New-York tribune., 1921-11-13
New York A. c.
Harriers Land
Team Trophy
Finnish Athlete Races 81
Miles in 31:45 Is; Prinl.
Former Title Holder, I'd
By Jack Masters

Running WITH the same POWERFUL,
rhythmic stride that has carried him
to victory in numerous distance clas-
sizes, William Ritola, the slender star
Of the Finnish American A. c., shat
tered the Van Ccrtlandt Park course
record yesterday afternoon in winning
the senior metropolitan cross-country
championship. Ritola flushed the six
mile grind $50 yards ahead Of Ilmar
Prim, q teammate. who established the
former mark for the course last week.
r. Brennan, N. Y. A. c., was third,
about twenty-five yards back.
Ritola went into the lead as soon as
the field of fifty-four barriers straight
ened out and was never headed. His
time was 31:45 1-5, which is 0:37 4-5
faster than the mark established by
Prim in winning the junior title.
Ritola can now boast Of four titles.
for in addition to his new laurels he is
the junior national cross-country cham
pion, five and ten-mile king.
N. Y. A. c. Wins Trophy
Team honors went to the New York
A. c., which finished with men in third.
fourth, fifth, fifteenth and eighteenth
positions for low total of as points.
The Atllro4e A. A. was second and the
Paulist A. c. third. Brennan, Sid Leslie
and George Cornetta were largely re-
sponsible for the excellent showing of
the Winged Footers, this trio finish
ing in third, fourth and fifth places
respectively.
Following the race it was announced
that Ritola and the New York A, C.
team would make the trip to Pitts
burgh, where the senior national cross
country championship will be held
next Saturday
A. Pohring. Morningside A. c.. was
FIRST to show in front when the nm
wieldy pack broke, but as soon as the
field began to string out, Ritola went
into the lead. At the first hurdle.
which is the "a mile mark. the
Finn was leading the procession by
about twenty yards. with Leslie and
Brennan following in the order named.
AT the two-mile post Ritola was
CARRYING the opposition along at a ter
Iinc ciip, and had increased his lead to
twenty-five yards. The positions of
the leaders remained unchanged, but
Prime and Cornetta had left the second
division and were then running a few
yards behind Leslie, the third man.
The completion Of the first leg, or
three miles, found Ritola in front, with
Prim second, thirty yards back Bren-
nan, Leslie. Cornetta and Frank Tit
terton followed in the order named and
all were showing signs of the fast pace
which the leader was setting. Ritola's
time at the halfway mark was 1881.
Disappoints All Opponents
If Ritola's opponents believed that
the little Finn had reached the heighth
of his power during the running of
the first lap and would "come back"
to the field in the final circuit, they
were badly mistaken, for Willie let
out few wraps Immediately at the
start Of the last leg and from that
time on it was just question of how
much he would win by.
At the fve-mile mark all opposition
was a thing of the past and the Finn
was all by himself, IT'S yards-out front.
Intent upon establishing a mark that
would stand for long time Willie put
everything he had into that last mile
and he came over the line like sprin-
ter
Back at the last hurdle prim and
Brennan were engaged in a private
battle for second honors, and it was
not until entering the homestretch that
the issue was decided. Here Brennan
showed the effects Of following Ritola's
burning pace and faltered, Prim get
ting the place.
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