ATHLETES ON TOUR

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21411, 1 March 1935, Page 21

ATHLETES ON TOUR

NEW ZEALAND AND BRITAIN CAPTAIN HUNTER'S IMPRESSIONS There is no very significant difference between the standard of athletics in New Zealand and in England, according to Captain Evan Hunter, manager of the British and Finnish athletic teams which will compete at Lancaster Park on Saturday. Captain Hunter said last evening that in both countries there seemed to be a high standard of track athletics, but that in field events there was a lower standard in both countries. Captain Hunter describes field events as "technical" events, and says that unless an athlete is born with a more than ordinary ability for them, he must start practising almost from childhood to succeed.

The teams of which Captain Hunter is in charge have had a very strenuous tour of New Zealand, and have on an average run three times a week. The handicapping has in many cases left much to be desired. "We do not want the prizes," said Captain Hunter; "in fact, in one or two cases our men have given them back, but mostly the handicapping has made us work far too hard, and has been such that we have not had a chance of winning. This does not bother us. but it would be very much better for the association in New Zealand if we could win sometimes. To win a javelin throw at one meeting, the Finn Sippala would have had to break a world's record. It does not do the gate any good to see in the newspapers the announcement that the British and Finns have failed again." A Distinguished Career Captain Hunter has had a very distinguished career in athletics. He is secretary to the British Empire Games Federation, and the Dominion Students,' Athletic Union, and the Achilles Club. He has travelled overseas with many athletic teams, and is one of the outstanding figures in British athletics. He has had many years among athletes, but they have not dimmed his enthusiasm for the sport.

As the teams of which he is in charge had only three meetings in Australia, Captain Hunter was not prepared to make any comparison between athletics in this country and Australia. He had no suggestions to offer for the improvement of the sport in New Zealand, and expressed himself as very satisfied with what he had seen already. There were a, number of very good runners in this country, he said. Like England, New Zealand from what he had seen abounded in good track athletes, but there was a definite shortage of athletes outstanding in field events. On their present tour the teams in Captain Hunter's care have had very bad luck with the weather. "Your tracks are sometimes very rough here," he said. "A man used to running on cinders finds himself badly put out by the unevenness he is liable to find in any but the best of grass tracks. Of course, a grass track in the best of condition, and as level as a cricket pitch, is faster than any cinder track." The team had also been unlucky in that it had struck cold, wet weather and slow tracks almost everywhere it went, he added. Acclimatising Runners Captain Hunter's wide experience of travelling with athletic teams has convinced him that there can never be any general rule about acclimatising runners in new countries. Some men will run at their best the day they get off the boat, but others will take three

weeks or a month to accustom themselves to the new conditions. He says that the average time is about a ; month, and that the New Zealand ' team to compete in the Olympic i Games at Berlin next year should, if i possible, be given three weeks in Eng- ! ' land to train, and another week in Germany before the games begin. '■; "The main consideration," he said. "is the fitness of the men before they start. If they are racing fit when they leave New Zealand, and see to it that ,; they have opportunities for working ; . out on the voyage, they will arrive in good shape. The trouble is that New ; Zealanders will start out at the wrong time of the season, when they have had very little practice on the track." On the voyage to Australia and New Zealand the Finnish and British teams ;'. had had as much training as they would have at home. ; l Captain Hunter has been very pleased with the performances of his • teams in New Zealand, considering :; that they have had such a strenuous time. They have run as well as could ':: be expected under the exacting con- ;. ditions, but his contention is that if the handicapping had been a little !, more judiciously worked in other centres the sport in New Zealand would have gained much more. j TECHNICAL COLLEGE CLUB! EVENING MEETINGS

CONTINUED The Christchurcli Technical College Amateru Athletic, Cycling, and Harrier Club continued its series of evening meetings at tins Elisor's road ground last evening. The result.- were as follows: llalf-niile Cycle—First heat: A. S. Schul? (lOvJs) 1, 0. Pedlar (90yds) 2. Time. 75sec. Second heat: A. J. Green (60yds) 1. G. Schulz (80yds) 2. Time, 71 3-ssec Third heat: A. N. Schulz (40yds) 1. C. Scott (70yds) 2, G. R. B. Giles (sct) 3. Time, 71sec Final: A. S. Schulz 1. Green 2, A. N. Schulz ". Time, 71sec. One Mile Cvcle —P. Xorrell (50yds) 1. G. K. R. Giles (scr) 2. R. Holland (200ydM r.. NEW BRIGHTON CLUB The following will represent the »w Brighton Amateur Athletic Club at the interclub events at Lancaster Park to-morrow, at 1.45 p.m.:— 220 Yards Hurdles—B Grade: -T. G. Hay. C Grade: Vv". A. Cooke. L. C. Richards, K. Marriott, C. S. Thompson. 100 Yards—B Grade: 1,. N: Bellamy. C Grade: A. Hewitt, R. A. Lowe, C. Seaward. 440 Yards—B Grade: L. C. Richards. C Grade: A. Hewitt, R. Marriott. Ono Mile—B Grade: A. G. Donahue, 1.. <'. Richards. C. Grade: N. Wagliorn, A. N. Thomas, C. S. Thompson. I) Grade: 11. Cook. B. Rice, T. Richards. The club will be holding the next evening meeting at the Rawhiti Domain ntjt Thursday, March 7, at 0.30 p.m. The trials for the inter-borough meeting will be hoM on March "1 at 6 p.m.