Athletic Club.

The Sports were held on Monday at the Caledonian Grounds. The track was very soft, and a bitterly cold wind blew most of the day. Our team, while not successful in regaining the Shield, put up a creditable performance. We have several promising runners, who will do well if they take the game seriously, and do not expect too much fuss to be made of them before they have made good. Some runners would do well to remember that those athletes who made good in the past did so on their own, and had no trainers to rub them down and fuss over them until after they had proved their quality.

page 16

The sports were chiefly distinguished by the good showing put up by Otago, and especially by A. E. Porritt, the Rhodes Scholar. Porritt won four events (a thing that has never previously been done)—two of them, the 100yds. and 220yds., equalling the records; the 120 hurdles in 16 1-5secs. (one-fifth over the record) and the broad jump with a leap of 22 feet, which has only once been beaten. In some of these events he was undoubtedly helped by the wind, but the wins were none the less meritorious. And Porritt did all this on top of running the whole Tournament!

As usual, we had no wins in the field events, but Thomas gave us a welcome point in the Hammer. His was a very good throw, and would have won easily in most years. Griffin repeated his "double" performances by annexing the half-mile and mile, both without difficulty. Owing to the wind, the times were not up to Griff's standard. Griffin had previously this year won the same two events in the Wellington Provincial Championship and the N.Z. Championships, and this capped a most successful season.

Leadbetter won his heat in the 220yds., but was beaten for second place in the final by Black, of Canterbury

The Shot was an easy win for Kingston, of Otago.

Porritt rather unexpectedly beat Buckhurst in the Long Jump, and repeated the performance in the 120 Hurdles.

Griffin won the Half, with Paul, of V.U.C., second. Paul ran very well, and put up a good run in the straight to beat Grierson, of Auckland, by a small margin.

The Hammer was another event in Kingston's pocket, but Thomas gave him a bit of a scare with a throw of 102 feet.

The 100yds. was won easily by Porritt, but there was a great race for second place, the point going to Brownlee, of Otago.

The Mile Walk also went to Otago; the winner, McKenzie, came in for a lot of criticism owing to his style. It is very doubtful whether this "walking" would have been passed by judges in Wellington. McIntosh, of V.U.C., walked very well to fill second place. If McIntosh keeps at it he will be very hard to beat in any company, and the writer would not be at all surprised to see him annex a New Zealand championship. He is possessed of great determination and endurance.

The High Jump was rather a surprise, the winner turning up in Lintott, of Auckland, who beat Buckhurst, of C.U.C., by an inch.

Black, of C.U.C., scored a well-deserved win in the 440 Flat. Davies, of V.U.C., obviously lacked training, and Paul was suffering from his hard race in the 880yds.

The Three Miles went to Webber, of Auckland, with Valiance, of Auckland, second. Moore, of V.U.C., who filled third place, was unlucky in having to take the lead for the whole distance.

As expected, Odder won the 440 Hurdles. Malfroy, unfortunately, struck the first hurdle, and injured his knee.

page 17

The Relay Rue again proved a fairly easy thing for the Victoria College team: Griffin, Davies, Hill and Leadbetter.

We turned out a team for the Tug-of-War, but were beaten by Auckland, who in turn succumbed, as usual, to Otago.

The final points were: Otago, 17; Canterbury, 9; Victoria, 7; and Auckland, 6. We thus dodged the Wooden Spoon by a narrow margin.