Sporting and Athletic Records

H U R D L E S I.—BRITISH AMATEUR RECORDS II.—AMERICAN AMATEUR RECORDS O WING to the different conditions of Hurdle racing in England and America comparisons between British and American performances are apt to be misleading. In the States all Hurdle races are run on cinder tracks, in England they are nearly always run on grass. Naturally under these circumstances American times rule faster than English. Another important difference is that in America the Hurdles have a moveable top rail, whereas the English Hurdles, driven firmly into the ground, present a rigid obstruction for their full height (3ft. 6in.). The know­ ledge that the top rail if touched will come away, instead of bringing you down, as it would probably do if fixed, must influence in favour of closer jumping and consequently greater speed, the runner's forward spring. This again tends to make American times over 3ft. 6in. hurdles somewhat faster than English. It is worth while, however, to draw attention to the following salient points. At the best known distance, i.e., 120 yards with 10 hurdles 3ft. 6in. high, the American champion S TEPHEN C HASE is , /s sec. faster than G ODFREY S HAW, the English champion, on a cinder track; but on grass S HAW appears to be the same amount faster than C HASE. At a quarter mile with 10 hurdles 3ft. high, the best English time *77 12