Athletics and Cross Country

The Grove beat the Manor by in the 1st round. They also went on to beat Temple in the semi-final.

The other semi-final was easily won by School House.

The final, between Grove and School House, resulted in a 3-0 victory for School House.

In spite of many other rival activities, the standards system was again embarked upon and successfully concluded in the last 21- weeks of term. After the painful process of getting into condition had been overcome, enormous benefit was derived by scores of boys from this system, and once again the general standard and enthusiasm shown were most heartening.

Since last year a few adjustments had been made in the standard times and measurements, in some cases a levelling up and in others a levelling down, but the overall effect was bound to be negligible. The Rise achieved incredible results, amassing no less than 609 standards at an average of 12.96 per boy, and thus gained a commanding lead in points before Sports Day. Individuals who excelled by gaining maximum points were :—in Set A : Goodburn (R.); in Set B : Roe (T.), Raylor (M.), Fairweather (S.H.), and Nicholson (M.); in Set C : Hawkins (R.); in Set D : Reid-Smith (R.); and in Set E : Maxwell (G.). Seven more boys failed by only one point to reach the maximum, and amongst these the Rise were again well represented.

On Sports Day the only innovation was the raising of the Intermediate age limit from "Under 16' to "Under 16r. This was the result of a Games Committee meeting earlier in the year, and undoubtedly the extension of a further 6 months on to this age-group considerably relieved the strain which had previously been experienced by all Houses.

The superiority of the Rise, well represented in all events, became all the more pronounced as the meeting progressed, for they gained 10 first places and almost succeeded in winning all 3 relay races. The highlight of the meeting, however, was the breaking of 3 past records. Conditions were not favourable for outstanding performances, for the wind was blustery, the track was heavy, and, although for the most part the rain held off, it was distinctly cold. All the more credit, then, must go to the 3 boys, Goodburn, Wall and De Little, who broke the records on such an afternoon, and they are to be congratulated on their fine achievements. M. G. Goodburn's 'Half-mile (Senior) in 2 mins. 9.6 secs. beat by .9 sec. the previous record set up by P. F. Ringrose in 1944, and Ringrose was the first to congratulate him. It was a solo effort entirely; there were no pace-makers, only the clock to give him

'guidance, and it was achieved only as the result of enthusiastic training. We look forward with keen interest to his progress in the Public Schools' Sports at the end of April. J. D. C. Wall's Long Jump (Senior) of 19 ft. I li ins. broke by 1 inch the previous record set up by J. B. Shillitoe in 1939. Again this was only achieved by continuous practice, and it is a record which he may well better next year. Lastly, R. J. De Little's Throwing of the Cricket Ball (Junior) a distance of 73 yds. 2 ft., directly into the face of the wind, was no less an achievement and was better by 1 yd. 18 in. than the previous record set up by D. Thompson in 1946.

The Rise gained an overwhelming lead, being 81 points ahead of their nearest rivals, Temple House, and already it would appear that they are destined to win the Athletic Shield for at least a few more years. The meeting was brought to a close when Mrs. Kershaw kindly presented the Athletic Shield to the Captain of the Rise.

