ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1204, 12 August 1911, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

DISCONCERTING APATHY OF ENGLAND.

(Bi aiEBCDni.)

To-day— N.Z.. Cross-Country Championship, Auckland. December 2B and 27.—Australasian Championships, Athletic l'ark. Prospects at Auckland To-day. Kays our cross-country expert, writing of to-day's big race in Auckland, and of the local doings of last week in connection therewith:— The third annual cross-country championship of New Zealand is to "be contested this afternoon at Auckland by teams of fivo men each, representing the" Auckland,- Wellington, and Otago Centres. Otago will, on this occasion", bo minus tho services of M'Knight, who, at Invercargill last year, gained the individual championship, and also of Frew, who was unable to make tho trip, although selected. Nevertheless, a hot team has been gathered together to defend Otago's title, its personnel being: J. Beatson (ex-three-mile New Zealand champion), Chambers, Fryc, Thompson, and Notman, all of whom are consistent runners over country. Wellington is fortunate in that each man selected has been able to get away, and, therefore, should defeat como our way, there can be no excuses on the ground of "weak representation." Our team comprises: C. liowberry, F. Rowberry, A. Cook, V. J. Byrne, and I?. Wilton. ' Auckland's strength is at present unknown, as, though a number of good distance runners offered themselves for selection, the fact that no harrier club is in existence in the northern city will militate against the chances of the team in competition with experienced crosscountry runners. Oil performances, Hill, of Auckland, one and'three-mile New Zealand champion, should lead the field at the business end of the journey, always provided that the numerous fences do not unduly delay him. Other Aucklanders running will be C. Ornstcin, .Tones, and Keid-all good men when in training. „ ~ , To sum up the chances of the teams: The Otago contingent look most like proviii" the winners, with Wellington as run-ners-tip, and Auckland third.

The Tustle for the Places Last Week. La*t Saturday's test at Miramar created creator interest than any previous harrier ?aco held locally. Supporters of the two clubs mustered strongly, and the keen rivalry evinced spoko volumes for the healthv stato of the sport Fourteen runners Went to the post, most ot them being of the "wiry and lossy" stamp The clubs represented were: Brooklyn Harriers (L. and V. Byrne. Cook,. Hodson, Murraj, l'ointon, and Bristow); ellington Harriers (C. and I'. Rowberry A.ltoii Press, Bennett and Pincknoy), and W.A.A.C. U. Fitz-erald). The latter disciple of Marathon running got himself into difficulties earlv in his efforts at fencing, being outclassed by tho more adept harrier men. Over the first couple, of miles the pace was wonderfully moderate-a facUh ch was realised on reaching the sand hills leyondthe golf links, whore CRowberry wen" to the front and, by dint of clean hurdling and vaulting, opened up a gap which was not' afterwards materia ly lessened. ' Mis Rowberry and Cook kept themselves handy for the remainder ot the journey, but were unable to displace be leader. After them came V J. Byrno, Wilton, T. Byrne, and W. Press m the order stated. , Of tho first five, who as mentioned above, comprise tho team for to-day's race, three are novices of tliis season who have tairlj won their spurs by sheer performance. Cook, of Brooklyn Club, has evidently a natural bent for cross-country racing, as Saturday's race was only the tourtn occasion on which he has run with a harrier pack. His record for the past four Saturdays is worthy of mention being as follows-.-Julv 15: Joined the club and took part in."his lirst pack run. ..Inly 2l: Started in, and won easily, his clubs handicap steeplechase. July 29: Made second fastest time in the, live miles race for the Cooke Cup. August 5: third in the Wellington Centre's five mile test race, With his stamina, lgiht and sturdy build, free action, and hurdling ability, he should, with careful attention, develop into a champion within a year or two. But let him not go the way of some of those whom ho beat home last Saturday, 1 whose failure was mainly due, not to carelessness, but to ovei'-zonlousness ill their training operations, which has. caused a stalcncss at this early stage of tho season.

The Right Kind .of Official. Tho champion raco official was unearthed last week in Mr. C. Lamberg who was one of the tlireo selectors appointed by the centre for the occasion. After selecting the course for the race, and carefully supervising the trailing of it, ho returned to the starling post in time to give a careful description of the country covered to the competitors and, after placing course stewards armed with flags in strategic positions, mounted a bicycle and headed off the runners at all points where any possibility of missing the trail existed. A man who takes so energetic an interest in his duties is doing a real service to competitors and doubtless tho appreciation of his good offices will lie shown in tho usual manner—by allotting to him tho positions in future that entail the hardest work. 'Twas ever the willing horse that carries the heaviest load. This afternoon the clubs will combine, and hold a run from Itona Bay. Members are requested t'n note that they should leave town by the 1.15 boat. Wellington members should be on guard, as Brooklyn is out to retrieve its lost honours in the matter or attendanco and place-get-ting. Next week the Wellington Harriers are conducting a ten mile inter-club handicap at Jlivamar. An effort is beiii;,- mado to induce some of tho Otago runners to wait for this event, and it is quito probable that two or three of the southerners will start. Entries close with Mr. E. O'Neill, club secretary, to-day. Small "Revolution" Up at Brooklyn. An upheaval in the Brooklyn ranks culminated in a wholesale resignation of the club committee last week, and a special general meeting held last Monday ended in a new team being placed in office for the remainder of the season. Only two of the old commutes were returned \o office, viz., I'. Wilton as captain, and ,T. Don as lion, treasurer. The new hon. secretary is Mr. U. Scott, an erstwhile member of the St. Andrew's Club at IDiinedill, and who has also served in the Otago Centre. Since arriving iu Wellington ho has been instrumental in founding a Wednesday section of the Hrooklvn Club, which branch is now in a sound position. More About the 111-starred Festival. The results of tho Empire of Festival Snorts have long since reached us~ and now details are to hand bv the English mail. The.so reports confirm the stories of tho ill-luck that dogged our representatives from the start of the proceedings, and, inched, show the misfertur.es to have been even more hitler than has been supposed. Of Woodgcr's illness and Opie's breakdown we knew, but it now appears that the lalter's trouble (a strained thigh tendon) recurred onlv three days before the big meeting, with the result that ho was forced to run with his leg in bandages and a supporting plaster. No wonder, then, that he failed. This disaster was aggravated by tho fact I hat Stewart, the Ta=ni.iniaii.' our second string, had, in the belief that ho would not be wauled, gone to Scotland, where he won the Scottish 100 yards championship in 10 2-sssc. Of Hnskins, too, there comes a tale of woe. We were told in tho cables that he went out lame for the mile, and it now appears that his "foundering" was due in a damaged tendon Achilles. The trouble made ii.-elf felt some three weeks before the event, and so serious did it. turn out that, despite a visit to the coast for sea-water baths and a rest, an operation became necessary. Some fluid was drawn off (he injured member, and for eight or nine days before his race, Hasinas could r.ot put a shoe on. No wonder then that he was beaten in the mile. That Terrible Home Management. Another feature of the proceedings—a very unpleasant one to overseas readersis inatle manifest by the English papers. This is the almost incredible apathy— to use no stronger term—wilh which the Festival Sporls were regarded and treated by the Executive of the English A.A.A. The Imperial asrect of the gathering, of

