THE CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 243, 13 October 1937, Page 4

THE CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNERS

SATURDAY’S TROPHY RACE (By “Jog Trot.”) On Saturday last members of the Wanganui Harrier Club competed over a three and a-half mile course for a trophy given by an anonymous donor. In Wellington one of • the chief events of the harrier calendar was held, namely

the 20-mile race at Trentham. This marks the close of the harrier season for Wellington clubs.

Members of the Wanganui Harrier Club on Saturday competed in an open handicap over a three and ahalf mile course. Conditions were good and fast times were returned, accordingly. A trophy for first man home was donated by an anonymous supporter of the club. The Wanganui Club has been fortunate in the past season that a number of trophies have been donated for competition among members.

For the most part these have been won by juniors and this is very desirable. No doubt too many trophies would introduce that baneful diseass which mars many sports and is generally known as “pot-hunting.” On the other hand trophies provide an incentive to runners to do their best. Harrier running is a sport that offers little in the way of applause from a gallery to spur the competitors on to victory, as for the most part races are held on the open country where but few people witness the contests.

R. Orr won the event by a narrow margin. He has run patchily this season, due to being unable to train, and was fully extended to hold the lead which his handicap gave him.

The best performance of the day was put up by N. Grant. He has been unfortunate this season in not winning a number of events, and to date has secured no fewer than four seconds in trophy races. He is one of the most promising of the young runners in the club and next year should be in the first twelve. He ran a dogged race on Saturday, but lacked the pace that would have brought him up to the winner. With two miles to go he was only a matter of yards behind Orr, and little separated them at the finish. Had there been a little more country in the course he would have won, as it was in the rough going that he drew up. * * * *

S. Willetts ran to form and finished third. During the past few weeks h» has revealed himself as a runner with both endurance and pace, ann he is a contender for a place in the club's B team for the relay race. In securing third position on the times list he put up a better performance than many older and more experienced runners, and his performance is worthy of commendation. By winning the Technical College crosscountry championship by a substantial margin he showed himself to be capable of getting through the’largest of fields and is to be congratulated on this fine effort.

A. Penberthy is running well and was second on the time list. He was coming fast over the last mile and had the distance been a little greater must have been with the front men at the finish. If he maintains his present form he should prove a valuable asset to the club in the relay.

C. Cox had a good outihg and his run revealed the benefit he is deriving from the training on Cook's Gardens. Cox is a powerful runner who is perfectly at home in the rough stuff. He will be remembered for the effort he made in the relay race last year when he covered miles of gravelled road and finished with his feet bleeding freely. Since then he has commenced wearing shoes and is benefiting J. Carr and H. Clark, both off the same mark, finished fairly Closely. They have been training together and Carr is developing a good sprint with the work he is getting. Although by no means a “pretty" runner, Carr has a turn of speed that must always be reckoned with. Clark put up a good effort in the club’s B team last year and if he retains his present form should again be of good service.

The keenest member in the club is R. Gilbertson. This season he has improved out of sight and it is this that has served as an incentive for him to train consistently. He has turned out regularly to train in the evenings'and it is to be regretted that he will not find a place in the B team. His keenness is greater than that of others, but it is on form that the selection must be made.

After five weeks’ spell F. Kiddle was seen out again. He did not extend himself unduly and thoroughly enjoyed the race.

Although the course was a short one it was not any easier. The pace was on from the outset and by the times returned it is obvious then: it was kept up all the way. It is a peculiar thing that a shorter race can be more strenuous than one over a longer distance. The quarter-mile is generally recognised as being the most exhausting of any distances, and it seems that the same principle can apply in harrier running.

An encouraging feature of the race on Saturday was the fact that three juniors turned out. Although the writer does not advocate the policy of racing young boys the enthusiasm that these lads must absorb from the sport must encourage them to follow it in their years of maturity. M. Hopper ran a race that was comparable with that of many older members and augurs well for his future.

H. Hopper appears to have recovered from his leg trouble and on his present form has strong claims to a place in the B team. He is looking much fitter than for some time and If he “strikes it" he will be a hard man to beat on his lap in the relay.

