ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 58

ATHLETICS.

I NOTES BY AttITEUB. w I i_The Civil Service Tejn-Mile Cross- I ■Country Handicap was a success in every Sray, all the arrangements by the club were prell in hand and the race was well Bupaported by entries, as it well deserved to [be. This is a highly expensive race to Knn, and the entry fee of 2s is a very j moderate one, and all classes of runners Kre catered for — the inducement to start | hi very entioing-^of that the club have no i Mason* to compTadn. There were only three feotieeable scratchings for the race — SjcKnight, Frew, and Thompson— but on ) ■resent form ifr is doubtful if any of the j Mo would have beaten Beatson for the > ■Utest time. Many regard this as BeatEpn'e best effort; and as he seems to have __ Kruck his true form now, his summer " being should be highly interesting. Beatfeon has never yet run up to form on the Back, as his most intimate friends know, ! Knd they are only awaiting the result of , ■he Cavereham Championship to justify ■bern looking forward to a successful j mnon for the popular runner. The racs ■l iteelf was truly a race all the way, and nil of interest. At half the distance the Kiddie markers began to .draw up on the Kid. Three-parts of the distance gone had command, after displacing j HSnhouse, and a mile from home Bond., ! Henhouse, McLauchlan, Notman, - and j Blriuifion were fight-ing it out-, with .WelMrton men, Press and> Curry coming fast. { ■ELauchlan put in his claim at the .half■Be, and catching Swanson in the straight Bned home undistressed, with a olean Jead i «D - SwansoH and Bond. It was very J Hpftsing to note the condition of the men B^tbey finished ; there were none of those ! HptoeMing symptoms of want of training > Ht painfully evident at the finish of most ' ■ftenoe races. It is doubtfuL if a better ' ftmined field has ever faced the starter in ■^distance race before, want of pace was ■JOTO apparent than want of training, Kb in the younger runners of course. Hjls, by the way, opens up the question : Bjhtt becomes of those men in the sum■jkr months? Familiar names in cross ! Httntry running are never seen in B sport's programme. In the sum- j Hpr inducements to train are greater, ! ■a much more pleasant than in the Bid winter nights. Surely a chain- ■ Hta could be unearthed out of this In the past we have had to look to \ Kp north for the Three Mile Champion, \ Hfenre long distance running "is practiHpQT a. dead letter. Let the clubs look | during the coming season, for Hb such -runnel's as MeKnight, Frew. > Bond, Thompson, West, and HELiuichlan to work on v the problem is ' Hgph solving. The Wellington Harriers H&rved better luck in the race, more ' Hwoially Press, who lost fully ten J Bjpnds at the start. This runner finished j Hlfth, had he got off on time the result j Hpit have been different. To Mr J. G. j (handicapper) and Messrs Nichols H^' Whyte the real success of the race is He| One or two sceptics thought it too j for the former to compile a handi- j without outside assistance, but the i finish ehould silence those critics. ; by their attitude, often drive a good away from the sport. j year may see Dorando, of Olympic ' fame, in Australia. He is alengaged to run in various countries March next, and he ie meditating on South Africa and Australia ,

' According to private advices, the members of the New Zealand team were not particularly impressed with the arrangements in connection with the recent Australasian Championship Meeting in Brisbane. Their first impressions were not very pleasing 1 as on their first night five of them were quartered in a small room, which did not possess f window. The programmes were not available until the night before the meeting, so that they did not know till then the order of the events in which they had to compete. Outside the wins of the New Zealanders no victories a>t the Championship Meeting, says a Wellington writer, were more popular than the two secured by G. A. Wheatley in the half and mile. When travelling through with Shrubb and Duffy, the lengthy Victorian made hosts of friends, who were only too anxious to see him in action against the best of our middle distance men — Guy Haskins and Heotor Burk. The latter will make his reappearance on the track next season, presumably to measure strides with Haskins. If these two and Wheatley could be got . together in the next mile championship of the Dominion, the race would be worth going miles to see. Certainly tEe N.Z. Council cpuld