ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 996, 8 April 1909, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

A competitor in the recent Rakaia to Ashburton race said to a southern press rep. after the event “ I had to finish. If I had given up on the road what was I to do? There was no one n sight, and it was as far to Rakaia as to Ashburton. There was no conveyance for those who wished to withdraw, and the only alternative was to keep on running.”

A conference of delegates of Wellington amateur sports bodies was held on Friday evening. Associations represented were: Wellington Cricket Association, Wellington Wednesday Cricket Association, Wellington Centre of N.Z.A.A- Association, Wellington R.F.U., Wellington Hockey Association, Wellington Football Association, Wellington Lawn Tennis Association, Wellington Lacrosse Association, Wellington Wednesday Hockey Association, Wellington Ladies’ Hockey Association. and N.Z. Amateur Swimming Association. The meeting was called to consider what action, if any. should be taken by athletes with respect to the municipal elections, and the decision was embodied in the following resolution: —“That the representatives of the various sports bodies present agree to use their best endeavours at the forthcoming election of councillors to secure, as far as possible. the return of representatives to the council who will have a more sympathetic feeling (in regard to the administration of the city reserves) towards the amateur sports bodies of the city of Wellington.

A sealed handicap in connection with the marathon race from Ashburton to Raka a, resulted the same as the race it-elf. Dickson and Moore, first and second respectively, gave up their prizes in the handicap to the fourth and fifth men.

The profits arising from the New Zealand championship meeting are not known yet, but it is anticipated that something like £BO to £lOO will be netted over and above expenses.

It is proposed to hold a Marathon Race, under the auspices of the Y.M-C.A., between Hamilton and Cambridge, at an early date.

The following account of the race between Tom Longboat, the CanadianInd : an, an Alfred Shrubb, the wellknown English professional, appears in the Sydney “ Referee.” The pal. hooked up at Madison Square on the night of February 5, and Shrubb met his Waterloo. For 20 miles Shrubb looked all over a winner, but he could not stand the strain. At this stage Shrubb had a lead of eight laps, having been out in front from the start. When he had fimshed 21 miles and 8 laps, Shrubb stopped running and began walking slowly round the track. Longboat decreased the lead by two laps before Shrubb began to jog again. After that Shrubb slowed to a walk at intervals and the Indian crept up surely and steadily. The Indian was only a lap to the bad on the 24th mile, by which time Shrubb was staggering and ■ on the verge of collapse. At the end of the 24th mile Longboat took the lead, and shortly after passing the 25 mile mark Shrubb fell in a heap and had to be carried from the track. The Indian kept right along and finished the 2 6 miles 385 yards in 2hr 53min 40 2-ssec. Shrubb was a staunch favourite, and a great deal of money was lost by his backersAfter the Englishman was hurried to h's dressing-room in a bad way, it required the. services of a couple of doctors to pull him through. * * Percy Smallwood, who is described as the champion long-distance runner of Wales, broke down in the ninth mile of a 12 mile race with Dorandc Pietri, the Italian, at Philadelphia, on the night of February 11. The Italian started out like a sprinter, and gained a lead of several yards before they had made the first turn. He finished the half-mile in 2min 24sec, and went right along, and was a lap to the good at the end of the first mile, which he made in 4min 54 4-ssec. At the start of the sixth mile Dorando was two laps to tfe good. Smallwood began to limp soon after the start of the seventh mile, and he lost ground to such extent that Doran do was a mile ahead at the finish of the ninth mile. Smallwood soon after that dropped out completely, but Dorando kept on, paced by an Indian named Al Nash. Here is the way Dorando performed: First mile, 4min 54 4-ssec; second,

10.50 1-5; third 16.44 2-5; fourth, 23.6 4-5; fifth, 28.59; sixth 34.43; seventh, 40.32 2-5; eighth, 46.23 3-5; ninth, 52.12 4-5; tenth, 57.55 4-5; eleventh, 1.3.46 4-5; twelfth, 1.9.16 4-5.