ATHLETICS.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 220, 17 September 1887, Page 5

ATHLETICS.

The fifty-eighth contest for the Wingfield Sculls was rowed on the Thames, over the course between Putney and Mortlake Five competitors started, including S. Fairburn, the Australian. The race resulted in favour of Guy Nickalls, Magdalen College, Oxford; T, C. Gardner, Cambridge, being second and W. H. Gumming third. Time : 2omin. 23sec. Fairburn did not, row the full distance. W. J. Cooper, the professional, has accepted the Lanca&ter Park Club's terms, and is expected to reach New Zealand in about a fortnight's time. The race for the Five Miles Amateur Bicycle Championship of New South Wales was decided at the Association Grounds, Sydney, on August 20, the track being heavy from continuous rains. The event was won by C. K. Wood, of the Baimain Club; W. J. C. Elliott, of Melbourne, being second, and E. McDonald, of Baimain, third. T. P. Jenkins, while riding in the foremost position, tell heavily. Wood won by 20yds.' Time— l9min 23 two-fifth sees. The following is from an exchange :— A team of English amateurs, consisting of T. Ray, C. G. Wood, F. J. K. Cross, E. Leaver, A. G. Le Maitre, and W. H. Coad, intend visiting the States towards the end. of August, and taking part in the American Championship meeting (Sept. 17), and the Canadian Championships (Sept. 24). Ray is a celebrated polejumper. He won the championship at pole-vaulting in 1881, clearing lift 3in ; in 1882, at 10ft 6in ; was absent in 1883 ; won in 1884 at lOit lOin ; in 1885 at 10ft ; and in 1886 at lift. He has not been beaten for years ; usually stops only when the top of the standards is reached ; frequently clears lift. 3in. and lift 4in, and holds the world's best record at lift. s^in. — C. G. Wood, who recently made fresh records for 220 yds and 250 yds, is about the fastest amateur in England from any distance over 100 yds up to a quarter of a mile. In the Championship meeting of 1884 he was adjudged beaten a foot by Cowie in 10 l-sthsec. in the 100 yds run, but most observers thought him a winner. In the quarter-mile he finished second to Cowie, and was timed separately, in 51secs. In 1886, in the 100 yds run, he was beaten a yard by Wharton in lOsecs., and won the $-mile in 49 4-sth sec Cross is the fastest half-miler they have in the Old Country. In the Oxford-Cambridge games of 1886 he won the one mile run in 4min 28 3-sths sec, and in theChampionahip meeting was second to Nalder, thirteen yards behind, 4min 25 4-sths sec. In this year's Oxford-Cambridge games he won the mile in 4 mm 25 2 sths sec, and the Championship meeting won the mile in 4min 25 sec. In various meetings this year he ran half-miles inside lmin 59sec, and won two race's at that distance in lmin 58 2-sths sec, and lmin 57A3ec.s Leaver, Le Maitre, and Coad are also runners. Ab the dinner given by the Sydney Rowing Club to Mr P. J. Clark, on his return from England, that gentleman fepoke in very flattering terms of the excellent chances a really good eight picked from the | bona fide amateur oarsmen of the colonies 1 would have against the leading English clubs. Mr Clark did not give his opinion without due consideration, and only after having seen the picked eights in the Old Country in training. From his experience of intercolonial eight-oar contests, and his thorough knowledge of the capabilities of leading colonial oarsmen, he unhesitatingly arrived at the conclusion that a picked intercolonial crew had a "rattling" good show againsb all crews except a combined English eight, and even against such an array of the best amateur English rowers in the Old Country, he said he had no fear of our men not coming out of the contest with honour to themselves and the colony. The encouragement of such an excellent authority as Mr Clark has had due weight in both Sydney and Melbourne. The matter was brought up at the last meeting of the Victorian Rowing Association, and ifc was decided to co-operate with the N/evy 1 South Wales Rowing Association in taking preliminary measures with the object of sending an intercolonial eight Home next year. At a meeting last week of tho members of the New South Wales Rowing Association preliminary steps were taken to bring the much de&ired event about. A very interesting cricket match was played lately in England between Liver-

pool and Western. The brothers Steel operated on each other— A. G. Steel making E. B. Steel hit his wicket, while H. B. Steel was caught off F,L. Steel, and A. G. Steel was "caught E. E. Steel, bowled F. L. Steel," There were five of the brotherhood engaged in the game. Liverpool, however, carried far 100 many guns for their opponents. The half-milo amateur champion swimming 1 ace was held at the Welsh Harp, Hendon, last month. There were three prizes, viz., a silver cup, a gold medal, and a silver medal. There were nine entries. •The holder of the title for last year, H. 0. Schlotel, was the first to show in front, followed by J. Nuttall, of Stalybridge, and H. Bovvden, captain of the Amateur Swimming Association. About 120 yds from home Nuttall took the lead, and finished with four lengths to spare from Bowden, Schlotol being third. Time, 14min 44sec. The committee in New York havingcharge of the arrangements for rhc International Yacht Race, in which the prize is the famed America Cup, have announced that the trial races for the selection of the sloop which should have the honour of defending the trophy agains-l the assaults of the Scottish yacht Thistle, should take place during the last a\ cek in August or the first week in September. The competing yachts in the races will be the Mayflower, Puritan, Priscilla, Atlantic, and Volunteer. The Regatta Committee of the Now York Club was invited to accompany the yachts during the tiial race>.