GOODWILL MISSION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 206, 3 September 1935, Page 8

GOODWILL MISSION

ATHLETES RETURN N.Z. CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM SAVIDAN’S AMBITION WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. The New Zealand cross-cauntry team arrived back by the Maunganui from Sydney to-day. The manager, Air. C. K. White, said they had no excuses to make. He spoke very highly of the hospitality extended to thc team in Australia, and said that considering the high standard of performances in the two events in which the New Zealanders competed they had no cause for complaint. They had found the going very hard in the crosscountry race, due to the exceptional spell of fine weather experienced iu Sydney. He paid a tribute to Sheaves (New South Wales), the winner of the crosscountry event and also N.S.W. ten-miles’ track champion. Replying to the welcome extended by the New’ Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, Mr. White said the team had been an exceedingly happy one, but the standard of long-distance running in Australia was very high indeed and the New Zealanders were not used to such a hard pace as had been clapped on there. The team, as he empnasised lis soon as they set foot in Australia, was on a goodwill mission from the N.Z.A.A.A. to Australia, and the impression they made would, he thought, be lasting. Biennial Contests. While in Bydney, Air. White and Mr. Stevens had discussions with the New South Wales and A.A.U. representatives in connection with the proposal to institute biennial track contests between Australia and New’ Zealand, commencing with the visit of an Australian team to New Zealand in 1937. Mr. White said that a report on the matter would be submitted to thc N.Z.A.A.A. Council. Savidan for Marathon. J. W. Bavidai>, the New’ Zealand champion, said he was only beginning to feel his legs after the ten miles race. After running on the soft tracks of New Zealand the hard going and the summery weather had affected him adversely. Savidan said that a fairly rough crossing had been experienced on the trip to Sydney and thc conditions in Sydney were exceptional and unexpected. Although he had no excuses to make, had he known he was going to race on hard surfaces he would have done his training on the road. Another feature was that in the cross-country event there were no obstacles such as a e included in New Zealand. He was

convinced, even when the New Zealand team went to Australia, of the necessity of arriving more than just a few days before the date of the contests. At least a week or ten days, he thought, was essential. Savidan added that, according to some of the reports, he was fagged out after the cross-country race. That was not so. He finished quite fresh. The only trouble was that when he got up speed his legs began to wobble. Although his work may keep him off the track iu New Zealand this summer Savidan has an eye to the Olympic Games at Berlin next year. He said he would concentrate on the Marathon (26 mi 1 cs).