.jpg)
Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 1, No. 7 April 27, 1938
Sport
Sport
After Nine Years
Now that the tumult and shouting has died, we are in the position of analysing, more or less calmly, our achievements at Tournament. We knew we were sending away an imperfectly balanced team, yet a team that was so strong in most departments that we felt that the weaknesses known to exist would be effectively counteracted. And so it proved.
We scarcely won a point in swimming; in athletics we did little better; in boxing we won only one of the six weights: yet so heavy did we score with our virtual monopoly of the tennis titles, and our success in rowing, shooting and basketball, that we emerged victors by a substantial margin.
Thus a depressing era in the sporting history of Victoria College has ended. It was away back in 1929 that we last won the Tournament Shield. In the interim we have held the wooden spoon an embarrassing number of times, Now, after a lapse of nine years, we have won again; yet though victory in four of the seven sections is cause enough for jubilation, our complete eclipse in the important pastimes of athletics and swimming is disquieting. In the former we obtained three firsts in eighteen events; in swimming not a single victory. Little better was our boxing record, but here some bad luck played a part, Next year let us strive to improve the standard in these departments, while endeavouring to maintain the satisfactory standard reached in the other four.
—L.B.S.
Points
| Victoria | 28¼ |
| Canterbury | 19 |
| Otago | 15¼ |
| Auckland | 13 |
The Athletes
Although Victoria has annexed the wooden spoon for yet another year, the team did better than at Christ-church last year—it at least gained three of the twenty points to be won, compared with none in 1937.
Individual honours were shared by E. M. Irving. C. V. Adams and D. R. Scrimgeour. Entered in three hurdle events, Irving was set a stiff task, with three heats on Saturday and three finals on Monday. He collected our first points by winning the 120 hurdles in fine style. He wisely refrained from starting in the 440 hurdles final and later was a close second in the 220 event. In both the 120 and 220 hurdles he was badly placed at half-way, but finished strongly. A good hurdler, he should continue to improve.
C.V. Adams ran up to expectations in winning the 100 yards and in running second in the 220. He is a very well-build runner and if he takes more care of himself during the next two years may become a worthy successor to Malcolm Leadbetter and F. H. Stephenson. Like lrving, he loses a lot of ground over the first part of the race, but possesses a strong finish. Badly placed at half-way in the 220. he clapped on the pace from then on to such good effect that he just falled to dead heat the redoubtable Duff of Otago for first place. He beat the Otago Provincial Champion. Mottram quite comfortably in the 100 yards.
Nerimgeour in the three miles was our other winner. He has been acquitting himself very well this season and fully deserved his success. With Congalton he led the field over the first few laps the former then dropping back. Adamson of Chanterbury strongly challenged Scrimgeour over the second mile but over the final mile the Victoria man set too fast a pace drew steadily ahead, and won by 70 yards in the creditable the of 15 minutes 22 seconds.
Cropp of Otago won the 440 in 1 secs., beating H. G. Bower by two yards. Bowyer ran his first race to date. Setting off at a fast pace and sprinting well at the finish.
J.S. Adams represented us in the high jump, the hop, step and jump, and the javelin throw. He was second in the javelin, not far behind. S. G. Eade, well-known Victoria walker of other, years, has been Adams's coach this season, and has been able to pass on to the younger man much that he himself has learned this season from Al Fitch, with whom he has been in close touch.
Miller would have stood a good chance of winning the 440 in top form, but cracked up over the last 50 yards,
It was a young team that went to Tournament, and with such reinforcements as Eastwood and Sutherland next year we should do much better. Hart of Massey has developed a good style in the mile walk and was well up in that event. Annear was good but needs more stamina to be a valuable 880 yards, man; both McDonald and Arnold show promise in the long jump, but the latter must train harder. In the field events Burke, Thurston and Turnbull are all improving. But it is in this section that our greatest weakness lies.—L.B.S.
Boxing
Bantamweight
Armstrong, V.U.C. v. Turner. A.U.C.
This was a good scientific exhibition of boxing characterised by clean hitting and little clinching. At the end of the third round Armstrong appeared to be ahead, but in round Turner attacked right from the whistle to the final gong to gain the decision on points.
Featherweight.
Coveney, V.U.C. v. C.U.V.
Blake, the defending champion met more than his match in Conveney. The latter hit with beautiful speed and precision and scored repeatedly with stinging straight lefts and books. In the final two rounds Blake, relying on superior strength rushed Coveney to the ropes, but the Victoria man's steady footwork and crafty roperwork kept him out of trouble.
In the final. Brown of Auckland could make no race of it with Coveney and after Coveney had knocked his man down three times early in the second round he was declared the winner on a T.K.O. This was Victoria's only title won at the Tournament.
Lightweight.
Trillo, V.U.C. v. Nicholson. C.U.C.
