ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 138, 7 December 1929, Page 24

ATHLETICS

Br. "sprint**" UNLUCKY CENTRE

RAIN AND MORE RAIN

COMPETITORS AND FORM

In the past the Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre has been fairly fortunate in haying fine weather for its sports gatherings, but the conditions which prevailed on Saturday night for the electric light meeting at the Basin Eeserve and again on Monday when the programme was completed showed only too clearly just how fickle tho weather can be, and how much depends upon it for the- success of any fixture. It was a bitter experience which the centre had. Special plans were made to mako the meeting one which would officially open the season in a fitting manner, but the rain spoilt 'everything. It was bad enough to strike rain and wind on Saturday night, but when the rain commenced.to fall again on Monday evening shortly after the start it seemed that tho centre's cup of misfortune was full to the brim. Further Meetings. In all probability the contre, a little later on, will be discussing the question of whether it is advisable to continue with electric light meetings at the Basin Eeserve in the second half of the season; but in the meantime arrangements have been made for another centre meeting under electric light on 18th December, and then there is the Wellington Club's meeting set down for 11th January on the occasion of tho visit to Wellington of a team from the Wanganui Club, and the Olympic CluVs gathering on 29th January. Had the,weather been fine, it is certain that sonio: first-class performances would have been registered at the meeting last Saturday night. As it was the form Ehown by a number of the competitors, in spite of the disheartening conditions, was very creditable; in fact, in several of the events. and this applies particularly to Monday evening, there was some attractive sport, which, as mentioned before, would have been better still but for the weather. Building Up Finances. While the Wellington Centre at present is not in the happy position it occupied a few years ago when electric light meetings were a novelty, and the sport was placed high by the public in order of popularity, the Otago Centre, which has known the experience of lean times, seems to be as contented as the proverbial sand boy. Money of course, is not everything, but with it a lot can be done. The Otago Centre has found a way to swell its financial position, and it is done in this way. The centre co-operates with the motorcycling section of the Otago Motor Club, whose assistance a southern writer says has been a big boon to amateur athletics in Dunedin, and thetwo bodies, working together, hold what is called a dirt-track motor-cycle and athletic meet. One was held a short time ago. It i s stat ed i'snn *" this gathering over £300 was taken at tho gates, w^'a °. £. course > th° Otago Centre, JN.4.A.A.A., benefiting appreciably. At tho annual meeting of tho centre *?*«^ a? ,a cre3it Glance of over £170 (and this despite the fact that at the start of last season the credit was only £1 13s), but now, according to latest statements, the centre is in an even stronger position, having, it is said, a credit of something like ±.300. Apparently, just as : Johnnie Leckie has been to the Otago Boxing Association the motor-cycling section of the Motor Club is to the Otago Centre, N.Z.A.A.A. (Jane, Flett, Bray, and Co. The outstanding rider in Wellington on the tracks last season was undoubtedly M .Gane, and in the cycle events on Monday evening he showed he has lost none of his dash, although probably, judging from the form displayed by others, he will find the opposition much more formidable than last year before the season is out; C Flett and W. Bray pushed him hard at the finish of the one mile A grade handicap, but they were unable to head him off The pace was not fast over the first three laps, but when it came to the bell lap Gane was out like a shot and try as the others did, he was too much for them. Gane added another success m the two miles scratch invitation race, in which he again got in a lone sprint, in spite of strong pedalling by Bray, Flett, and Ericsson. Both these events had stirring finishes to them as did the one mile' B grade handicap, in which D. Evans and G. Stavely put in spirited work up the straight A pleasing feature of the events was the apparent return by C. Flett to something like his . old: form. Bray was also m good trim, and these two, apart from several other riders, should be future fUUy extendi"S Gane in tue In. several of the athletic events tho fields were not as large as anticipated, but, nevertheless, there were some quite S^fl \ - pc£ f0I mances- O. H. Jenkins X« * imf fPPearance of the season in the 100 yards handicap, and, considering that he has only commenced training, ho did quite well. Although after running second in his heat he Quarter-Milers. The 440 yards handicap gave W. Clone. 6,t°' thß y °Ung °™c C^> "£- ---ner who was prominent in the sprints at the Labour Day meeting, another win, after a good tussle up the stra tghl with his club mate, W. Ogg. C F Thompson, who was third, ran very convincingly, striding out well He came up very fast over the last 200 yard* or so. There are some who are looking to Thompson this year to ao something really good, and with specialisation m this event he should not disappoint. J. T. Fleming, who won ?nn om tho one yard mi>*k in the 100 yards, was not a starter in the quarter. However, he is reported to be very keen this year, and with Thompson Veitch and several others on hand there should be some interesting contests later on. A field of five faced the starter in the one mile scratch event, and an intoresting race it was. C. Campbell set the pace from tho outset, and held a very good lead oven at the end of the first lap. He looked around a fair amount after that to see where the others were, but still ho always seemed capable of getting to the tape first. P Wilson (Olympic) unwound a long finishing effort, and brought along C. Tutty, who, however, beat "Wilson to the tape. The time was 'Iniiu -16 l-uecc.