CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMWON6HIP.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 58, 6 September 1926, Page 3

CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMWON6HIP.

FINE PERFORMANCE BY EELLS,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, sth September. The New Zealand cross-country championship meeting took place yesterday, with the following result:— New Zealand Cross-country Championship; six miles and a quarter. Holder, E. li. Brown, Otago. Champion province, Otago. G. Kells (Auckland) 1 T. M. Wilson (Auckland) 2 W. Savidan (Auckland) 3 Eighteen started. Won by 10 yards, with 50 yards between second and third. Time, 33min 2sec. Teams Championship, calculated on lowest aggregate. Auckland, 19 points ..' 1 Otago, 30 points : 2 Wellington, 34 points 3 High Jump Handicap.—J. W. Shirley (scr), sft S^in, 1; D. Murray, 2. Brown (Otago) took the lead in the big event, and the first time round the order was Brown, P. Wilson (Wellington), Ribby (Wellington), and T. M. Wilson (Auckland), the time for the first round being 4min 44sec. The second time past the post the Auckland champion, Wilson, had come up into the lead, and the field commenced "to string out in the third round, in which Brown regained the lead. The fourth round was run at a fast pace, Kells (Auckland) coming up at a solid bat to take second place just in behind Brown. Passing the half-way post the order was Brown, Kells, Savidan Hobbs. With two laps to go, Kells and Brown were, still in the lead 50 yards ahead of T. M. Wilson and Savidan. Hobbs was fifth, another 50 yards back, and the rest of the field was well strung out. When the bell rang for the final round Kells and Brown were still together 30 yards ahead of Wilson and Savidan, Hobbs 120 yards further back leading the rest of the field. Round the back stretch the first four men were strung out at intervals of about 30 yards, the order being Kells, T._M. Wilson, Savidan, and Brown. Rounding the far turn Kells was well ahead. Coming into the straight T. M. Wilson made a great effort to catch the leader, but Kells staved off his challenge. Hobbs (Otago) was fourth, Bibby (Wellington) fifth, and Brown (Otago) last year's champion, sixth.