E. Gray Has His First Big Harrier Win

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 10

E. Gray Has His First Big Harrier Win

The West Coast runner. E. M. Gray, won his first major Canteiimiy inter-club harrier race at Ashley, on Saturday. Gray won the testing mile Jane Patterson Trophy event in 44min 53sec.

It was a most convincing win. Among those that Gray raced away from was the Conterbury champion, B. R. E. Jones. Jones made a valiant bid to challenge Gray but this merely spurred Gray to greater efforts. Jones drifted back and was placed third, when he could not match the sprint of J. D. Macdonald. A strong Christchurch trio, W. K. Kennedy, B. Dyer, and J. T. Power, filled the next three places to pave the way for a convincing win in the six-man teams’ contest. Early Indications were for an exciting race, with nine runners stSl close together at the end of the first mile. Then Gray, Jones, and Macdonald asserted their supremacy. Gray made a testing dab at three miles., making a short break off the hill, over a jump and up the plough. Jones closed the gap after a struggle, but he could not match the steadily in-

creasing pressure. Macdona,d s finishing dash carried him we.l clear of Jones. One of the outstanding performances was that of M-;ss Jennifer Horton. Running as a junior, she repeated her success of last year by being first to finish in the combined senior and junior field. First pace in the senior contest was offic.aHy awarded to Miss D. Dixey. Although Miss Dlxey came off the last jump with a narrow lead, the break was not suffi cient to withstand the finishing drive of Miss Horton, who broke away by 35 yards. Overwhelming Win J. Dixon (Nelson) had an overwhelming win in the junior event. After taking an early lead, he never looked like being challenged and won the Simile event by 240 yards. It was a good day for the Nelson club. Although providing only one individual winner. Nelson repeated its teams’ success of last year’s race by being first in the junior, senior colts, and senior women’s matches. , It was unfortunate for Ladles Pioneer that Miss Horton could not enter Into the reckoning for the senior team's points as she was officially entered as a junior. Had she counted, it would have given the team the best possible points, because senior and junior representatives from Ladles’ Pioneer filled the first four placings. B. Wernham had a conviclng win in the senior colts (under--16) division and I. McGregor: had an even more secure win in the junior colts (under 14) section. Miss R. Williams won the girls under 14 race. These races and the other women’s events were decided over about two miles. Abbreviations used in the results are: G., Greymouth; 0., Olympic: U., University: Ch.. Christchurch; N., Nelson; M., Methodist; 8., Baptist; St. M., St. Martins: Ash., Ashburton: N. 8.. New Brighton: P., Presbyterian; L. Ladies’ Pioneer. MEN Senior Individuals. —E. Gray (G.), 44:53, 1; J. D. Macdonald (O.), 45:41, 2; B. R. E. Jones (U.), 45.46, 3; W. K. Kennedy (Ch.), 46:25, 4: B. Dyer (Ch.), 47:02, 5: J. T. Power (Ch.), 47:28, 6; D M. Taylor (N.), 47:34, 7; M. Clarkson (M.), 47:50, 8; B. Turner (B.). 47:53, 9; S. McLean (St. M.). 48:03, 10; P. Marks (U.), 48:06, 11; J. P. Mcßrearty (Ash.), 12. Teams. —Chrlscthurch (4, 5. 6. 13, 16, 20), 64 points., 1: Olympic 131, 2; University, 150, 3; Nelson, 203, 4. Junior Individual.—J. Dixon (N.), 24:08, 1; R. Sowman (N.). 24:51, 2: J. Sheddan (O.), 25:03, 3; J. Tomlinson (N.), 25:24, 4; R. Franks (Ash.), 25:36, 5; P. Sumpter (U.), 25:38, 6. Teams.—Nelson (Dixon 1, Sowman 2, C. Goodman 8, W. Coppins 10), 21 points. 1; Technical, 66, 2; Olympic. 71, 3. Under-16 Colts Individual. —B. Wernham (0.). 14:46, 1: R. Dixon (N.), 15:03. 2; C. Manley (Ch.). 15:38, 3; W. Finlay (G.), 15:40, 4; T. Dalkee (Ch.). 16:02, 5.

Teams. —Nelson, 35 points, 1; Christchurch. 37. 2. Under-U Colts Individual. —I. McGr ff°. r (Ch) 16:45 1: K. Burgess <A.), n 00, 2? T Grant (N. 8. 17:0*. 3; M. Molyneux (Ch.), 4; P. Hesp (?.). 17'55. 5; G. Horton <r Teams 6 .—New Brighton. 38 points, 1; Christchurch, 41, 2; Anglican, 44, 3. WOMEN Senior Individual.—N. Dixey (L.P.), 18:19. 1: C. Russell (L.P ), 18:47. 2: A. Kennedy (L.P.). 19:16, 3. Teams. —Nelson (J. Nelson 4, A. Sweeney 5. C. Dougan 6. R. Moreland 7), 22 points. 1. Junior Individual.—J. Horton (L.P). 18:12. 1; C. Horton (L.P.). 19:35. 2: L. Prebbie (L.P.). 1«:4«, 3. Teams. —Ladies’ Pioneer (G. Horton 1. C. Horton 2, L. Preeble 3, V. Lee 10), IS potato, 1. Under 14

Individual. R. Williams (L.P.), 14:46, 1; L. Smith (N. 8. 15:15, 2; W. Shatford (N. 8. 15:53, 3. Teams.—Ladles’ Pioneer (R. Williams 1. K. Williams 4. D. Rollon 5, C. Anderson 6), 16 points, 1.