Athletics (British Sports Library)

122 ATHLETICS teach his relay runners is the proper method of passing and receiving the baton, which is carried and passed on by the runners from beginning to end of the race. The special rules of relay racing require that stations for teams shall be drawn for, and each team retain its station throughout the race. Lines parallel to the side of the track must be drawn to denote stations, and also lines 10 yards on each side of and parallel to the starting-line of each relay. Failure to hand over the baton within the 20 yards zone disqualifies the team, and no waiting relay is allowed to run back of the line 10 yards behind the starting-line to relieve the approaching relay, nor is any member of a team allowed to run two relays. It is customary for the baton to be not more than 11· 81 inches in length, and not less than 1·769 ounces (50 grammes) in weight. Teams should always practise with the proper baton, otherwise the official baton will feel strange in the hand upon the day of competition. They must also learn to pass the baton from one to the other with perfect sureness, for an ineffective pass may mean the loss of from 1 to 5 yards at any of the exchanges. Before detailing the makings of success in relay racing let us consider a few of the points upon which a race may be won or lost.