WOOD CHOPPING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1941, Page 6

WOOD CHOPPING

EVENTS IN ENGLAND. NEW ZEALANDERS EXCEL. “You must have been wearing Bob Semple’s running shoes,” said Mr W. J. Jordan, the High Commissioner-, when he presented cups to four members of the New Zealand Forestry Unit who had won the mile relay race from the Royal Air Force, the Royal Engineers, Royal Marines, and other' units at a sports meeting arranged by the New Zealand Engineers at Petersfield, Hampshire, writes a London correspondent. The remark caused considerable amusement among the foresters, for their team had won the event by a wide margin. The runners were Sapper E. J. Johnson (Canterbury), Sapper A. E. East (Canterbury), Sapper E. D. Queree and Corporal H. D. Pennington (Waitara). After Johnson, well known in New Zealand as a cross-country runner and three-miler, had giveii the team a good start over the 880 yards from the Royal Air Force, the race was all over —except that the lead was increased from si£ to sixty yards. Johnson also ran a good mile race from a handicap of 80 yards. His chief competitor was the Royal Air Force man, to whom he also conceded a start, but he had a lead on the field at the beginning of tne last lap, and nobody could keep up with him after that. These and other running events added interest to the meeting, which included chopping events by the New Zealanders, tug-of-war, and shot putting. The New Zealanders have aroused great interest in England for making a sport of chopping. Their carnival at Cirencester received publicity throughout the country, and they drew the biggest crowd of spectators during the afternoon. The most exciting event was the jigger chop, which was won by a split second by Sapper C. Thomsen (Waipukurau) from Lieutenant C. H. Chandler (West Coast). Thomsen's log fell t» the ground just as Chandler’s was toppling from the last blow of his axe. R. Grundy, the New Zealand champion, was effectively handicapped out of the various events' for \yhich he entered. J. Shaffry (West Coast) won the underhand chop in spite of a handicap. The 15th New Zealand Company, met the Royal Marines in the final of the tug-of-war, but they were no match for their well-drilled opponents, who won with two straight pulls which could not have lasted more than five seconds each. Mr Jordan, who was introduced by Major C. Biggs (Auckland), presented the prizes. Following were the results of the other events in which the New Zealanders competed:— Chopping and Sawing.—l4-inch underhand chop: J. Shaffry 1, E. Blake (Napier) 2. Second-class chop: E. Biake 1, Sapper J. R. Kilmartin (King Country) 2. 12-inch standing chop: Sapper W. A. Ritchie (King Country) 1, Sapper T. Jackson (West Coast) 2. 14inch sawing: Sergeant J. D. Black (Karamea) and Sapper C. Thomsen (Hawke’s Bay) 1, E. E. Bennett (Tuataperi) and J. Shaffry 2. ' . ' Athletics. —220yds. championship: E. D. Glenny 1, A. E. East 2. E. D. Queree came third off scratch in the 440 yards handicap, and J. A. McAliece was second in putting the shot. One of the prize-winners who considered he came off the best of all was Corporal Pennington. He won the “mpgs” chop. The prize was a pint of beer daily for the duration of the war at the local public house.