ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1919, Page 7

ATHLETICS.

ELTHAM SPORTS. The Eltham Athletic League held a sports meeting in Taumata Park, Eltham, yesterday. The success of the meeting was to some extent marred by the unfavorable weather, a violent windstorm in the morning ending in a heavy downpour of rain, early in the after[noon- By this time a fair number of people were on the ground, and the committee decided to proceed with the sports. Though it rained during the greater part of the afternoon, few of the spectators left, ample protection from the weather being afforded by the grandBtand.

The management of the sports was excellent, and but for the weather, the meeting would have been a pronounced success. Liberal prize money was offered and justified much larger entries than were forthcoming. As it Was, the competition in all the major events was quite satisfactory, and the flat and bicycle races were most interesting in every case. The condition of the track was by no means favorable to the competitors, especially in the bicycle races, in which several of the competitors had the misfortune to fall. The chief int.eießt was taken in the cycling events, and the live mile race had a very exciting finish. Some post entry events had to tie cut out for want of competition, and this shortened the programme slightly. For the dances' there was only one competitor, and under the rules no prize could be awarded, but the spectators responded generously when the hat was passed round, and the little girl was fully rewarded for the pleasure she had given. The management of the sports was most favorably commented upon, and the officials deserve great credit for the way In which they carried out the programme under the unfavorable conditions exist* ing. The gate receipts amounted to a little over £23, and financially the meeting could not be called a success. Th» catering was in the hands of the club, and, like the other arrangements, ga*« every satisfaction. Music was provided by the Eltham Pipe Band. The officials were: Starter, Mr. A- Whiting; handicappers, Messrs. Nuttall, Whiting, and Ward; judges, cycling and flat events, Messrs. G. W. Tayler and G. Cooper; Caledonian events, Messrs. Buist and W. McLeod; wrestling, Mr. J. Heslop; committee, Messrs. Bodle, Blake, Fitzgibbons, R. Gower, Halpin, Hawke, Hook, Judd, Kenny, and McLeod . The secretarial duties were ably discharged by Messrs. A. G. Mills and Nuttall. Following are the results:— 150 YARDS MAIDEN; first prize '£2 10s, second £1. —L. Sim 1, C. Davis 2, R. Tayler 3. Won easily. Five started. BICYCLE RACE; one mile; first prize £5, second £2, third 10s—A. .1. Coleman (120vds) 1, P. Griffin (50yds behind) 2, W. E- Parker (150 yds) 3. Six started. 100 YARDS HANDICAP; first prize

£4, second £1 10s.-—J. M. Wright (10 yds) 1, J. Tristram (Byds) 2, L. Sim (9vds) 3. Seven started. BOY'S BICYCLE RACE; one mile; first prize £5, second £2, third 10s. L. Coleman (scr.) 1, D. Jones (scr.) 2, T. Grant (40yds) 3. Five started.

220 YARDS HANDICAP; first prize

£G, second £1 10s.—C. Davis (20yds) 1. J. N. Wright (20yds) 2, M. B. Thop" (20yds) 3. Five started. BOYS' RACE; 220 yards.—Taylor 1, Burrows 2, Evans 3. Five started. THREE MILE BICYCLE RACE; first prize £7, second £2 10s, third 10s. —P. Griffin (syds behind) 1, A. J. Coleman (200vds) 2, F. Mcßreen (250 yds) 3. Six started. This was a most interesting race. Griffin waß in the lead till the second last lap, Coleman hanging on to his wheel. Coleman then shot ahead and led till the final lap, when Griffin took first place and maintained a good lead till the finish. Colemnn spurted coming up the straight for home, but this did not appreciably reduce the margin between himself and his stronger "HIGHLAND MARCHES.—J. Irons 1, J. Wade 2, J. Crawford There were seven entries. 440 YARDS HANDICAP; first prize £5, second £1 lOs.-C. Davis (40yds) 1, W. Phillips (40yds) 2. Five startedHIGHLAND FLING.—FIora Ferguson t. Only one entry. BICYCLE RACE; five miles; first prize £lO, second £3, third £1 103. G. Collingwood (200 yds) 1, A. J. Coleman (400 yds) 2, P. Griffin (scr.) 3. This was the most exciting event of the day. Collingwood fell early in th<j race, but pluckily remounted and rejoined the competitors. P- Griffin during the latter nart of the race, and in the final round, was in the lead and had an excellent chance of winning when he fell coming up the straight for home. IRISH JlG—Ada Ramsbottom 1. * BOY'S RACE—C. Burrows 1, W. Kenny 2. GIRLS* RACE.—Dorothy Gover 1, Doris O'Neill 2. BOYS, UNDER 12. S. White 1, R. 2 ' . ™ , i GIRLS, UNDER 12.—Marjory Ward 1, Mary Davis 2. GIRLS' THREE-LEGGED RACE—A. Brew 1, M. Duffy 2. FIRE BRIGADE EVENT, double coupling.—B. Rogers 1, V. Philpotts 2. WRESTLING, Cumberland—J. McLend 1. Five entries.