Porirua Athletic Sports

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 131, 3 January 1903, Page 25

Porirua Athletic Sports

(B\ TtIICHLINL.)

AN invitation to attend fclie athletic sports at Ponrua on Boxing Day was accepted, and it proved an enjoyable outing. The w either in the early morning was so bad that, in many quarters, it was expected that the gathering would have to be postponed, but, by the time the first event started, the sun had dispersed the rain clouds, and the remainder of the day w as beautaf ul . The attendance, however, was matenally affected by the rain m the morning and there was not at any time more than five hundred persons on the around. ° • * « The sports themselves were interesting, the nominations being encouraging to the promoters. The track was in good order for running, the circle being laid out six laps to the milo. At one corner there was a nasty dip which made racing very aw k\\ ard to the bicvcliots, and, for future gathering the Ponrua Club should remedy the defect. I was informed that a supply of cinders sufficient to cover the whole of the track could have been obtained at very little expense and trouble by the committee, and the opportunity, considering the dangerous nature of the corner under review, should be taken advantage of before next year's gathering is held. The handicapping of Messrs. Shannon and Watson was favourably commented upon, but the improved form of Smyth upset the farmer's calculations a lot in the- running events. * * • Re the sports themselves, F. H. Smyth, the popular secretairy of the Empire City Athletic Club, had a dry out. He won the Maiden. Race for a start, and followed that with wins m the 220 yds, half-mile, and Empire City events. He was v\ fine form, and ran splendidly. Carton was successful in the 100 yds, after dead-heatmg, according to the judges, in. the final beat. Carton won the run-off bv a couple of yards. Harry Ward won the mile run handsomely, and Carton was too strong for the opposition in the quarter-mile. Fred. Somers and Joe Pike got expenses out of the meeting by finishing first and second in the Forced Handicap. In the bike events, Naittrass was in great form but a fall in the two-mile event at the bad comer mentioned robbed him of whaitever chance he had in that race. He won the half-mile and Wellington Cycling Club Handicap. A lad named Evans, wlu> was in receipt of 250 yds from Nattrass, won the two-mile event, which carried with it a beautiful medal, presented by the Red Bird Company . I congratulate the Porirua Athletic Club on their successful gathering, and trust that their annual fixture may year by year grow increasingly m favour with the "competitors, and receive _ ai liberal patronage from the countryside settlers and visitors from town.