ATHLETIC NOTES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20108, 11 December 1930, Page 5

ATHLETIC NOTES.

SPRINTERS IMPROVING. A COMPARISON OF TIMES. [By Relay.] Athletic meetings on Saturday and Tuesday have .been tlie largest held in Christchurch thia season, and Saturday's gathering especially was the best indication yet of the relative merits of many of the runners. There is still room for a great deal of improvement in the middle and long-distance events, with sprinters showing good form earlier than the rest. Until the Christmas meetings are over, it is not expected that some of the back-markers will be competing with much succes3, for at the present time they are unable to give away the handicaps asked of them. Two fine races over 100 yards and 75 yards were run at the last meetings, both being won by men who are rapidly improving. J. B. MacFarlane and E. A. Jorgensen showed themselves to bo good handicap runners from marks approaching virtual scratch. Of the two, MacFarlane has the more impressive style, but he has been running longer than Jorgensen, who in only six weeks competition has come from near the limit mark to within a yard of G. Hart and R. Cordery, the province's fastest men. Cordery has yet to show his best form, as he is training for the quarter-mile rather than the 100 yards, and in the shorter race has not impressed as much as Hart. The finish of the 75 yards on Tuesday saw five finalists almost in lino, with Jorgensen less than a foot in the lead. It was a great race, one of the best this year, and on a par with the 100 yards on Saturday, when Hart, the third man, was less than a yard behind MacFarlane, in 10 seconds. Other sprinters who are going well are J. F. Bamford and H. C. Robinson. As the season advances, the longer races are becoming harder to win, and Bevcral promising juniors are working their way back from handicaps which have given them wins in earlier races. A thrilling finish was seen in the one mile on Saturday, when three men came up the straight together, and were separated by a bare margin at the tape. C. S. Ell just managed to pass M. S. Rudkin and J. Hay, and in doing so scored a well-deserved win. Ell is learning to run hia races with good judgment. Rudkin ran a closo half mile with M. R. Robinson on Tuesday, in the A grade relay, but after making a break at the start of the second lap, found the pace too strong over the last part, and finished slowly. The reverse suffered by New Brighton in the B grade relay has put that team on a level with Sydenham in a very even competition. This grade has proved much more interesting than has the A grade, and fine races are a regular feature of the competition. Now Brighton lacked a middle distance man on Tuesday, and were too far away when the sprints were run to make up th® leeway. They will be at a disadvantage against Sydenham next week also, for L. G. Willis is a strong asset for the latter club over the 880 yards, this being the first distance o£ the race.

