CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22504, 12 September 1938, Page 10

CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING

N.Z. TITLE WON BY WELLER OTAGO RETAINS TEAMS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) NEY PLYMOUTH, September 10. Tor the third time in succession the Palmerston North runner. C. D. Weller, representing the West Coast, North Is land. Amateur Athletic Centre, won the New Zealand cross-country chanyfionsnip, which was decided over a six and a quarter miles’ course at New Plymouth today. Otago retained the teams championship won at Timaru last year. Weller led for a large part of the way, and finished strongly to beat bis team mate, H. J. Brown (New Plymouth) by 75 yards. Brown, who was second in the championship in 1930 and has three times held the West Coast title, was 200 yards ahead of the New Zealand Empire Games representative, A. R. Geddes, the captain of the Otago team, who, though he has never won the national title, has been in second place four times. . ' • The weather was perfect and the course was in excellent condition. The race began and ended at the racecourse, and competitors had to run twice, over the New Plymouth Harrier Club’s championship course, which was stated by visiting athletes to be well up to New Zealand championship standard. Members of the Wellington team immediately assumed the lead, but did not maintain it long, and when the field entered the racecourse the first time Weller was 100 yards ahead of Brown, with a similar distance back to Geddes, L. V. Dickson (Otago) followed in fourth place. The three leaders maintained the same order tnroughout the second lap, and though Brown made an attempt to reach Weller, he could reduce the margin only a little. Five teams, each of six men, representing Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and the West Coast of the North Island, contested „,,the teams’ championship. The first four men home counted. Otago, with third, fourth, sixth, and thirteenth places, won narrowly from West Coast of the North Island. Teams’ points were;— Otago .. 26 West Coast, North Island .. 30 Wellington .. 47 Auckland .. .. .. 54 Canterbury .. .. .. 63 The following Is the order of the leading competitors to finish, with the times of the first three men:— _ m. s. C. D. Weller (West Coast, North Island) .. .. .. 35 54 H. J. Brown (West Coast. North Island) .. .. .. 36 33 A. R. Geddes (Otago) .. .. 36 41 Then came L. I. Curtis (Otago), T. Bartlett (Wellington), G. R. Colson (Otago), A.. G. Harding (Auckland), A. Bourgeois (Wellington). D. H. Pannell (Canterbury), R. E. Taylor (Canterbury), F. Hill (West Coast). J. I. B. Neil (Auckland). L. V. Dickson (Otago), C.' Bruce (Wellington), C. L. Moore (Otago); D. Smith (West Coast, North Island), D. Porter (Auckland), W. Mackinnon (Otago), E. Richardson (Wellington), A. H. Wayman (Canterbury), W. Owens (Wellington). M. Hunt (West Coast, North Island), F. Mair (Canterbury), K, Trow (Auckland), H. Hopper (West Coast, North Island), F. B. Silver (Wellington), C. Littler (Wellington). L, E. Fox (Canterbury), A. Darroch (Canterbury). RELAY RACE TO RANGIORA METHODIST CLUB HOLDS ANNUAL FIXTURE Members of the Methodist Harrier Club took part in their annual relay race to Rangiora on Saturday, and at the conclusion of the race were entertained by members of the Rangiora Bible classes. The route followed the Main North road to Kaiapoi and then branched off to the left and .went through Flaxton and to Rangiora. The results were:—Blewitt’s team (Blewett, Nicholls. Tinland, Thomas and Lane) I, Purchase's team 2. Le Page s team 3. The race was keenly contested and the first three teams finished within 100 yards of each other in the good time of Ihr 52min. This concludes the club’s 1938 season. The trophies • will be presented at the club’s banquet on September 24. BAPTIST CLUB The Baptist Harrier Club held its final run of the season on Saturday. It took the form of a relay race to Rangiora,. the course taken being along the Main North road, branching off at Woodend. The Mayor of Rangiora (Mr C. W. Tyler) and a number of club members and friends welcomed the runners over the last stage as they finished at the Post Office The No. 3 team, which won the race, consisted of J. Turner, M. L. Carter, C. W. Eagle, and B. Mackenzie, who covered the distance of 20 miles in 2hr 13min. The club was entertained at afternoon tea by members of the Rangiora Baptist Church. ANGLICAN CLUB The Anglican packs were guests of the Rev. E. A. Osmers at a run from St. Paul’s vicarage, Papanui. A race fob old members was held In addition to the usual pack'runs. Results were;— Fast Pack—A. R. Brady 1, P. Fuller 2. D. H. Cllbborn 3, Intermediate Pack—H. Alcock 1, J. Stevens 2, I. Densem 3. Slow Pack—E* Cumberpatch 1, F. Jones 2. Old Members’ Race—G. V. Smythe 1, H. .G. Holmes 2, G. Williams 3.