ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

[Bγ "Mebcuet."] THE CROSS-COUNTRY TO-DAY. Quenchless Wellington Energy. To-day is an important one in the so far unwritten history of cross-country running, anil hamerism in New Zealand. Albeit, it has been ushered in with no blast o£ triimpeLs and beating of drums. TJio occasion that marks the day is the competition for the cross-country championship of tho Dominion, held at.Mirainar, under tho control of the Wellington Centre of tho N.Z.A.A.A. That such an important fixture should have come to pass with or little preliminary booming—tho great bulk of our public is quite ignoraut of the fact—is accounted lor mainly by tho unenviable position in which the local executive has been placed through the slackness of the other centres. In. fact, it is only a. matter of days since the officials knew that tho affair was not going to lapse. It is fixed by rule that there must bo threo 'competing centres to constitute the championship, and, oven last week, it was a question of doubt in town as to whether or not the necessary entries would bo forthcoming. At that time Otago was the only outside centre definitely nominated, and, in addition, there was a tentative entry from the Hamilton A.A.C., in the interests of the Auckland Centre. Fortunately this latter nomination has been confirmed, so it is really owing to-tho Sportsmanship of the members of the Hamilton Clnb that Wellington is not to be deprived of the honour of conducting the ovent. Under these conditions of uncertainty it will be understood that tho local officials were in a quandary as regards working up public interest in tho championship. The Lure of Football, Cross-oountry running in New Zealand has at all times a very uphill task to eecure any measure of publio interest, this being largely owing to the magnetic inUuence ot football—and when it comes to competing for publio favour. against tho. very interesting state of the local Rugby championship with an event which only a week ago, seemed unlikely to eventuate at all—Well, it will be eeen what sort of a problem the Wellington Centre were up against. To-day there are four teams representing three centres engaged—Otago, Auckland, and Wellington (two' teams). The .course is, roughly, five miles, and will be run id two laps, so that spectators will be afforded an opportunity of seeing how tho competitors are faring during the progress of the race. Course at Miramar, To those who know the Miramar country, tho course will appeal as heing a good one. It runs from tUe old golf house across the flat to the gasometer, then along a line toward Lyall Bay beach, and back to the golf house by way of Seatoun Heights. This is a circuit of a little over two miles. It will be traversed twice, and an extra 300 yards will be added to tho second lap by making the. finish at the gasometer, thus giving a good, long, finishing Btraight. A Cablegram that Caused Surprise. A recent cable message caused some surprise among tho athletic section of our community. It will be remembered that, at Auckland, some months back, "Jack" Donaldson, tho champion sprinter, was beaten by A. B. Postle in times faster than the record figures. Now, strangely enough, we learn that, on Monday last, in England, "Eeggio" Walker (South Africa) defeated Postle over 120 yards in UJsec, after giving him half a yard handicap. Colonial Idols—Where Now? Tho "Referee" publishes extracts from a letter received by Mr. R. Coombes from an amateur athletic authority now in England, commenting upon the showing made by the Australasian Olympic representatives at the recent English A.A.A. championships. Thus an extract: "If we saw the best of your fellows last Saturday it is a mystery to me why they wero eent. Hill made no ehow in the mile, and the only excuse I can make for him is that he appeared bothered by the large field of runners. Anyway, ho showed no judgment • at all.

Murray, in the walk, aso made but a moderate showing and could not go the pace. After what we had heard, wo expected a doubtful style, but heaps of .pneo; wo got a stylo which to me ' seemed doubtful, but there was no pace. However, he appeared to me as ■ if afraid to let himseif go for fear of being pulled out. At tho same time, I feel certain you would have etopped the winner. He reminds me of that German who gave such an amusing display last year. That lie was allowed to finish was in my opinion very rough on Webb and Dumbill, two really fair walker?." The walking ohampion referred to so disparagingly was R. Bridge, tho one-armed pedestrian from Lancashire. Mr. E. S. Marks, the honorary secretory of the A.A.N., who is on tour with the "Olympics," writes in a similar etrain from Amsterdam, under date June 24, so it will be seen that disappointing ae was tho failure of our representatives, to us it would como as no surprise to themselves. Mr. Marks writes:— "Our athletes cannot show any form. Hill is doing not much better than. 4min; 40sec. for n. mile, Murray shows no pace, whilst Ross is not yet athletically class enough." Of tho swimmers, Mr. Marks says: "Miss Durack is doing about G9sec. for tho 100 yards, and is almost a certainty for her race." The Science of High Jumping, When George Horine, of the Stanford University, Cal., who recently raised the world's record high jump figures to 6ft. 7in., passed through New York en route for the Olympic Games, he was "put through" tho inevitable interview. His remarks as to the methods by whioh ho has attained his marvellous proficiency in his particular department are appended for the benefit of our local jumpers, and incidentally they go to show the manner in which practice is made to blend with theory with the American athlete. The famous "lepper" said of the jumpers he had eoen during his stay in New York; "I am much impressed with the performances of tho eastern high jumpers. To begin with, each of them has a great natural spring, but I noticed they nearly all go over the bar with tho head nrtteh higher than the foot. My study.of jumping has convinced me that the most effective way to jump is to go over the bar with the feet higher than any part of tho body. I evolved this stylo through long experimenting, and I think my success has wen due largely to following this method." .Speaking of his mon6 of preparation, Horine said:—"When I start trainihg, I do a little exercise of all kinds. I run a little, hurdle a little, and put tho shot a little, afld'for three weeks Ido M> high jumping whatever. Then I cut out everything but the jumping, and begin niakiug a half-dozen low jumps every evening. Then once a wfo>k I try for height in competition. If 1 find anything is wrong, I get someone to watch mo and tell mo what is the matter if ho can. A watcher can tell better than I whether there is anything wrong with tho 'lift . Or the 'throw-up,' while I can watch my footprints to catch defects in tho 'toko off' ami landing. I do tho best I can to gel perfect form, and the-n I forget style, and look out for my condition. That is, 1 believe, what every jumper should do. Style should be as near perfect as possible before entering competition at all. Another important thing is the necessity of being thoroughly warmed up lwforc competing. If one feels the cold, the legs should bo covered with oil before starting."

Visitors at the Ilotcl Mctronole, Northumberland Avenue, London, liad nn exciting experience when an outbreak of (ire occurred in tiio roof of the hotel. .Six brigade steamers and escapes arrived, and a crowd that included a large number of the, hotel visitors in evening dress wMehcd the. firemen put out the blnze from Ncilhumberland Avenue.

51 rs. Georgiaim Emma Lopos, .srveniyfoiir, of Northleigh, liradford-on-Avoii. Wiltshire, who left estate of ,£30,112 gross value, bequeathed ,€IOO and her aeving machine to her maid, Alice Wise, if in her service at her doatlv