not do better than extend an invitation to the present half and mile Australasian chompioai -to accompany Walker and' party through the country. An esteemed ex-Otago enthusiast in Wellington writes interestingly : "There is very little news here in the sporting world. We have riot yet heard definitely about Walker, but I fear the trip is off. We will hold a meeting of the council when word arrives from Australia. If the trip is off w© will miss a very good thing, as I am certain the visit would not only arouse the greatest interest in amateurism; but given fine weather the financial results would put the whole of the centres on a firm basis, which is muchly to be wished. However, we will boom the Auckland meeting next February, and hope the council will be able to recoup itself for the* recent trip. We have managed to finance that trip all right, but have left ourselves like old Mother Hubbard for the present. The returned athletes got a great leception in the Town Hall, and had every reason to ba proud of it. You will see we have appointed an Organisation Committee, and hope to get in some good work at once. There is every prospect of a club in New ' Plyniouth, and we also hope fox Blenheim, whjje a fresh start is being" made in Ma3terton~ in the shape of a harrier club. We hope to establish clubs in a good many places where the sport is not now represented. The annual meetings are all coming off shortly, and a start will be made with the evening meetings. The local Jiarriers who visited Timaru last week are loud in their praises of the treatment reoeived from the Timaru harriers, and express their thanks in no unmeasured terms. They were particularly struck 'with the complete arrangements which were made for the race. Mr Glue, secretary, and his hard-working committee deserve 'all praise for on^ of the best-con-ducted meetings ever- held in New Zealand. A word of praise is also due to Mr T. West, the- manager of ttbe Otago team, who besides looking after ih>: interests of Otago, also held a prominent place in the s-aee. .Simpson, the winner, took the fences in great style — in fact, he opened the eyes of the Otago men. Beatson. who finished second, also ran well, but was not so good at the fences, thereby losing a lot of ground, which he seemed make up on the flat. In regard to Caversham the winning team, it was a day of surpriees — Beatson second, Frew eighth, M'Laughlan ninth, G. M'Knight tenth, C. Frye seventeenth. F. Fry© twenty-first. A. E. M. Rowlands was a competitor in the Two-mile Handicap Walk at the Islington charity sports on July 22. He had 75yds start, and won by 50yds in 13min 47 2-ssec. The New Zealander competed under the banner of the South Canterbury Harriers, according to the report before me. E. 'R. Voight, of the Manchester A.C.. " had a cut at -Shrubb's three miles' record at Fallow-field, Manchester, on July 22, without success, however. The Olympic and English four niles' champion hoisted 14min 41 l-ssec. There was a stiff wind blowing, and rain fell in torrents, so thp "go" was a good one. The international match between Ireland and Scotland was held at Dublin on July 17, and resulted in an exceptionally easy irictdry for the Emerald Isle by eiijht events to three. R. Kerr, the Canadian, who ia an Irishman by birtn*. represented that country, and annexed both the :O'J Yards and 220 Yards sprint events. In the former he won by a yard and a-half in the fair .iirae of 10 l-ssec, while in the SPCyds he broke the Irish record, winning oasiJy by eight yards in 22 l-ssec. • At the same time that Kerr was tattling .for Ireland in Dublin his rival sprint er3, R. E. Walker and N. J. Cartmeil, were engaged at the Ayr (Scotland) annual sports. Both men started in the hundred and the furlong, but neither gained a place in the finals. When, however, it is noted that the winner of the sprint received 10 yards 3tart, and finished the distance in 9 4-ssec, it is not be wondered at, while the winner and runners-up of the furlong received 20, 19, and 22 yards respectively, and the time for the event was 22 4-ssee However, on the second day, Walker won •the 100 Yards Invitation Handicap after a magnificent race by inches from Cartmeil, the American, to whom on this occasion he was conceding a yard. Tho tir.ie was lOsec dead. Giving away 18 yards ltt the fir-a' of the furlong handicap Waiko- re uld only get third, the first, two men hai injr 18yds hi-ndicap, and finishing the distance in 22sec. There seems no doubt about the fact that Martin Sheridan