SCHOOL STEEPLECHASE

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 12

SCHOOL STEEPLECHASE

GRAMMAR SCHOOL EVENTS. AUCKLAND AND TAKAPUNA BOYS. ■ 200 RUNNERS IN EACH EACH. In glorious weather, the boys of the Auckland Grammar School heW their annual steeplechase over the usual course, slightly less than three miles,' yesterday afternoon,, the winner turning up in J. L. Irines, who won comfortably from E. A. Run under sealed handicap conditions the race drew an entry o£ nearly 200 competitors, seniors and juniors being -well mixed. All left the mark together, the field making a brave showing as .they pelted . out of the school grounds and wheeled up Mountain Road. Thence the runners turned into Clive Road and cot onto the track leading up Mt Eden. ■ Thiswas a still test, and only those of the runners who had trained for the- event were; able to keep going up the steep incline.' After crossing the mountain, the course was along Mount Eden Road, Stokes Road, Maraina Avenue, and Owens Road. Thence the field entered the mountain reserve again by the southern gate and came across the mountain and back to the school.; The finish, in the school grounds, was watched by a big crowd of boys, parents and friends. When the runners were seen coming down the mountain on the run home, the winner, Innes, was a coupler of hundred , vards in front of Stehr and going strongly. The remainder o£ the big held was well strung out. Thence' to the school it was a iiood race, but although Stehr made up a little of the leeway, Innes ' was never bustled, and finished very comfortably. It C Durham, who finished in third position had to make a big effort to beat A K. Pearcc, only a second separating the nair Innes' time was lm and 2-5s above the course record established by E. S. Thomas in 1026. Following were the first ten runners to finish: —

J L. Innes, 17.24 4-5, first. ' ~.,..■' E A. Stclir, 17.34, second. .': '<<£' R C. Durham, 17.43, third. ■■■ A. E. Pearee, 17.44, fourth, j A. O. Fisher, 17.50, fifth. G M. Owen and C. Mclnnes (dead heat). 17 03, sixth. R. Wallace, 18.5, eighth . D A. I'eak, 15.13, ninth. G. A. Dowling, 18.14, tenth. ' . - f ■ The championship winners were as follows: — . ■;.' '■' .■•.»'; . .

Open.— J. L. Innes. Under 17. —B. A. Stehr. Under 16.— K. Wallace, 18.5. ' Under 15.— R. W. Smith, 18.38. Under 14.—A. White, 10.20. : • Under 13.— K. Roughton (no time taken). T*ie under 13 championship was a new division, introduced only this year. ■ The sealed handicap resulted:— J. Birwhistle, 1; G. A. Hill, 2; L. H. Hay, 3. . TAKAPTTNA SCHOOL'S RACE. There was a field o£ nearly 200 runners for the Takapuna Grammar School's Bteeplechasse, held after school hours yesterday. After leaving the school, the senior runnefs went down Everslie Road to/Shoal Bay Bridge. Thence they went across .country to the bottom of Northboro , Road, up Jutland Road, thence down Haurakl Road, and up Clifton Road to the school, the course covered being slightly over three miles. ' The junior course was about a mue shorter than that followed by the seniors, the runners omitting the crossing of. the bridge. » The honours in the senior event were woa by R Nicks, who finished first, and R. Eade, who recorded the fastest time. The winner of the junior race was T. Hurren, while T. Blair made fastest time.

Senior Handicap.—R. Nicks,'3m, 1} A. Higson, 2m, 2; R. Minhinnick, ljni, 3. Fastest time, R. Eadc, 15m 4s. Junior Handicap.—T. Hurren, 21m, 1; J. Hunt, 2m, 2; jTOrmiston, 2Jm, Time, llin 11s. Fastest time, T. Blair, Om 40s.