AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1360, 10 February 1912, Page 13

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

W.A.A.C. CITAMPIONSHirS. Wellington at present holds the Now Zealand Championship Athletic Shield, won at Cliristchurch in March of lastyear. Can she successfully defend it at Inverca-rgill on the 21st. instant? This question will be answered by the form shown by the competitors at the Wellington Provincial Championships at the Biisin Krserve to-day. Tho team to represent Wellington is to be chosen this evening, and the selectors will have a rather diUiciilt task, for never before has there been so many of equal calibre in the running. To-day also will see the inauguration of the competition for the M'Villy Challenge Shield, which is to bo won by tho club scoring most points in championship events, six points being awarded for a win in a championship, three points for second place, and one point for third. There aro at lca.st live clubs—Wellington A.A.C., Wairarapa A.A.C., Jihielic Football Sports Club, Civil Service Sports Club, and Victoria College A.A.C.—each one of which has a possible chance of winning, and judging on recent form, the probable winners of the various events aro so evenly distributed among these five clubs, that the winning club cannot expect to gain victory by more than a very small number of points. The competition for the shield has luul Hie result of trebling the entries for the championships, and every event will be contested by large fields— quite as large in tho Iflug-dis!a,ncc and field events as is usual in handicaps. The competitors in the sprints include Messenger, Fisher, and M'Kenzie piasterton), >>,ml ivell-knov;n local men in Duncan, Wilton, Coard, Hubbard, and Pool. In the hurdles, Evenscn, ex-Xew Zealand champion, will bo seen in action for the first time this season. Other competitors ''over the sticks" aro Halligan, Kitto, and the Strack brothers, L. M'Kay, and Bissett, both New Zealand champions, are first-class field frames exponents, but they will mei't with opposition from younger and less experienced men. The 'distance running events will see whether J. Bradbury, of Masterton, a former champion, and H. T. Thompson, our Marathon champion, can "come back." They will need to be in their best form to beat Fuerli, who is fast improving. Tho half-mile race between Wilson, Fisher, and Byrne should he one of the best on the programme. Wilson bos won tho half-mile on two occasions in Imin. 5S 4-5.-CC, but many nre of opinion that Byrne will beat him. The meeting promises to be the best provincial championship meeting ever held locally. A band will enliven proceedings during the afternoon. The first event is set down for 2.15.