THE ATHLETIC WORLD. Fixtures.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8341, 2 December 1893, Page 2

THE ATHLETIC WORLD. Fixtures.

December 2G— Feilding A.C.'s Sports. December 26— Patea Sports.

Notes fey "Victor."

Local cricket enthusiasts complain bitterly of the rough pitches on which they aro forced to play, and it is a gTeat pity concerted action cannot bo takon to remedy the present unsatisfactory state of affairs. If the different club 3 wore to combine in an endeavour to raise the necessary funds to lay down a good pitch it would be an eaßy matter to accomplish. There aro a large number of lovers of the natatorial art in Wanganui, and there should be no difficulty in formiDg a swimming club here. Such an organisation would bo of inestimable value to the youth of tho town, as it would at once be a splendid and useful pastime. What is moro edjoyablo on a warm summer's day than swimming? It brings into action nearly every muscle o£ th 6 body. If a club wero formed it would conduce to bring this flue healthy pastime into far more prominence than would otherwise be the ease. The Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club held their twenty-eighth carnival last Saturday (the 25th ult.). There was a very largo attendance of spectators, some 5000 baing present. It would take up too much space to do more than brietly refer to the principal results. Oae of the finest performance was by A. F. Burton in the Mile Walk, his time from scratch being 7min 2^860, or within a quarter of a second of tho New Zealand amateur record, and P. E. N. Gaudin's long jump of 20ft llin was only H inches less than the record. T. Roberts did a splendid performance iv J the Quartor Hurdles, in which he had five yards, and, jumping id fine style, won easily in 00 4-sth ccc. Roberts also won the Quartor Flat from scratch in 54 2-sth soc. "E. T. Laurie with 2yds won tho 120 yds Hurdles in 17 2-th sec, K. G. Atkins with 65yds the Half-mile in 2min 3 4-sth sec 3, and G. E\ Bradburn with 65yda the Mile in 4min 48860. 81.B 1 . Barton won both the 100 Yards and the 250 yds Handicaps in ICboc ond 26 3-sth aec respectively. He had Oiyds in the former and 19yds in tho latter event. J. H, Buchanan from ocratch won his heat in tho 250 yds in 27 1-Bth sec, but got blocked together with Gaudin (4yds) in the final. The latter, however, on getting clear mado a desperate effort, and only suffered defeat by about a foot. The feature of the cycling events was the brilliant riding of E. Reynolds, who won the One, Two, Three, and Five-milo Bicycle Handicaps iv grand etylo from scratch, and his successes created unbounded enthusiasm.

Monday week (December 11th), will bo an all important one to athletes in this district, as on that day nominations close for the Champion Race, and all handicaps at tho Feilding Athletic Club's meeting on Boxing Day. It goes without saying that as the date of these sports diaws naar, the interest taken in the trainicg operations increases, and the chances of success of probable contestants commented on freely. With Buch valuable prizes to bo won over all distances and in all description of events there is bound to be numerous entries and keen rivalry, snd when the nominations appear it will most likely be found that they exceed in number tho3e of any previous je*r. Those interested will please bear in mind that Monday, the 11th December, not lat>r then 830 p.m., m the date on which entries mu-t be in tho hands of the secretary.

1 notice that R-. McNivon io again in activo training with a view probably of competing in the walking events at FoildiDg. J. Cavanagh is also hard at work with the same object. These two appear to bi the only walkers in training hero at present, but they will b-ith bo found hard nuts to crack io whatever events they compete in.

Nominations for all handicaps except Nos. 4 and 5 at ths Patea Athlet'O Sports' Association moeting on Boxing Day close at 9pm next Saturday, tho 9th inst. The handicaps will be declared on the 55th December. The programme is a nioalyarrarged ono, the prize money allotted is good, and a large number of entries should bs received. It will be noticed that a handsome trophy of the value of £6 6s will be given to tho scorer of the moßt points iv the Patea Handicap.

The seventh interproviDcial cricket match between Wellington and Auckland, commences to-day, at Auckland, and will bo continued on Monday. Of the six contests betweon these two provinces, Auckland has won four, Wellington ono, whilo the other wns drawn, lhe last match was played in Wellington m January, 1890, and resulted iv Auckland being decisively beaten to tho tuno of ten wickets.

It dooa not appear to be generally known that tho boxing coDtesfc which was to hare takon place this month between .T. J. Corbctt and Charlto Mitchell has fallon through. Nnmbers of pooplo have lately been discussing the probable result of this meeting, but tl'O fight is off, and there is no likelihood of tho two coming together, I am afraid. However thoro is eveTy probability that Peter JnckßOn and Corbottwill face one another, and as this contest is now almost certain to evontuato in London wo may confidently anticipate greater interest bein» centred in it than would havo beon the case wore it set down for decision in America.

Mo'r'a disappointing form at tho Australasian Championship Meeting is asoounted for by tho fact that ho lost nearly a stone in weight during the short trip across tho water.

At tho annual tournament of tha Springfiold Bicycle Club of America, on September 12th, 13Lb, and I4tb, several exceptional performances were ac-omplished. Tyler twice covered half a milo In lmin 2 ofch Bee, and L J. Meintjos also made a world's record by covoriog 2G miles 107 yards iv an hour, thus eclipfing tho record made a fow days previously by J. W. Stocks, at Herno Hill, London. All records from cix miles upwards were bnuten. On September 28fch Tyler reduocd the two miles record to 4min 15 8 sth sec; on October 6bn, the mile record to 2min I 3 Bfch sec ; on October 9th, the quartor-mile to 29 1-Bth sec ; and on October 11th the milo to 2uiin 2-sth sec All these times were done from a standing start, at Sprinsfleld. On October 3rd, also at SDringfiold, Windle covered a mile from a flying sUrt in lmin 53 1 sth sep, and eight days lator reduced this to lmin 56 4 Stti sec, his intermediate times being — Quarter mile, 28 1-Bth sec j half-mile, 57 2 6th soc j three-quarter*, lmin 26 3 sth coo. Tylor'a timoa on October 11th were —Quarter-mile, 31 4 sth see; half-mile, lmin Isoe j three-quarters, lmin 30 1-oth SOB.