SPEED MERCHANTS OF WHEEL AND SPIKE

NZ Truth, Issue 1212, 21 February 1929, Page 16

SPEED MERCHANTS OF WHEEL AND SPIKE

NATIONAL CHAMP. BATTLE — i — : — ♦ "■■■■.'«■■.

Crown Wearers Meet Challengers This Week On Wellington Tracks EXCITING CONTESTS ASSURED •. „• '■'. (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Athletic Correspondent;) ; ' : ■"•■■'

Confident of mien and with hopes high-burning the champions and challengers are . converging on the Basin Reserve, "Wellington, for there on Pri'day and , Saturday, , the athletic and cycling championships of New Zealand will be decided.. • ■■■■■. •'■•■,. ■ ■ ■ - ■ ■ . i ■•.'.■■■... . Ai — — 'J ■

TTOE- provinces, are pushing every 1 man and/woman they can muster into the fray and, the fields should be the biggest to face 'the starter at any championship' for some years. Wellington,' holder of the championship'shield, is represented by a stalwart company: with many a crown glittering a'mongst them and quite a •sprinkling of tried and tested veterans, confident of their skill. It will not be easy, however, for the opposition will be strong; "and the other -.provinces have 'more than the usual, leavening of youthful "hopes;" so the champions must look wellt'o' their laurels. Malcolm Leadbetter will be absent and someone else. must gain his hundred and 220 yds. spi-int .title. By his brilliant running arid consistency Charlie Jenkins, of. Wellington, will go out a strong favorite and' this writer expects him to do the trick. He is. far superior to his .other team-mates, but will find that Jack Elliott, of Auckland, is not to be taken cheaply. The latter will probably shape better m the furlong as he is a particularly sturdy runner. , Bert Geddes, of Invercargill, has been showing great form lately, but he has faced no. real champions and times are not often a sure indication. For all that lie is a fine young runner who will be close up at the business end. Cprdery, of Canterbury, is also a contender with claims for consideration. Like Elliott, he will probably shape, best m, the 220 yds. The quarter-mile, is always one of the tit-bits of {he meeting and this year's wirt be no exception. Jack Fleming, of Wellington, holds the" crown. He was, however, beaten the other day m the Wellington provincial champ ionship, but so he was last year and yet came , to light to gather the national title. Veitch "was. his recent conqueror and assuredly he must be hard again. • So will Allen, also of Wellington, and the chances of Lachlie' McLachlan, Dun-

edin, are not *to be discounted, although he is more likely to shine m the half-mile. The hall-mile will be a tough race. Southerners expect Lachlie McLachlan to carry it off and ho must have a royal show. There is Frank McDonald (Wellington) to be considered, however, for the other day he trounced Allen, the holder of the title, and clocked under lmin. 59secs. m doing it. Leech (Wellington) Is a runner of brilliant possibilities, but he has not given of his best this year. Allen will be m it; too, but he is a runner of rather poor judgment and can never be depended upon.. Chris. Olsen, the brilliant little Auckland runner, will be an absentee which is a pity. It looks like McLachlan or McDonald for the title. In the mile and three miles that brilliant Aiicklander, Billy Savidan,

They Have Speed

I— ; : : ; I will line up to defend his titles and he is just the boy to do it, too. . Anyone who gets within coo-ec of him m either. event will know that they have been m a race. E. B. E. Taylor (Canterbury) and Bayne (Wellington) should be his most se_rious rivals, but not too serious at that. Roger Lander should step home to victory m the 120 yds. hurdles and Ramson looks good for the quarter hurdles. He must, however, keep an eye out for Frank Nesdale, a seasoned campaigner from Auckland, who seems to have discovered the secret of eternal youth. , No little interest will centre m the ladies' 100 yds. championship. Miss Norma Wilson wil 1 carry the Wellington colors arid carry them /.with distinction, but the Otago Centre has a. find m Miss Nichol, of Gore, who has clocked some sensational- times.

Undoubtedly she^ is a fine runner and Miss Wilson will need to bring all her Speed and experience. to bear. .It is m the latter ".that she -holds a trump card. .' ; "'•', '•■■"''"'.■ Frank Grose, the prominent Canterbury wheelman, will not be wanting for encouragement from the Wellington crowd when he sets out to defend his three cycle . titles, as he is. enormously popular m the capital. H© should land home to victory again as he knows the Basin track and always gives of his best on it. ' Of course, he wag defeated the other day m. Christchurch by no fewer than three others — O'Brien, Lamberton and Mackie— and his supporters are : a bit doubtful. They will probably feel bucked again when it i^ all over. Oakley and Gane (Wellington) and W^de (Auckland) will strive manfully to get there, 'but' cyclists can pedal m Christchurch before they can toddle sind the southerners should carry. the day. ' ' ■Now we come to the field games. Stand up Stan. Lay and receive your javelin prize. > There won't be anything on the ground to cause any misgivings m Hawera. ■ , . Peter Munro, too, the shot is yours, also the discus. Jim Leckie will give it a big go to keep his hammer throwing title, but "Dad" -McHolm is on his trail arid he is a hard jman . to shake off. Bill Harvey, Australasian champion, will be an absentee. , The jumps arc very open. Jack Shirley (Auckland) and H. R. Johnston (Otago) should fill the planes m the hop, step and jump and E. G. Sutherland (Wellington) and Jack Batstone (Canterbury) the pole vault. Sceats will be absent from the high jump !ind . 'm- this and also the long, jump the form has been so inconsistent of lute, that it is almost impossible to pick a winner.' The record surveyor is not likely to be troubled m either case.