is the world's best allround athlete (sajs an American writer). He made 7385 points in winning the title at the gam es of the Scottish Clans in New York on July 5, and though that beat his previous record by 255 points he was not satisfied, and vows that another year he will make 7500 points. His solitary opponent was one Theodore Matzukes, a giant Greek, belonging to West Side V.M.C.A., and the latter counted Hut 3748 points. Details :—IOO: — 100 Yards Dash : Martin Sheridan (1.A.A.C.), 832 points, 1; Theo. Matzukes (West Side V.M.C.A.), 672 points, 2. Time 10 3-ssec. Putting 16!b Shot: Martin Sheridan, 43ft lin, 813 points, 1; Matzukes, 34ft 4in, 392 points, 2. Running High Jump: Martin Sheridan, sft 7in, 704 points, 1; Matzukes, 4ft 9in, 384 points, 2. Halfmile Walk: Martin Sheridan, 797 points, 1 ; Matzukes, 792 points, 2. Time, 3min 42sec. Throwing 161b Hammer: Martin Sheridan. 125 ft lOin, 769 points, 1; Matzukes, 74ft 3£in, 150£ point*, 2. Pole Vault:

Martin Sheridan, 10ft 9in, 808 points, 1; no second. 120 Yards High Hurdles: Martin Sheridan, 760 points, 1; Matzukes, 385 points, 2. Time, 17 l-ssec. Throwing 561b Weight: Martin Sheridan, 29ft ll^in, 718 points, 1; Matzukes, 17ft lin, 100 points. 2. Running Broad Jump: Martin Sheridan,. 20ft 7£in, 720 points, 1 ; Matzukes, 16ft llin; 364 points, 2. One-mile Run : Matzukes. 559 points, li Martin Sheridan. 464 points, 2. Time, smin 46sec. Sheridan's total, 7385 points; Matzukes' total, 37484 points. HARRIERS. On Wednesday afternoon the St. Andrew Harriers journeyed to Wingatui to decide their Five-mile Cross-country Championship. The trail laid by Messrs G. A. Scott and W. M'Kechnie led round to the halfmile post on the racecourse ; then cutting through a ploughed paddock and thick swamp, crossed the Silverstream and continued along the North Taieri road for about a mile ; then, turning to the left, crossed numerous fences and paddocks until the West Taieri road was reached This road was followed -for a mile and a-half; then a 'course was made for the racecourse again at the back straight. During the first mile of the race the pack kept well together," but- then Meridith and Aitken broke .away, Creeping the lead for a considerable distanoe When the- West Taieri road 'was reached Meridith had secured a substantial lead, which he retained until the .-finish. At Jhe . bridge Strntiers {who was Tunning well) became disabled owing to his ghoe giving way on him, thereby losing ground, whioli could not be regained. The result of the championship is as follows: — T. Meridith, time 35min 20sec 1 R. I*. Aitken, 36m in Msec ... -• 2 Allan, Ferene, Struthers, and Titchener finished in that order. The Sealed Handicap run in conjunction with the championship resulted as follows: Allan (handicap, lmin 55sec; time, 35min 50sec), 1; Ferens (lmin 55eec; time, 35min 2se.o), 2. The trophy given for the first novice home was secured by C. Esplin. Mr G. Scott andlUr W. Satohler acted as timekeepers. The previous winners of the St. Andrew Championship are:— l9ol, T. R. Gordon; 1902, T. R/ Gordon; 1903, F. Williams; 1904, F. Williams; 1905, A. C. Struthere; 1906, P. Scott; 1907. A. C. Strubhers; 1908, A. H. Bon*; 1909, T. Meridith. CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP. WIN FOR OTAGO. TIMARU, September 9. The New Zealand Cross-country Championship of five miles was run this afternoon on the Timaru racecourse in fine weather. There was a small attendance. "The Otago team (Beatson, West, Thompson and" Frew) won, with 18 points, the Wellington- team and Canterbury team ™ing for second place with 55 points. The course was. a ;good sporting one. Simpson (Canterbury) was the first to reach home,' but his mates failed to support him in. ilie other places. The Inter-club Championship, run at the same time, was by the . Caversham team (Beatson. Frew. M'Laughlin M'Knight, M. Frye, and F. Frye). with J65 points; Wellington wjs second with 79 points; Dunedin (holders of the shield), third with 94 points. The other points were :— Ashburton 96, South Canterbury i7O. Waimate 195. The meeting was very successful. The times of the first three men home (about five miles) were— Simoson 34min 2 2-ssec. Beatson 34min 19 2-ssec, West 34min 21 2-ssec. | TEST MILES CROSS-COUNTRY HANDICAP. Favoured with 'perfect weather conditions, » large field, able management, judicious handicapping, and ideal cross-country course, these contributing factors marked the Civil Service Harriers' Open Ten-mile Cross-country Handicap, as the most