A Comparison of Times. Now that the season ib well advanced, and all Centres are holding regular meetings, some idea of the prospects for the year may bo gleaned from tho performances being recorded by those of the champions who have already competed In open racing. Not only are the champions of last year showing good form, but also there are a number of mert in several districts who are reaching high class. A few of the winning times at meetings held during the past week are as follows: — Christchurch —75 yards, R. A. Jorgenaen (3yds), 7 4-ssec in heat and Bsec in final. 100 yards, J. B. MacFarlane (4|yds), lOsec. One mile, C. S. Ell (70yds), 4min 34 3-ssec. Wellington—44o yards, W. Ogg (18yds), slsec. ' Wanganui—l2o yards, C. H. Jenkins (scr), 12sec in heat, third In 12 l-ssec in final. 220 yards, C. H. Jenkins (set) 23 2-ssec in heat. 880 yards, D. Evans a, lmin 58 2-ssec. High jump, F. y (scr), sft Bin. Waipawft —880 yards, M. Holmes (06yds), lmin 53 3-ssec. Dunedin —120 yards, M. G. Valk (fcer), second by a foot in 12 1-Ssec. An Enviable Record. A report from Taihape, the home town of the present New Zealand half-mile and mile champion, D. Evans, gives the information that since ho began his athletic career, Evans has participated in 66 races, of which number he has won 51, This record, of course, would include races run while Evans was a professional, his reinstatement as an amateur having been granted at the beginning of last season. Already this season he has been racing m good form, and at the first meeting of the n6wly-formed amateur club in Taihape ho won the 75 yards off 3yds, and the 100 yards off the sam 9 mark. Laßt Saturday, at Wanganui, he was in winning mood, and in a meeting at Cooks Gardens, under ideal conditions, ran the hftlf-mile in lmin 58 2-58ec. Evans was oil the scratch mark, but was well up with the field at the end of the first lap, racing away in the sprint to win easily. Belay Points. With five relay races now completed, points in the competition for the Thomas Baton give the C.A.A.C. a substantial lead over 'Varsity, and it is almost certain that the winners of the trophy for the last two seasons will have no difficulty in retaining it this year.' In the B Grade event, two teams are level in first place, with the third close up, and interesting competition is promised before the final plac ings are decided. The points now stand at :—- A Grade—C.A.A.C. 50, 'Varsity 44, Sumner (one default) 33. B Grade—New Brighton 44, Sydenham 44, Old Boys 41, TechmcaMone default) 30, 'Varsity B (one default) 26, C.A.A.C. B (two defaults) 20. Jottings. The financial xesult of the Combined Clubs' spring meeting last Saturday is likely to be only a very small loss, as entries were large and expenses kept to a minimum. There was not a big attendance, but the meeting was nevertheless as successful as any hitherto conducted on those lines, and each club will bo asked to find only a few shillings towards the cost of running it. j. G. Barnes, transferred from Canterbury to Otago at the end of last season, is reported to be training solidly, though he has not yet been on the track since the harrier season. A southern writer expects that he will bo getting ready for his first appearance in competition in a week or two. The New Zealand Counci. has written to B. A. Kose, A. J. Elliott, D. Evans, and J. W. Savidan asking where they Would be prepared to appear during the tour of the American athletes. Evans has already intimated to the Canterbury Centre that he will run here and at Waimate in March, and if Eose is fit he may also be coming south. Elliott and Savidan have been invited to acewnpany Ev&na at these two meetings,

and the Centre has written to the Council and the Auckland Centre asking for permission for this to be arranged. In the Hawke's Bay district the first athletic gathering of the season will be held on Saturday next, when J. W. Savidan will be a competitor. He is to run in two handicap races, and in the mile will attempt to lower the record for the McLean Park track now held by E. A. Rose and standing at 4min 20sec; Entries received from Gisborne, Hastings, Waipawa, Waipukurau, Dannevirke, and Napier constitute & record. Ten days after they leave the boat at Wellington the American athletes will be competing at Masterton in the first meeting of their tour. The Wairarapa Sub-Centre has invited a wealth of talent to appear there, and it seems that the visitors will meet some strong competition. Many of the best of Wellington's runners and cyclists intend making the trip to the centre. The Old Boys Club will be in charge of the last evening meeting of the present series, to be held next Tuesday. Events are its follows: 220 yards first class, 220 yards second class, 880 yards open, throwing the javelin, women's 100 yards, A and B grade relays over four distances of 880 yards, 440 yards, 220 yards, and 220 yards. Two days' racing is provided by the South Canterbury Caledonian Society at its usual gathering on January Ist and 2nd to be held at Tlmaru. This meeting is one of the largest of the season, and again promises to be a distinct attraction with 22 amateur events on the programme. Entries close on December 27th. An additional event has been provided in the programme for the Prebbleton Club's meeting on January 2nd, and a 100 yards ivomen'B race will now be run. Fixtures. December 16th—Evening meeting at Lancaster Park (Old Boys). December 26th—Waimate Caledonian Society's Sports. December 26th—Halswell Sports Club's meeting. December 27th—Springfield Athletic Club's meeting. January Ist and 2nd—South Canterbury Caledonian Society's Sports at Timaru. January 2nd—Prebbleton Club's meeting. January 3rjd—Methven Caledonian Society's Sports. January 10th—Kirwee Sports. Entries Close. Evening Meetings—Saturday before each meeting. Waimate Sports—December 13th. Halswell Sports—December 15th. Springfield Sports—December 15th. Prebbleton Sports—December 16th. Timaru Sports—December 27th.