Difficult Going Experienced in Country as a Result of]
Recent Rainfall: On Ah Pack Win Team Honours [PRODUCING a better spurt in the last quarter mile, W. L. Woo passed H. Z. New 300 yards from the finish and went on to breast the tape five yards ahead of his opponent thereby winning the coveted Shanghai Cross Country Championship from the large field which turned out for the event on March 21. Tne winner who came in second in last year's race, achieved his ambition as a result of his success, and added to this performance a new Cross Country record, as his new time of 29 min. 433/10 secs, is nearly ten seconds better than the old record established by, L. Wong last Second (o W. L. Woo was H. 2. New, the "most improved of this year's runners. New led in the losing phases of the race and was only passed by Woo just outside the Hongkew Park gates as the two run-hers spurted for the finish. His time of 29 min. 46 1/5 sec. Is better than ast year's record. 7, K. Mao. was third, slightly ahead ofS. V. Ling. the third and fourth "runners being ten yards behind the Mrst two, while Gusbakh Singh took fifth place, 25 yards behind the winner. ¥. W, Kwan was. sixth followed in by D. A, Lee, L. Chang, K.P. Lee and Pte, Walleer of the Loyals' in order. The feld straggled out thereafter, but over 100 competitors finished the six mile course in fairly good time.
The On Ah team who ran under the name of Yih Ping Inst year, won the-team competition, scoring a total of 116 points to the 117 gained by the Shanghai Athletic Club Blue team. In view of the very narrow margin of victory, the Athletic Club Wore particularly unfortunate in that they nominated I. Neubourg for their second team, the Reds." This young and promising runner came in 27th ana had he been included in the senior team would have assured 1¢, Club of their vielory. The Loyals 'A" wore third with a total.of 174 points and the Hongkew Cross Country Club were fourth with 210 points.
Although W. I, Woo was not the favourite, ho was given a good chance
of his good performance last' year.
cing well up, especially tu view He ran avery clever race, staying In the second bunch at the start and moving up to contest the lead halt way, being always in the running so to be in a position to make his successful bid at the Anish.
New, who only started in competitive running this" year brought off the Diggest. surprise by placing second and nearly winning, both Z. K, Mao and S. V, Ling being seasoned. runners, who had been expected to be well' up.
Gurbaich Singh confirmed expecta tons that he would be well in the running for honours... L. Wong the favourite and winner fOr the prt vious two years, finished twelfth. He found the going in the country. une sullable for his spiked shoes and he discarded them, running the remain der of the distance in bare feet. When he came on the road from the coun tty, he was about a quarter mile be hina the leaders and contented him: self with shepherding in his team males, a8 he was too far behind at this stage to have much chance of catching the eventual winners, Loyals Fell Back The outstanding Loyals runners found the forced pace carly in the race loo much for them, and the heavy state of the country stowed them up. considerably. Their three leading men, Astley, Walker and Shuttleworth were well up, running strongly together half way through the rage, But they were unable to slay with the leaders on the road and Tell back.
The team spirit was very noticeable earlier in. the race. The Club Blue team set the pace early on, and their faster men bunched together, followed by the faster of the On Ah team, Thereafter followed the slow-of the three stronger teams, and at a respectable distance behind, the Loyals main pack ran well together.
Following them were the Club Reds, also kept bunched together, and at their heels, the Police Cadets followed by the Shanghai Middle School, Once in the country, the individual stars went out ahead, and their team mates did their best to stay with them, the gradual seeding out of the better men splitting up the teams, although those that were behind, at the start, Kept well to gether right up to the finish.
Large Spectatorate A large crowd turned out atthe West gate of the Hongkew Park to see the Meld get away and promptly at 11" o'clock, they went off at a fast pace with A. Seaborn, the Club captain leading the way, closely fol-Yowed by Gurbakh Singh. Rounding into the old Kiangwan Road, K. S. Van went ahead, but at the Rifle Range Butts, Seaborn had reestabyear.
Hished his tead closely followed by TI, Wong, XS. Van, Some Shanghai Athletic Club, is seen leading with Gurbakh Singh in close attendance. fen "yards behind were another bunch including W. ¥. Koo, Gurbakh Singh, H. 2. New, Z. KO. Mao. Slightly behind were 'S. V. Ling, W. L.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.