A thrilling fight in which both men were content to stand toe to toe and throw everything they had at each other. Trillo appeared to have a longer reach and in the opening rounds landed more often and effectively. Nicholson made a run in the two last rounds and the judges were unable to separate them, so that an extra round was ordered. Then the fighting spirit of the Trillos came to the fore and he was on the right end of a close verdiet.
Unfortunately he injured his hand in the fight and was unable to appear against Adams in the final, so that the title went to Otago by default.
Welterweight.
Arnott. V.U.C. v. Macdonald. A.U.C.
This bout was marred by clinching and holding, and the pair appeared at times to be very much in love with each other. In the little sparring that was done Arontt was the aggressor and was superior at infighting. He won the decision on his attacking ability.
In the final against McFadzen of Otago Arnott gave an improved display, although he was beaten by a better boxer. His aggressive tactics had McFadzen considerably troubled, while he also had the referee worried and antagonised by showing a natural tendency to hit with the open hand. McFndzen owed the decision to superior long range boxing.
Light Heavyweight.
Frazer, V.U.C. v. Stringer, Otago.
The Otago man proved superior in this fight and with two fisted attacks established a lead early in the bout which he maintained to the end. Frazer fought back gamely and landed some telling blows with his left. However, his footwork was rather slow and he took heavy punishment.
Alternations to Rules.
Important alterations to rules governing future Boxing Tournaments were decided upon. Weights are to be altered to conform to N.Z. Boxing association rules and weighting in is to be at the ringside instead of the day before the fight as was formerly the case.
Tournament Shooting
Although results seem poor in the light of Blues it was a good effort of markmanship which enabled V.U.C. to retain the Haslam Shield.
Conditions.
A treacherously "Changing" light and "fishtail" wind blasted the hopes of many potential N.Z.U. Blue winners. This was evident at 600ydars when Ross and Oxham of V.U.C. saw excellent chances of passing the Standard fail.
The Range(?)
We had head of Penrose. But compared with the paddocks of Trentham the great clumps of gorse and blackbery Stone-Henge-like rocks, greencovered pools and bogs which covered Penrose made it appear like something which Frank Buck had brought back Furthermore firing mounds were so narrow that firers were almost lying "cheek-to-cheek."
V.U.C.
The "Picturesque" garb of V.U.C. men made them distinctive. Each had "hats" which rivalled the headgear of our Official Chaperon, Oxnam now at Canterbury had looted a pair of overalls. Bill Palsley looked extremely youthful in shorts while Corkill's denim jacket and oil-bespattered trousers were of extreme antiquity. Our men fired well under difficult conditions though far below their normal standard. Oxnam and Ross have our congratulations and commiseration for being so near the N.Z.U. standard. They were unfortunate.
In spite of difficulties encountered, we must thank Auckland range officials for their attention and especially Mr. Taylor for arranging a very "instructive" and enjoyable visit to Corban's vineyards etc. on Sunday morning. V.U.C. palates learned to distinguish and appreciate.
Swimming
Comparatively, Victoria put up her worst display in the swimming. The Club this year has grown in numbers and popularity and the actual result at Tournament—one solitary point—was rather disappointing to those who had worked so hard to restore the prestige of the club.
The exclusion of women freestyle swimmers from the team was justified by the splendid performances of girls from other colleges—any of our swimmers would have been hopelessly outclassed. Salvia Hefford who was considered a certaincy for the women's breaststroke swam excellently to be defeated by a touch by the title-holder. Her time—96 secs.—was, however splendid.
Bob Hall put up a fine showing in the backstroke even against particularly strong opposition. Hall's improvement this year has been amazing, and further training should ensure success next Easter. There was very little separating the first four at the finish.
The freestyle men were unlucky to strike Duchanan, Auckland's chamption. In each of their events. Buchanan won the 100. 220. and 440 titles with case but O'Flynn, Steart and Ryan were by no means disgraced. With a little coaching in his stroke. O'Flynn should be well up to Tournament standard in the distance events.
Ron Meek, in company with several other members of the team had extremely bad luck. Almost a certainty for second place he was disqualified at the end of the second length for not swimming the correct breast-stroke. Apparently, although his stroke has satisfied officials in the other centres he has not yet learned to swim the Auckland breaststroke.
And what have we got out of Tournament besides Miss Hefford's meritorious but pitiful point?
The most valuable acquisition is experience, especially for Hall. Swimming under Tournament conditions is very different from swimming at club nights: Tournament experience has improved O'Flvnn tremendously and is sure to do the same for Hall.
And next year? Taylor will be eligible next year... And as Horace put it. "Plunge it is the deep—it will come forth more fair: grapple with it—'twill throw to earth with high renown the unscathed conqueror and wage wars for its matrons to tell of."
Isn't that a beautiful thought?