successful raoe in the history of cross-country running in" Dunedin. Quite a large crowd of spectators took train to Wingatui, and after the runners had received attention at the hands"" of their attendants! £lv C. R. Andrews (president of the Civil "Service Harriers) welcomed the Wellington Harriers, who had come on from Timaru. after taking part in the Cross-country .Championship. This team, by- the way, is to be congratulated, unfortunately not on its success, but on its sportsmanship in coming so far to measure sides with Otago's best ov^er the premier cross-country trail. Twenty-five runners faced the starter, and shortly before" 4 o'olock the limit men, Denford and Stenhouse, were sent off, fol- . lowed at intervals by other runners, to Beatson, 9m in 15sec behind limit. The front men had completed a full round of the course, and were well over the flats a mile and a- half in all before Beatson was set off, amidst cheers, on what looked an apparently hopeless task. Denford was first out of view over the dip to the Silverstream, and was first through, closely followed by Stenhouse. The two had a big break on the field over the wide detour from the Sitverstream in *he direction of the mineral springs and railway line ; they were alone. Beatson and Melville had cut ■ down their handicaps, most noticeably at the Silverstream. Stenhouse supplanted Denford at tho half-way point, and took the lead along the West Taieri road for a mile through the avenue, then doubled back by wav of the paddocks to the Silverstream bridge. Swanson then put in a claim, and the youthful Stenhouse. who , had run gamely for three miles, had to "give way. Turning sharply from the Mosgiel racecourse to Gow's, the field began to close up. Swanson was first through the home paddock to the half-mile post, closely followed by M'Lauchlan, Stenhouse, Bond, Press. Currie, and Notman. After the trying distance it was anybody's race. At the four-furlong post M'Lauchlan put in the strongest claim, and the searching preparation which he had undergone enabled him to take the lead from Swanson at the head of the straight, and he raced home an easy winner, showing little signs of distress. A3 showing the closeness of the handicapping, the first six men finished within 40 seconds of each other. j The placinps were as follow:—!, J. \ M"Lauchlan (Caversham Harriers), handicap 3min 15sec, actual time lhr 4min 29sec; 2, J. Swanson (St. Joseph's Harriers), handicap smin 30sec actual time lhr 6min 55sec; 3, J. Bond (Pacific Harriers), hanhicap 4min 20sec, actual time lhr smin 54sec. The ne^t in order were— Press (Wellington), Carry (Wellington), Notman,

Stenhouse, Bennett, Beatson, Melville, Frye, Turnbull, P. Wilton, F. Wilton, Hodson, Ferens. Whyte, and Bundle. Also started: South. Morris, Anderson, Westwood, Haynes, Jackson, Denford. Fastest Time Trophy.— 1, J. Beatson (Caversham Harriers), lhr 3min 15sec; 2, W. B. Bennett (Wellington), lhr 4hin }2sec ; 3, J. Notman (Anglican), lhr 4min 25seo. Prize for first novice home, O. Stenhouse (Civil Service). i M'Lauchla.i is this year's Port road race winner, and a member of the Caversham Harriers' winning team in last week's inter-club contest at Timaru. His splendid condition reflects great credit on Mr A. Mercer, who also trains M'Knight — two charges that he might well be proud of. Swanson, the second man, is also a Port road race winner, and if the St. Joseph's man would only pay a little more attention to training he would very soon be in the first flight. J. Beatson (fastest time) has again " made good." It was only under pressure that he started, not having recovered from the effects of the Timaru race. His success was very popular, as are all .the successes of the Caversham ' Harriers, who have won every individual longdistance trophy open for competition. O. - Stenhouse (first ndvice home trophy) was only beaten out of a place in the last half-mile, and as he was the youngest runner competing, his performance stamps him as one showing promise. Thanks are " due to the, D. J.C.. the farmers over. whose ground the trail led, and to the trail-layers. -The following acted as officials : — Judges — Messrs Bennett (Wellington), Andrews, and M'Knight, sen. ; timekeepers— Messrs Williamson, Stephens, and Titchener, assisted by Messrs Ander- ! son, Dawson, West, and Nichols; starter, • Mr H. F. Titchener; handicapper, Mr J. G Stephens. A word of praise is due to Messrs Nichols and Whyte, the secretary and treasurer, for the splendid arrangement of all details.