INTER-HOUSE ATHLETICS, 3rd April, 1950

'Standards : Rise 200; Grove 173; Temple 172; Manor 171, School House 163. Senior Mile : 1. Goodburn (R.); 2. Ankers (T.); 3. Ratcliff (M.); 4. White (G.). Time : 4 mins. 55.7 secs. Inter Mile : 1. Gears 1(G.); 2. Lochore (R.); 3. Greenwood (M.); 4. Nicholson (M.). Time : 5 mins. 17 secs. Senior 100 Yards : 1. Kershaw (T.); 2. Roe (T.); 3. Warrington (R.); 4. Ratcliff (M.). Time 11.0 secs. Inter 100 Yards : 1. Wyatt-Gunning (R.); 2. Stead (M.); 3. Markus ,(R.); 4. Weightman (M.). Time 11.8 secs. Junior 100 Yards : 1. Harbottle (T.); 2. Oldroyd (R.); 3. Maxwell (G.); 4. R. N. Johnson (T.). Time : 12.2 secs. Senior High Jump : 1. Amos (R.); 2. Fairweather (S.H.); 3. Osborne (M.) and Oxtoby (T.). Height : 5 ft. 21 ins. Junior Long Jump : 1. Smith ,(R.); 2. Sparham (T.); 3. Oldroyd (R.); 4. R. N. Johnson (T.). Distance : 15 ft. 1 ins. Inter Half Mile : 1. Greenwood (M.); 2. Gears (G.); 3. Lochore (R.); 4. Kelsey (R.). Time : 2 mins. 26.3 secs. Senior Half Mile : 1. Goodburn (R.); 2. Ankers (T.); 3. White (G.); 4. Kendell (G.). Time : 2 mins. 9.6 secs. (Record). "Senior 220 Yards : 1. Kershaw (T.); 2. Roe (T.); 3. Warrington (R.); 4. Blincoe (G.); Time : 24.8 secs. Inter 220 Yards : 1. Wyatt-Gunning (R.); 2. Weightman (M.); 3. Markus (R.); 4. Driver (S.H.). Time : 26.6 secs. junior 220 Yards : 1. Harbottle (T.); 2. Gudgeon (R.); 3. Atkinson (T.); 4. Booth (M.). Time : 27.3 secs. Senior Long Jump : 1. Wall (R.); 2. Kershaw 1(T.); 3. Ratcliff (M.); 4. Watson (R.). Distance : 19 ft. 11 ins. (Record). Inter High Jump : 1. Jackson (S.H.); 2. Stead (M.) and Nicholson (M.); 4. Lochore (R.) and Hunter (G.). Height : 4 ft. 711 ins. Junior Cricket Ball : 1. De Little (M.); 2. Reid-Smith (R.); 3. Beachell (R.); 4. Coates ,(G.). Distance : 73 yds. 2 ft. (Record). Inter 440 Yards : 1. Nicholson (M.); 2. Hawkins (R.); 3. King (S.H.); 4. Driver (S.H.). Time : 60.8 secs.

Junior 440 Yards : 1. Wheatley (R.); 2. Atkinson (T.); 3. Gudgeon (R.); 4. Ford (M.). Time : 62.8 secs. Senior 440 Yards : 1. Goodburn (R.); 2. Blincoe (G.); 3. Warrington (R.); 4. Roe ,(T.). Time: 54.5 secs. Inter Long Jump : 1. Wyatt-Gunning (R.); 2. Stead (M.); 3. Hawkins (R.); 4. Driver (S.H.). Distance : 17 ft. 84 ins. Junior High Jump : 1. Walton (S.H.); 2. Firth (S.H.); 3. Reid-Smith (R.); 4. Smith (R.). Height 4 ft. 44 ins. Junior Relay (4 x 110 Yards): 1. Rise; 2. Temple; 3. Grove; 4. Manor. Time : 54.8 secs. Inter Relay (110 x 440 x 220 x 110 Yards) : 1. Rise; 2. Manor; 3. Grove; 4. School House. Time : 1 min. 58.1 secs. Senior Relay (110 x 440 x 220 x 110 Yards) : 1. Temple; 2. Rise; 3. Grove; 4. Manor. Time : 1 min. 44.7 secs.

House Placings : 1. Rise 3164 points. 2. Temple 2354 points. 3. Manor 2224 points. 4. Grove 2044 points. 5. School House 186 points.

CROSS-COUNTRY, 27th Nbruary, 1950

Over exactly the same course as last year, and in spite of much wishful-thinking on the part of some competitors that the event would be cancelled, the annual cross-country race was duly held in conditions which were neither too trying or exacting for the competitors, nor too perishing for the gloating spectators. The ground was heavy and wet after recent floods, but it was sunny and bright overhead. M. G. Goodburn started again as an undisputed favourite, for M. I. H. Unwin, last year's runner-up, regrettably was not fit enough to compete seriously, and the Grove were the favourites for the CrossCountry Plate.

There were no surprises in store; Goodburn led the field from beginning to end, and cantered home unchallenged in the very creditable time of 23 mins. 54.6 secs., only 12 seconds outside last year's time. The Grove duly filled six of the first fourteen places, and it only remained to calculate second place and receive news of sundry stragglers.

N. M. Hodd ran extremely well to share 2nd place with E. D. Thornton, as did D. H. Holmes to fill 6th place, and many others well worthy of mention. D. Fletcher regrettably stumbled and fell on the outward journey, but one or two others could not find so plausible an excuse for straggling home or failing to finish at all Result :-

Time : 23 mins. 54.6 secs.

1. Goodburn (R.); 2. Hodd (G.) and Thornton (G.); 4. Ankers ,(T.); 5.

Wilson (G.); 6. Holmes (M.); 7. Ratcliff (M.); 8. Kendell (G.); 9.

Raylor (M.); 10. Unwin (G.); 11. Hourigan (T.); 12. Simpson (R.). 47