TWENTY MILES RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 91, 15 October 1934, Page 4

TWENTY MILES RACE

J. BLANCHFIELD WINS

HARRIERS AT TRENTHAM

FASTEST TIME TO DATE

The maxim that a game or race is never won until it is over wa.s exempli lied on Saturday afternoon at Trcnlhaiu Racecourse in the Olympic Harrier Club's L'G miles invitation cross-country race. C. Campbell (Olympic) and A. L. Stevens (Scottish) chose to load <Uo field in the early stages, setting a merry pace, and indeed they were still ahead with only three more miles to go. Then the pace they had set began to tell. From further back came J. Blanchfield (Olympic), runner-up last year, and on he went to win by a clear margin in the record time of 2hr Bmin 45sec, with Stevens second and Campbell third. This, in brief, is the story of the contest for the individual title. The competition for team honours, after early indications of a possibly one-sided affair, turned out to be exceedingly close. Scottish retained the title, but only by a point from Brooklyn, who were a point better than Olympic. The previous record for the race was 2hr lOmin 37sec. This was registered last year by E. C. Brown (Otago), the holder of the New Zealand marathon title, who was not a competitor on Saturday. Blanchfield, by virtue of being first man home, won the Phipson Trophy, and tlja Olympic Gold Challenge Cup went to tile Scottish Club. FIELD OF THIRTY-TWO. Thirty-two runners started, representing the Olympic, Brooklyn, Scottish, Wellington, Kaitere (Masterton), and 'Varsity clubs, but the runners from the three last-mentioned clubs took part in the individual section only. The race was held over four laps, with the start and finish at the racecourse, and with road work as well as typical cross-country going, it provided a solid test. Campbell started at a great pace, and was followed by Stevens, who clung to him tenaciously. They were going well at the beginning of the second lap. About 800 yards back came J. Riddington (Scottish), G. W. Brown (Scottish), and G. Prosser (Brooklyn). Ten yards separated Campbell and Stevens at the end of the lap. Of the others, Prosser, Brown, and Riddington were still the nearest to them. Seventy yards further back were R. 0. Pederson (Brooklyn), D. Sinclair (Brooklyn), E. B. Davies (Brooklyn), and J. Blanchfield (Olympic). The field had begun to thin out, and there were further defections later. Among those who retired were Prosser, J. Perston (Olympic), G. Parkhouse (Scottish), R. Violich (Scottish), and H. Scoble (Scottish). BLANCHFIELD MOVES UP. Early in the final lap Campbell and Stevens were within five yards of one another. Stevens subsequently took the lead, but it was obvious that the pace both he and Campbell had set was taking its toll. Here it was that Blanchfield began to make his presence seriously felt. Gradually he gained on the leaders. Along the road in front of the racecourse he passed Campbell and Stevens, and when he entered the racecourse grounds he had a good lead on Stevens. This he increased, finishing .with about 200 yards to spare from Stevens, who finished over three minutes before Campbell, the third man, came in. D. Sinclair (Brooklyn) was fourth and E. B. Davies (Brooklyn) fifth. DETAILS. Details in the individual section are as follows:— J. Blanchfield (Olympic), 2h 8m 45s .. 1 A. L. Stevens (Scottish), 2h 9m 49s .. 2 C. Campbell (Olympic), 2h 13m 11s .. 3 D. Sinclair (Brooklyn), 2h 15m 525, 4; E. B. Davies (Brooklyn), 2h 19m 58s, 5; G W. Brown (Scottish), 2h 21m 345, 6; A. G. Bagnall ('Varsity), 2h 23m 545, 7; L Todd (Brooklyn), 2h 30m os, 8; J. Riddington (Scottish), 2h 34m 10s, 9; B. Ellray (Scottish),-2h 34m 31s, 10; R. Lister (Olympic); 2h 37m 20s, 11; R. O. Pederson (Brooklyn), ■2h 37m 275, 12; A. J. F. Carter (Kaitere), 2h 30m Is, 13; A. F. Workman (Olympic), 2h 42m 16s, 14; D. C. Pederson (Brooklyn), 2h 43m 525, 15; E. Willetts (Wellington), 2h 45m 325, 16; J. Murphy (Scottish); 2h 46m 51s, 17; J. Lang (Olympic)," 2h 49m Is,-18;" L. Meyers (Olympic); 2h :49m. 225, 19; G. Smith-(Brooklyn),.2h-51m.305, 20; A. A. Brown (Scottish), 2h 53m 10s, 21. ' In computing-the results in'the teams, section .the, placings.. of. individual runners have been'placed, on one side, The points are:— . ; '.'.'.' ' . '..

Scottish (Stevens 2. G. W. Brown C, Riddington 8, Elleray 9, Murphy 14). Total 39 points 1 Brooklyn (Sinclair 4, Davies 5, Todd 7, R. O. Pederßon 11, D. Pederson 13). Total 40 points 2 Olympic (Blanchfield 1, Campbell 3, * Lister 10, Workman 12, Lang 15). Total 41 points 3