The VUW Harrier Club recently held its annual Endeavour Cup race. This 7% mile handicap race starts and ends opposite the Robert Stout Building, the course passing through Kelburn and Northland.

The 1970 winner was Tony Woolhouse. Running with Martin Fisher off six minutes he had caught the rest of the field by the summit of Tinakori Hill, except Conor McBride (off 25 minutes).

Tony beat Martin home by 24 seconds. Third home off a 5 minute handicap was Brian Dawkins, 59 seconds behind Martin.

Fastest time was recorded by Eric Cairns (off 2 minutes) reducing the club record by 51 seconds to 44 min 54 seconds. Second fastest time was recorded by Ian Stockwell (45 min 18 sec) who also broke the old record. Third fastest was Tony Woolhouse.

Fresher Bernie O'Donnell on the basis of his run here where he recorded a 9th fastest time was awarded the Cairns Cup for the most improved harrier this season.

A notable absentee from this race was Ian Hunt who was up in Napier competing in the Hawkes Bay 10 mile road champs where he finished second.

10 Mile Road Champs

The race this year was run over the new course at Rongotai (four 2½ mile laps). The Victoria runners improved on the 1969 performance by finishing fourth in the teams event.

First home for Vic was Ian Hunt (9) with a time of 53min 42 sec. Next was Ian Stockwell (14). Third man was George Seconi (23). Others to finish were Tony Woolhouse, Roger Clark, Tony Burge, Bernie O'Donnell and Tony Hirst.

20 Mile Gold Cup

This race run over a cross country road course at Trentham consists of four 5 mile laps. The conditions this year were atrocious with a cold wind blowing and muddy patches on the cross country section over three feet deep in parts.

The Vic runners to a large degree found the conditions very taxing. Ian Hunt, Tony Woolhouse and Eric Cairns being forced to withdraw at the 15 mile mark.

However, veterans Jim Callaghan and Roger Clark, plus Phil Williams and Martin Fisher managed to see out the distance and finish this exhausting race which was the last of the harrier season.

—Ian Stockwell.

The 1970 season was one of mixed success for the Victoria University Rugby Club with few teams performing consistently well throughout the season. The most successful team was undoubtedly the Junior 3 "A" team led by G. Langford and R. Trott. This team was the only club team to win its grade and the Mackay Memorial Shield, (given to the team putting up the best performance in the season), was a just and widely approved reward for the Junior 3 "A's."

The Senior "A" team performed well, if a little inconsistently. The team did however, gain 3rd placing in the Jubilee Cup competition and went down by only 3—0 to Petone in the final. To the coach of the Senior A team, Mr G. Jensen who retired from coaching at the end of the season, a note of thanks is extended from the club. It is known that he will continue his good work with the club in other fields. Finally congratulations to Graham Wallis and Grant Batty of the Senior "A" team who were awarded trophies for the best player on and off the field, and the best player in his first year out of school respectively.

The Senior "B" and Senior "C" teams occasionally realized the potential they undoubtedly had, but this did not happen enough to place either team anywhere near the top of their grades. Lower grade teams to perform well were the Junior 5 "A's" and the Junior 7th team with the Junior 1sts and Under 19's also showing considerable promise.

The rather mediocre performance of the club as a whole is evident in the club's position in the Championship Points Table. Wellington Club won the Points Championship with its 16 teams gaining a total of 340 championship points. Upper Hutt, with the same number of teams finished second only five points behind Wellington. Third was University, with its 16 teams gaining 245 points-95 behind the winner, despite having the same number of teams entered. The number of points lost through teams defaulting games in University vacation is to some degree responsible for this poor showing. However, it would appear that the structure of the University Club is largely to blame-there are too many "social" teams. The structure of the Club is also hampering the development of, especially, the Senior "B" and Senior "C" teams. A considerable number of good players are playing lower grade rugby when it would be of benefit to the club that they make themselves available for selection in Senior teams This is a problem that the club has faced for many years, however few would condemn club players for placing their studies before their sport.

Although the performance of the club on the field this season was mediocre, the 1970 season has proved a huge success for the club socially. The additions to the club's social facilities at the Boyd-Wilson Field, in the form of an extra room, complete interior redecorating, an efficient bar and an open time, have proven a great success. A facility such as this which allows the whole club to gather after the match on Saturdays, is of great benefit to the club in fostering a strong club spirit. A note for next season: a scoreboard will be placed in the social rooms in time for next year's opening matches.

Rugby 1971

An early start to the 1971 season has been organised with pre-season training runs starting on the first day of enrolment—these will be held down at Boyd Wilson field under the guidance of several Senior A players and ex—All Blacks such as Mick Bremner, Bill Clark and Bob Stuart. It is hoped that trials will be played as soon as the term begins so players will be placed into teams well before the season starts (the Orientation Handbook will contain further information as to times and organisers of each training run). With the clubrooms as attractive as they now are the Rugby Club expects to have an even greater number of teams next year—all those wishing or intending to form a social team are advised to contact Ian Dunn as early next year as possible (phone 66959). The Club has already announced its coaches for 1971 and is expectant of an extremely good response from students to play "serious" rugby, especially with the preseason training schedule being under way already.