HARRIER SEASON

Evening Star, Issue 23685, 19 September 1940, Page 12

HARRIER SEASON

MODIFIED MARATHON ON SATURDAY ATHLETIC NOTES AND COMMENTS ' [By Pistol.] 14-MILE ROAD RACE. The harrier racing season will be brought to a close on Saturday with the modified marathon road race of 14 miles, which will be liold at Mosgiel at 2.45. Possession of the Nickels Cup, won last year by Mornington, will bo decided by the result of the race, this trophy being awarded to the club securing the best aggregate (three men to count) in the Port and modified marathon road races. Mornington at present has a lead of six points over Civil Service and seven points from Caversham, and competition between these three clubs is likely to be very keen. The presence of two members of the Christchurch Harrier Club, J. Matheson and S.'C. Maynard, will give added interest to the event, which should be contested by a good-sized field. The New Zealand marathon champion, G. L. Austin, who ran so well in the Port road race for fastest time, should complete the tifne double, barring accidents, and he may also have to be reckoned with for first as well as fastest. Two other seasoned runners among the entries are J. G. Barnes and A. R. Gcddes The latter may find the distance a bit far. but in spite of limited training, Barnes took second fastest time in the Port’ road event. Matlicson. the Christchurch runner, put up a good performance in the Temuka-Tim-arn road race, and also occupied a good placing in the Kaiapoi-Christchurch race. CANADIAN CHAMPION IN NAVY COMPETITION. The well-known Canadian Empire Games star, J. W. Roaring, is now a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Navy, and, competing in the Port athletic championship of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines C.C. and A. 0., at Portsmouth on July 20, he won the furlong in 23 4-ssec, the quarter-mile in 56 3-ssec, and the long jump. He arrived too late to take part in the preliminary heats of the 120yds hurdles race, but was accorded a run in the final, in which he finished well in front of the winner of the title, Acting Abloseaman le Masurier. GREAT RUN OVER 1,500 METRES. Despite his poor season, Glen Cunningham made a desperate attempt to retire as a champion. Unexpectedly competing in the American 1,500 metres championship, he appeared certain to win, but Walter Mehl boat him tight at the tape in 3min 47 9-10sec—-only l-10seo worse than Jack Lovelock’s world’s record.

WOODERSON REPRODUCES FORM. Tile English A.A.A. organised an open meeting on July 20 at the L.C.C. track at Tooting Bee, where the big attraction was Sydney Wooderson. Joe Biliks, writing in the ‘ News of the World,’ says that in starting in the open mile handicap off scratch, Wooderson ran a spectacular race and finished second in 4min 13 2-ssec. He reeled off his first lap in 61sec and the second in 66sec. His position as regards winning the race looked hopeless, but the field tired in the third lap, and, showing his old dash and fire, Wooderson cut his men down one after the other, and his time for the third lap was 66 2-ssec He just failed to catch the winner, D. G. Wilson (75y’d ; s), who held on nicely to win by syds in 4min 12 3-ssec. Wooderson has joined the Army. , REMARKABLE ENGLISH CHAMPION. E. W. Pax-ry, the Salford harrier, who died recently, was a remarkable champion. After he had won four English A.A.A. 'and six Northern A.A.A. track titles, three national and three Northern cross-country championships, he turned to cycling. On wheels lie won the one and 50 miles Manchester Centre championships, and six club titles. He held the English half-mile paced and unpaced, and Northern half and one mile records. Also the half and one mile world’s records for cinder tracks at 59 l-ssec and Imin 59 l-ssee. Parry ran and cycled at all distances from a half-mile upwards, winning prizes valued at £2.500. FULFILLING EARLY PROMISE. Fulfilling all of his early promise is L, K. White, Caversham middle-dis-tance and distance runner, who, will make his first appearance in open competition ns a senior in the coining track season. White won the Otago secondary schools mile title a few years ago, and also the Otago junior title at that distance, but last season he had to bo content with second place to the young Civil Service star, H. Nelson. During last winter the ex-King’s High School athlete won the Caversham Club’s junior cross-country title, and in the series of sports meetings conducted by the Caversham Club in the last few weeks ho put up some outstanding performances on the last Forbury Park track to win. the club’s aggregate cup. His 52 1-osec for 440 yards from scratch was a great effort, and so was his 2min 6 2-ssec for the half-mile, having regard to the fact that he gathered in his field 220 yards from home and finished in leisurely fashion. As a schoolboy White was a long jumper of no mean ability, and last wceek he did 19ft Sin to win this event at his club’s sports—a good performance. GALA SPORTS DAY.

As a contribution from athletes towards the patriotic funds it is proposed to stage a gala sports day at the Caledonian Ground on October 5, and Mr E. S. Wilson (the convener) already has preliminary arrangements in train to make a success of what should be a most entertaining afternoon. Athletes will be catered for in the way of track and field events, and it is expected there will be footballers’ relay and 100yds races. This meeting should provide an excellent opening for the track and field season. NOTES.

Jim Stevenson and Bob M‘Lachlan, both ex-Dunedin athletes, have.not done much running in New Plymouth this winter. The latter, a former Otago half-mile champion, was in hospital for some time with a hand injury, but is now well again. Both Stevenson and M'Lachlan have applied for enlistment in the R.N.Z.A.F. Henry Kaelarne, a Swede, bettered the listed world’s track record for 3,000 meters recently when he stepped the distance in Bmin 9sec. The former record of Brain 14.8 sec was set by Gunnar Hockert, of Finland, in 1937. Jack Shephard, former Anglican Club athlete and one-time sports secretary of the Otago Centro, suffered a severe knee injury during the recent football season while taking part in a practice with the Air Force team at New Plymouth. Tt was at first thought that he would be unable to compete on the track again, but the injury has turned out less serious than

was thought at first, and Shephard hopes to be able to retain his Taranaki lOOvds title. Bert Meredith, an ex-Gav-ersham runner, is a medical-orderly at the Air Force station at New Plymouth. and has had a run or two with the New Plymouth Harrier Club.