Technical Cross-country. A week ago the annual cross-coun-try races of the Wanganui Technical College were held under ideal conditions. Competition was keen and many likely boys were seen out. An encouraging feature of the day’s activities was the number of spectators who turned out to watch he races. An interested onlooker was Mr. C. R. White, well known in harrier circles in the Dominion. Mr. White is an ex-runner and it was interesting to note that his son, a junior, finished

It has been suggested that the races should be organised so that the boys cover less ground outside the racecourse and do one lap of the course at the finish. By this more interest would be lent to the event as spectators would be enabled to see the competitors when a mile from home, and so view the closing stages of the race. A number of the boys who have been running in the newly-formed harrier club at the school were in the first twelve home, demonstrating the benefit they have derived from their association with the sport. It is hoped that next year increasing numbers will take up running. Relay Race.

With the annual Marton-to-Wanga-nui relay race only a matter of 12 days away a good deal of speculation is ensuing as to the chances of the Wanganui Club A team retaining the W. L. Young Cup. It was two years ago that the local club won the trophv after it had rested in Wellington under the care of the Scottish club for some time and with considerable enthusiasm the Wanganui lads proved their claims to the cup again last year.

Although the Scottish Club were expected to prove most formidable they failed to run up to form and finished well back after one of their men had suffered injury. The Marton Club pushed the local team and finished second in the A event. It is generally recognised that they will be among the chief contenders again this year, and have perhaps the best chance of annexing the cup. From the fact that they formed the nucleus of the West Coast team which competed at the national championships and finished third it is obvious that it will take a good team to show them the way to Cook’s Gardens.

With three men out of last year's A team the Wanganui Club is at a substantial disadvantage, but the inclusion of G. Bills, West Coast threemile champion, should greatly assist the black singles. K. Johnston is an old competitor who can be relied upon to run well and his backing should prove invaluable. Marton Club. Members of the Marton Harrier Club on Saturday competed in a 10mile road race. This proved to be one of the most gruelling races of the year and was won by D. Smith by approximately 150 yards. M. Griffin was second. The next three men to finish were F. Hill, L. Smith and J. Taylor. The action of Mr. A. Way of presenting a cup for the first man home is commendable. He has always displayed a keen interest in harrier running and this has done much to foster the sport in the Marton district.

It is debatable whether it was advisable for the Marton Club to hold a ten-mile road race on such a day. On Saturday next the annual Bulls-to-Marton road race is to be run and this is also a very strenuous event. From the poor field that turned out on Saturday it is obvious that the runners were not keen and a hard race like this could serve only to discourage them in the face of the two hard road races which are to be held in the next two weeks. In the report of Saturday’s race it was stated: “J. Taylor finished gamely but was unable to walk another yard”—and run an even harder race next Saturday? Twenty-inile Race.

Thirty-eight runners, including seven from Napier and one from Masterton, took part in the Olympic Harrier Club’s 20-mile race at Trentham on Saturday afternoon, the last event of the Wellington harrier season. C. McCalman (Brooklyn) was the first to finish and won the Phipson Trophy, and the Brooklyn Club won the teams contest, for which it received the Olympic Gold Cup. O Fisher won the Olympic Club’s “Running Man” trophy for the first club member to finish. He was fourth. McCalman finished well and throughout the race showed good judgment. Details are as follow: Teams Race Brooklyn (C. McCalman, R. McGregor, G. Prosser, G. Appleby, W. Hiscock), 35 points 1 Olympic (O. Fisher, A. W ,McNaught, K. Gillies, H. Patrick, F. Reeves), 73 points 2 Napier (A. G. Hughes, B. Reid, G. Denford, R. Strachan, J. Strachan), 94 points 3 Individual C. McCalman (Brooklyn), 2hr llmin ssec q R. McGregor (Brooklyn), 2.14.8 2 R.Violich (Scottish), 2.14.49 3 O. Fisher (Olympic), 2.16.15 4 A. G. Hughes (Napier), 2.17.37 5 G. Strong (Kaiere), 2.19.14, 6; M. Paterson (Hutt Valley), 2.21.49, 7; B. Woodcock (Scottish), 2.23.9, 8; G. Prosser (Brooklyn), 2.25.40, 9; K. Roberts (Hutt Valley), 2.26.20, 10; G. Appleby (Brooklyn), 2.27.21, 11; W. Allen (Wellington), 2.27.48, 12; A. W. McNaught (Olympic), 2.28.8, 13; M. Peterson (Hutt Valley), 2.28.21, 14; W. Hiscock (Brooklyn), 2.29.3, 15; B.’ Reid (Napier). 2.30.15, 16; H. Reid (Brooklyn), 2.30.43, 17; F. Cox (Scottish), 2.32.0, 18; K. Gillies (Olympic), and H. Patrick (Olympic), 2.35.45, 19 equal.