Cooper a Champion Steeplechaser

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 153, 19 September 1927, Page 11

Cooper a Champion Steeplechaser

SAVIDAN ALSO DOES WELL park sports The rain was falling - steadily, and at times anything but lightly, when a band of Auckland athle;*s turned out at Alexandra. Park on Saturday for the ♦irst meeting of the spring season. A sprlr \X meeting—yes! but somewhat out of season. All the rain the heavens could send, however, failed to damp the enthusiasm of those athletes who have braved the vagaries of the weather for a whole winter. When the officials talked of abandoning the fixture* there was i single chorus: “On with the meeting.’ The chief event on the programme was the Auckland provincial three miles cross-country championship. Although that aspirant to Australasian honours, J. W. Savidan, was not a competitor, great interest centred round the meeting of Cooper and Kells.

From the beginning, when Kells took the lead, the issue lay between these two runners. Cooper has performed remarkably well of late, but Ids rival held the New Zealand cross - country title last year, and memories are yet fresh of the way he defeated Savidan early this winter.

COOPER GOES AHEAD Cooper caught the ex-champion after half x round, but Kells soon pushed ahead again, and hung on to a lead of three yards for the next mile. He appeared to tire after that, and Cooper went ahead by 15 yards, which margin he increased to 40 by the time the winning post was reached. Kel s spurted as he did when he turned the tables on Savidan a few months ago, but his effort lacked sting. Kells, in top form, is every bit as good a man as Savidan. A staleness has come upor him, which he has so far been mnab'e to throw off. A GREAT TRIO Cooper’s performances of late stamp him as a cross-country man, likely to win Domiricn fame. With Kells back to form by next winter, and Savidan still going strong, Auckland’s prospects of winning back provincial horours in the 10 000 rnstres race are particularly bright. More will yet be heard of the Savidan - Kells - Cooper trio. Of the other steeplechase s on Saturday, Henshall did best. He hung on in a determined fashion, but the pace on the heavy track was too much for him. Off the 12 yards mark, J. W. Savidan, of long distance fame, won the 100 yards handicap. H. S. Roper was the favourite, but the treacherous track held him back. Savidan nlso annexed the 44C yards handicap after a particularly gruelling finish, in which Murray beat Roper for second place by a mere touch. A PROMISING CYCLIST Roy Capp, a Mount Albert Grammar School boy, won both the mile and half-mile junior cycle race handicaps. He displayed promising form. The mite senior cycle race went to J. v. Gore. The following are the results: THREE MILES CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP N. F. Cooper * G. Kells “ E. P. Henshall " Time, 16 min 15 2-ssec. 100 YARDS HANDICAP J. W. Savidan (12yds) .. . 1 T. A. Buckley (lOiyds) " \V. Watt (14yds> •• •• * Time, 10 2- >sec. Four started. 440 YARDS HANDICAP J. W. Savidan (lOytls) ... J B. M. Murray “ 11. S. Roper ° Time, 62 2*ssec. HIGH JUMP HANDICAP W. Fausett <4in) and B. M. Murray (51n), £ N. R. Nilsen (nn) 6 Height. sft sin. JUNIOR CYCLE HANDICAP (One Mile.) R. Capp } y C. Young (scr.) 2 P. Pinker (120yds) * Time, 3m 49 s. 120YDS HURDLES HANDICAP Ei. M. Murray (owed 7yds) 1 W. Fausett (scr.) " Time, 18s. ONE MILE CYCLE HANDICAP J. V. Gore J A Baird “ H. Brewln (35yds) 6 Time, 2 m 35 2-ss. JUNIOR CYCLE HANDICAP (Half a Mile.) R. Capp * '(*. Young (scr.) 2 P. G. Pinker (120yds) ° Time, lmin 27 4-ssec. PARNELL CRICKET CLUB’S GOOD YEAR At the annual meeting of the Parnell Cricket Club Mr. R. B. Husk pretided over an attendance of 50 members. >■* The chairman congratulated the senior A team on its improved position It the grade championship, and referred to the keenness shown by all members throughout the past season. He said the small credit balance carried forward could be regarded as satisfactory in Mew of the heavy expenditure, some of p- hich would not be recurring next season. The following officers were elected: Patron. Mr. F (Earl, president, Mr. R. R Lusk: vice-presidents, Messrs. F. Hckford, W. B. Upton, T. Aitken. H. Luke, D. R. Macdonald; club captain. Mr. H. Duncan; deputy-club captain. Mr. a. E. Irvin?; delegates to Auckland Association, Messrs. R. B. Lusk, A. G. •Aitken, R. w. Tow; hon. secretary, Mr. v, ‘- H. Johnston; assistant-hon. secreMr. R. Stewart: hon. treasurer. -Mr. c. G. Broberg; management committee. Messrs. A. J. Luke, X. Von RotV‘ r * R - W. Dow, G. F. Murray, L. S. Kigrhton. The new members were elected. Luring the evening opportunity was Liken of making a presentation to Mr. Jb B. Lusk. Mr. W. J. Dinnison, in handing Mr. Lurk a medallion, referred , J* 16 service he had rendered to the c .u- fcr naany years and the esteen in "’hich he was held by all members. T h 6 c^a^rman presented Mr. W. H. "Ohnston, hon. secretary, with a gold Pencil and a cigarette holder in appreciation of his services to the club over a number of years.

DUFTY IN FORM * the Auckland Teague player, pleased the /ans at Dunedin immensely by his kicking on Saturday. Of the tour tries, scored by Little, O’Brien, Wade and Webb, respectively, against Otago, Dufty converted the lot and did some great line kicking as well. i: ****** anirgijnrsKife