which so much use was made to secure tho whole-hearted support accorded by the overseas Dominions, was, when not altogether lost sight of, actually belittled by the Homo authorities and by a section of tho sporting press. The following extract from the report of tho meeting ill tho Manchester "Athletic Now>" is a fair samplo of this peculiar -viewpoint:— As mos-t thinking pcoplo had expected, tho iutor-Kmpire athletic championships l , decided at the Crystal Palace on Saturday, proved more or less of a fizzle. Tho meeting created no inta-cst outside of the metropolis. Judging by tho smallness of tho . crowd which assembled around tho arena, the hearts of Londoners had not gone out to the celebration; while (lie average- athlete cared nothing whatever about the function, feeing (hat the minor events were ridiculously small. It was never really apparent what good the- inter-Empire championsliitis were going to do. Next Saturday nt Stamford Bridge (ho ten times moro important championships will be decided (the English A.A.A. championships). Then the real problem uf international merit will be solved. Last Saturday's events proved -nothing that was conclusive. It was the first interchampioiiship carnival. Candidly, it is to bo Hoped it will be tho last. It was absolutely purposeless. London "Sporting Life" lays the blame, where it belongs, in these terms:— The Inter-Empire Sports Meeting was not the great and enthusiastic gathering it deserved to be, and it is no use denying that tho fault rests with us. Hero are two of our Dominions gathering together their best athletes to travel thousands of miles with a view to competing against the best talent wo could find, and then we, on our side, fail to rise to the occasion, and allow a team to be selected haphazard, with tho result, as it proves, that the "ashes" will leave us—at any rate, so fin as athletics is concerned. AJI tho enthusiasm on Saturday was shown by the colonials, who, bo far as wo could judge, provided threefourths of the stand occupants, and while the brilliant parformancEs of J. M. Hill and K. Powell received their meed of applause, thero was no mistaking tho popularity of the Canadian victories, or the hearty manner in which Opie and Wheatlcy were urged on. The British public did not take the meeting seriously—and they could scarcely be expected to do so in view of the manner in which the authorities dealt with it. The imrainenco of tho A.A.A. championships does not excuse the apathy displayed by tho governing body in regard to the Empire meeting. Admittedly there might have been a vcry different result had they been consulted in the earlier stages of tho Festival arrangements, and the idea of running ono man in a race was not a good one, as the racing proved. •Nevertheless, having taken control, it behoved the A.A.A. to do all they could to make the affair a success, and, with the greatest desire to be absolutely fair to them, it cannot ba said that the courso they adopted made for success. Mr. K. Coombes, the manager of tho Australasian team, gives his view of tho situation as follows:—' situation :— "It is a Sad Story of Muddlement. "My reading of the case is as follows:— The Festival of Empire Council had worked out the scheme of inter-Empire fiports, sought the co-operation of Australasia and Canada, drafted a programme, and generally- fixed matters up, without obtaining tho necessary sanction aud support from the governing bodies of athletics, tennis, swimming, boxing, and wrestling. The cxistsneo of the proposal to hold the games was known in Australia, N'tw Zealand, and Canada long before it was known in Great Britain; in fact, it would appear that the Australians and New Zealanders were on tho water before what was intended was quito realised in London."

It is a sad story of mismanagement, muddlemeiir, ,and,.bad luck from first to last, and.'its' 'worst feature 'is that it is bound to react whenever an endeavour is made to send another team of athletes to England.

It may bo n-fitting result of the general management of things athletic by tho highest authorities, if the above is a sample, that the Home athletes showed to such poor advantage at their own championship meeting. The 100 and 220 yards sprints were won by Ramsdell, an' American, tho 410 by ITalbhnns, tho Canadian, .tho half-mile by Braun, a Gorman, the polo vault by Paseniaiin, another German, tho four miles by Kolesniainem, a Swede, and the long jump bv Kinvan, of Ireland, tho otlier events going to Englishmen. As will be seen from the schedule at tho head of this column, the council of tho N.Z.A.A.A. has moved the dates of tho Australasian Championships forward to December 26 and 27, the alteration, having been mado to avoid a clash with the Wellington-Canterbury representative cricket fixture at New Year time.