ADAMS TRIUMPHS IN STEEPLECHASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 69, 13 June 1927, Page 10

ADAMS TRIUMPHS IN STEEPLECHASE

SAVIDAN’S GREAT EFFORT SPORTS AT DOMAIN The Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club held the fifth meeting of its winter series of competitions at the Outer Domain on Saturday afternoon. Rain earlier in the day had turned the field into a veritable quagmire, but despite adverse conditions an enthusiastic band of competitors turned out. In view of the early selection of a team to represent Auckland at the New Zealand cross-country championship meeting, to be held on the Cashmere Hills, Christchurch, next month, chief interest centred around the steeplechase. This event was run around the Domain proper, and represented a course of just under three miles, which on the day must have been a stiff one, F. Adams, the youngest member of the club, romped home to win by about 300 yards from Con Scown. He thoroughly deserved his win, as he has performed very consistently in all the past races, and has been unlucky not to win before now. For a lad of 14 years he has established a remarkable record, and should go far in the crosscountry world. Gordon Kells, the Dominion cross-country champion, has not quite recovered from his accident of two weeks ago, and did not start on Saturday. Savidan was set a hard task to overtake a field so far ahead of him, but he made a supreme effort in the last rounr, and finished in third place. This runner appeared to take things a bit too easy in the early part of the event, and at the end of the third lap was running second to last. If he had accelerated half-way through the third round he would probably have headed Scown to the tape

Savidan’s time, however, 14min 24 2-ssec, was a highly creditable performance on a very treacherous track.

In his present form he has every chance of heading the band of Aucklanders who will be selected to invade the Southern centre next month. The winner of the 75 Yards Handicap on three of the four previous occasions, A. J. Elliot, did not find the track to his liking on Saturday. Contrary to expectations he got well off the mark, but failed to grip on the slippery ground. He could not work up that final spurt which on more than one occasion has given him victory in the last few yards. A feature of this event was Savidan's bid for first place. Starting from the nine yards’ mark, he led up to within five yards of the tape, only to have the honours snatched from within his grasp in the last few yards. Following are the results: STEEPLECHASE (About Three Miles) F. Adams (180 s), 16m 43 2-5 s.. .. 1 Con. Scown (755), 17 14 2-5 s.. .. 2 J. W. Savidan (scr.), 17m 24 2-5 s .... 3 G. Gilchrist (90s), 17m 25 2-5 s.. .. 4 N. F. Cooper (20s), 17m 26s 5 Eleven started and nine finished. 75 YARDS HANDICAP H. S. Roper, 4yds 1 J. W. Savidan, 9yds .. .. 2 T. H. Cummins, 6Jyds 3 Time, 8 l-10s. Eight started. PUTTING THE SHOT A. J. Elliott (4ft 9in), 31ft .. .. 1 W. Stewart, sen. (13ft), 31ft 4in .... 2 H. S. Roper (Bft), 31ft o’in 3 J. W. Shirley (Ift), 30ft 6£in 4 THROWING THE DISCUS W. Stewart, sen. (51ft), 96ft Sin . . .. 1 A. J. Elliott (28ft), 90ft 4in 2 J. W. Shirley (scr.), 87ft 4in 3 The association will hold the first of a series of trial runs next Saturday, to select the team for the New Zealand Cross-Country Championship.