ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 1 September 1909, Page 58

ATHLETICS.

i FIXTURES. ["September 9. — 2J.Z. Cross-country Champion- : - ship, Timaru. [ , S9TES BT AMATEUR '%,- iSongratulations tc the competitors, one ?*rtd all, who took part in the Port Ohal- \ smers-Dunedin Road Race of 1909, for to run. , mbs .they- dkl and to put up such good times j tin the face of ouch miserable weather con- | F.iditions was a prreat performance, and the f various clubs may each be, highly pleased fwith the efforts of fcheir respective r&preeentatives. The weather conditions on j last were the worst the race has j £ever been run under, and the heavy drizzle ewfcich had set in before the r*ce was started, and which continued all through ; till Peliohet Bay was reached was enough ;to put one off starting, and those who did ': make the journey are, truly, '"sports." Of rthe individual runners . first place must be given to Harry Murray for his sterling pert, formance in completing the journey in. X 42min 32sec, and gaining fastest time. Con'f : »idering the adverse weather this must be [-Tetikoned fast time, as it is only 47 seconds ri>ebind M'Knight's record of 41min 45seo g>f last year, put up when it was a lovely ■Steraoon, with a good road. Had Saturbeen fine, with no rain, M'Knight's record stood a big chance of being smashed, f'wm Murray has greatly improved since the 'Edmond Cup Race, and is now in very good liorm, as his performance on Saturday [shows In 1903 Murray secured fastest over the same course in 43min 21sec, • record which stood until 180&, when , fM'Knight lowered it to the present record j s,'»f 41niin 45sec. Closely following Murray's Sifcime was ihat of .his .club mate, Thompson — gorily 43s*c behind Another good perform«m*», and one which created a bit of sur- j to many of his followers. Melville :«eour«d third fastest time, being very close ■to Thomson with 43n^in 17seo, and also ran j ya< strong nice. Melville has secured the ionoiw of fastest* time in the yeans 1904-, ?1905. and 19C6. 1 M'LauchHn. of the Caversham Harriers, I xan o v>ry strong race for first place, and i^s'iaee*! Jackson for more than three parts U f the way. Coming up on the town skte iff Raven=bo«uno M'Lauehlan caught Jack!i jn, an<l, making sure of his position, main- • sinp.di a t?ood lead to the finishing post, finishing very strongly som-e 30 yards in :front of Jackson. To secure second place s Jackson surprised his mates, as he has :pot been too well of late, and was in doubts i'of starting. Jackson is a good stayer, and many were pleased to see him secure his position. Mr Norman Anderson "had all his secre<.tarial details well forward, and to his fore•ight the details of the race, despite the conditions, were successfully carried -.mA with tlie assistance of a capable body of officials. [ NEW ZEALAND A.A.A. I WELLINGTON, August 30. r The Council of the New Zealand Amateur 'Athletic Association has decided -to ask the Mayor of Wellington (Dr Newman), who i* mho president of the New Zealand A.A.A., to give the New Zealand team which has jrbn the Australasian championship at Bris-TOa-ne a civic welcome in the Town Hall on gWednesday evening on their arrival from Sydney. The Acting Prime Minister, memIjens of the Cabinet, the Wellington memhn* of Parliament, and the representatives jpl other sports bodies will be invited. i'TThe South Canterbury Harriers, who are Conducting the New Zealand InterprovinScial 'Cross-country Championship Race at Timaru on Sept-amber 9, adced that medals j&nd badges for the prize-winnere be forNwaTded by that date co that they may be ; presented at tfce club's reunion the same i-night. The request was acceded to. jf Consideration of a letter from the Australasian Union with regard to the proIposed visit to Australia and New Zealand :of R. E. Walker and Hefferon or Duncker, [South African athletes, was held over until further details are obtained. F 1 Mr Marratt referred to the position of the Southland Centre. They had had no reply jbo any communications they had sent to phst centre for some time, and something ■would have to be done to wake it up. B&t Davies (delegate for Southland) said lie had written to Dr Snow (president) and :Sfr A. A. Paape (secretary) in connection [with the matter, but there was not time wet for a reply. It was decided) under tho otroumstances to allow the matter to stand •over until next meeting. ** Messrs A. Marryatt, A. Davies, H. S. jßefcirison, and J. F. Thompson were apjpointed an Organisation Committee to work jjip the sport in districts where it is at pregpnt neglected.