THE COTTONIAN   71

Each House has scored nineteen points, so that the final result of the competition will depend upon the following three bouts which will take place next term : Hartley (C) z'. Kearns (\l), Fitzpatrick (M) v. Taylor (B), and Bright (B) v. Pittman (C).

A.W.E.

CROSS COUNTRY NOTES

SCHOOL v. AN O.C.T.U. TEAM.

THE Cross Country season opened early this year with a race against an O.C.T.U. team on November 26th. Although the weather was ideal for running, continual rain on the previous day had made the course very heavy going. The School team ran well and at, the outset maintained a good uphill pace. Before long Grealy was leading well, followed by Parson, McCartie, Hartley and Quinn. This order was maintained to the finish, so that the School obtained the first five places. Grealy, the winner, completed the course in the excellent time of 33 mins. 52.3 secs., and the final score showed a victory for Cotton by 100 points to 71.

SCHOOL v. BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY
HARRIERS

The second Cross Country race of the season on March 7th was again favoured with Spring-like weather, although the course was in poor condition. Although the times did not reach the high standard of the previous match, they were good in view of the heavy ground. Grealy, Parson and Hartley did well to keep the lead and finished first, second and third. The time was 34 "'ills. 1q.$ secs., and the School team won by 16 points.

SCHOOL v. FLEET AIR ARM CADETS.

Twenty runners took part in the race against the Fleet Air Arm Cadets on March 14th. On a course which was in better condition than it had been all the season, Grealy immediately took the lead and returned the excellent time of 33 mins. 54.2 sets. The School team obtained the following places :-1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 18th, 19th. The School won handsomely by 40 points.

THE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY RACE.

After a long spell of perfect weather, the break came on March 31st, just in time for the School Cross Country race, which was run on a very muddy course in a continual downpour of rain. Despite the dismal conditions, one hundred and thirty-five runners competed, and the results were remarkably good. Grealy (13) completed the Upper School

course in 33 nuns. 34 secs., followed by Parson

Major (C) (34 mins. 28 secs.), Hartley, (C), Smith (13) and McCartie (C). The Lower School race was won by M. Parson (Dl), who finished the course in the very good time of IS mins. 4.2 sees. He was followed by O'Reilly (B), Fitzpatrick (M), Kennedy (M) and McKenna (B). This year, in order to encourage as many competitors as possible to run for their respective Houses, half-points wee given to Upper School runners who finished the course in under 45 mins., and to Lower School runners who finished in under 25 mins.

The points for the House competition were as follows :

TOTAL: MILNER 1(145 CHALLONER 153 BOWDON   128z

RUGBY FOOTBALL

UPlayed 9. Won 6. Lost 2. Drawn 1. Points for-- 172 ; Points against-41. UNDER war-tine conditions, it is never easy

to write a really fair criticism of a School XV, and in regard to the season just completed, it is particularly difficult. Comparatively few matches were played. The club fixtures, which always do so much to improve the standard of school football, were inevitably lacking, while travelling difficulties were really acute and undoubtedly prevented on occasion the School side, or its opponents, from showing their true form. Under the existing conditions, therefore, perhaps the fairest judgment would be that the 1941-2 XV was certainly a good side and rather above the average. We leave unanswered tempting