Thrilling Races At Evening Sports

Chronicle (Levin), 7 January 1949, Page 2

Thrilling Races At Evening Sports

A most enter-taining programme was presented by the Otaki Ama- • teur Athletic and Cycling Club • when the weekly sports meeting took place at the Otaki Domain on Wednesday. Many thrilling finishes revealed that competitors are near the top of their form in readiness for the big annual meeting on Saturday. The times registered in many cases were the best for the track. In the athletic events several of the finishes were so close that minor surprisfe was expressed by those just "off the line" that more than one dead-heat was not the verdict. The judges know their task, however, and their decisions are final. Highlights were the powerful finishing bursts of Z. Gray and Foster, particularly the performance of the latter in catching N. Gordon right on the tape to win'the relay race for Kowhai, and the battle fo second place in the junior 100 yards, when three runners crossed the line as one man. The cyclists also attained a high standard and some of their efforts will go down as the best of the season. The splendid team work of the scratch men in two cases bore fruit, and they secured well deserved wins. The juniors, Des. Smith and Ian Mudgway, set the pace in the two-mile event when, after not making up much of their handicap early, they aecided to take half a lap each. These tactics saw them rapidly overhaul the field and fight out a good finish. The two crack riders in the senior two-mile event apparently took a leaf out of the juniors' book, as Bloomfield and Murray, who conceded starts from 150 to 200 yards, adopted the half-lap tactics from the start to be up with the field with a mile to go. They then took turns in carrying the field along, but it was obvious With three "to go" that M. Harper was riding very strongly in third place. When Murray pulled out to let Bloomfield take his half lap a round from home Harper flew to the front, and carried on at a cracking pace. Bloomfield, apparently aware 5f Harper's capabilities after his near defeat by this rider the previous week, was quick to realise the position and set out after the flying leader. With Harper two lengths in front at the home turn a grandstand finish looked imminent, but Bloomfield literally flew down the straight to gain a four lengths victory, with Murray close up third. Many visiting riders and runners 1 added interest to the programme and several of them shared in the placings. The large attendance

showed appreciation by turning in a record collection amounting uO £6 6s 7|d. Running Event* , Following are the results: — ' Giris' race, , 75 yards. — J. Mudge 1, t. Maddock 2, R. Mansell 3. • Girls' luu yards.— R. Mans'ell 1, Y. iviaddock 2, J. Dakin 3. Boys' io yards. — i. -tiaii 1, K. Mcj_jea\ey 2, u. Souchgace 3. £>oys' 100 yards. — B. Biils 1, R. Uameron 2, R. Marino 3. i-.aaies' '/o yards. — Marea Johnoon i, M. Uameron (Levin) 2, D. vvmiams 3. Time, iOsecs. Junior 100 yards. — B. Hakaraia 1, B. Mansen 2, P. Meagher 3. iiine, 10 l-b secs. isenior 100 yards. — Z. Gray 1, W. Foster (Krwij z, McLeod 3, Time, *J2&teC>S» ' . ouiiior 220 yards. — I. Mudge 1, P. Meagher 2, B. Mansell 3. Time, 23fsecs. oemor 220 yards. — Foster 1, McLeoa 2, Gray 3. Time, 22secs. upen 4±o yards. — Meagher 1, R. Roach 2. Time, b"3secs. Ke^ay, 440 yards.— Kowhai 1, Otaki 2, United 3 . Cycle Events Junior half-mile. — First division: R. Bartosh 1, S. Bonner (Levin) 2, G. Juiius 3; time, 1.10. Second division: J. Walters 1, S. Snowdon 2, A. Brooks 3; time, 1.11. Senior half rnhe. — H. Watson (Foxton) 1, R. Hornig (Levin) 2, L. Wilton 3. Time, 1.8-2-.' Junior mile. — First division: R. Best 1, R. Collis 2, G. Juiius 3; time, 2.28. Second division: S. Snowdon 1, J. Walters 2, A. Mather 3; time 2.31. Senior mile. — Watson 1, Wilton 2, S. Hughes'3. Time, 2.27£. Junior two mile. — First division: D. S'mith 1, I. Mudgway 2, J. Taylor (Levin) 3; time, 5.18-^. Second division: R.- Harper (Levin) 1, P. Roach 2, B. Walsh 3; time, 5.24. Senior two mile. — C. Bloomfield (Palmerston North) 1, M. Harper (Levin) 2, Murray • (Wellington) 3. Time, 5.20. Boys' roadsters. — Under ~.12: G. Grantham (Masterton) 1, R. Seal 2, F. Snowdon 3. Over 12: J. Nicholls 1, B. Jensen 2, B. Bills 3.