August 15, and the Otago junior championship on July 18. No word has been received in Christchurch regarding the annual Temuka to Timaru road race, which is usually held about the middle of July. University Club. The two teams which Varsity have entered fo.r the Kennett Cup race tomorrow are not expected to meet with any outstanding success, although it is satisfactory to note that the youngest club in Christchurch has been able to find as many runners as most of tinother clubs. Judging on form shown in the last few runs. A. T. Anderson will be Varsity’s best hope. The pace may. however, be too solid for him over tins earlier stages, in which case W. E. Parrott and H. E. H. Denham should be among the first of the Varsity men to finish. A, G. A. Balgent will probably be the fourth to finish in his team, and with these places counting In the teams' championship, the club is llkelv to fill fifth or sixth position. The B team is composed of men who have run well for their club. F. Chisholm and R. H. J. Hamlin being likely to do as well as several of the A team.