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Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 253, 1 November 1897, Page 2

Some fine riding and unusually keen finishes were the chief features of the Auckland Cycling Club's Carnival in the Domain on .Saturday afternoon. The attendance was good, but would certainly have been much larger had the weather not been so 'uh&ttled in the early part of the afterriobh. '' Those who chancq}j'_. the rain, however;, were amply rewarded, for the weather cleared up beautifully^.-ater on. That, the" five or six thousand people present thoroughly enjoyed the racing was evident from the excitement which marked the finish of almost every race. The two - mile Challenge Shield scratch race was won by A. R. Barker, who sprinted away from Clarkson in the last lap. The pacing of the Dunlop triplet in this race did not appear to give general satisfaction, and the pacing machine was not used in the succeeding events. Barker also Avon the fiye-mile scratch race after a magnificent tussle with T. Clarkson. The two Christchurch cracks went to the front in the last lap, and a ding-dong race up the straight ended in Barker's favour by barely half a wheel, amidst tremendous cheering. A small army of admirers carried the little champion shoulder high to his tent at the close of the race. Angus Campbell rode pluckily both in this event and in the Challenge Race, and his victory in the two-mile Club Championship was a very popular one. This was a splendid race, and the cheering was. intense when Campbell shot past the post less than a wheel ahead of Hendry, after a hot spurt up the straight. In the handicap events the most successful rider was J. Chalmers, who won the Cycling Club Handicap (three distances) with a total of 13 points. He came first in the miie and 2.mile and finished second in the 3-mile. W. F. Ramsay was second with a total of 6 points, and McDowell third with 5 points, and Irwin fourth with 3 points. The Auckland Wheel Race brought out a large field—as indeed did all the cycling events—and proved one of the best races of the day, the first three men finishing in a bunch. The winner, G. Hyauiason, rode a fine race, and well deserved his vicl-ory. It was rather a pity that so many of the events were all the same distance, two miles. In a programme of ten cycle races no less than five were two-mile events, and, exclusive of the maiden handicap, only one one-mile race, undoubtedly the most popular distance, was run during the afternoon. In other respects the programme was excellently arranged. In the pedestrian events W. Reilly carried off tbe honours, winning the 75yds and 100 yds handicaps. G. Wareham did a great performance in the 250 yds handicap, which event he won from scratch in 25 l-sth sec. Wareham was conceding starts up to 35yds. An enjoyable feature of the sports was the clever trick-riding of Messrs W. J. White and R. Hendry, which was much admired. All the details of the meeting were admirably carried out by the Club officials, who all worked hard to ensure the success of the gathering. The Newton Brass Band supplied pleasant music during the afternoon. ,'„._;_.

The following events were decided after we went to press on Saturday i£Z !_.:_C N

One Mile Walk Handicap.= r< &,„Bcll (15yds), 1; J. A. Tonson (190vds),'2; T. Johnson(4oyds), 3. Bell passedlonsonin the third lap, and won as he liked by about 30 yds. Two Mile Challenge Shield Scratch Race.—A. 11. Barker (Christchurch C.C.), 1; T. Clarkson (Christchurch C.C.), 2; J. W. Blade (Carterton C.C.), 3. Time, smin 40 2-sth sec. Angus Campbell darted away with the lead, but after going strong for a couple of laps he was caught by Barker and Clarkson and fell back out of the race. The two Christchurch cracks were taken along by the Dunlop triplet at a strong pace, with Blade and McDowell in close attendance. The latter spurted ahead in the last lap but one, but Barker and Clarkson caught him again and the three rode together till the bell rang, when the Christchurch men drew away. Coming round the bend Barker sprinted away from Clarkson, who was pretty well exhausted, and won rather easily. Blade was third and McDowell fourth. Aulsebrook, P. Smith, Peacock and Thacker were nonstarters, and the others dropped out during the race.

100 Yds Handicap. — First heat:" A. Boyce (12yds), 1; F. H. Somers (10yds), 2. Time, 10 4-5 sec. Second heat: W. H. McPike (Byds), 1; A. W. Watts (7yds), 2. Time, 10 3-5 sec. Third heat: W. Reilly (16yds), 1; T. Speer (11yds), 2; H.Lee (7yds), 3. Time, 10 1-5 sec. Final: Reilly, 1. Somers, 2 ; McPike, 3. Time, lOsec. Won by about half a yard, wich the third man very close up.

Half-mile Bicycle Handicap. — First Heat: J. B. O'Sullivan (70yds), 1; F. Rose (70yds), 2; W W. Aulsebrook (45yds), 3. Time, lmin 18 2-sth sec. Second Heat: P. Smith (45yds), 1; G. Wilkinson (50yds), 2; A. J. Campbell (30yds), 3. Time, lmin 15 4-sth sec. Third Heat: H. Lyon (25yds), 1; H. Ritchie (60yds), 2; C. Curteis (45yds), 3. Time, lmin 15 l-sth sec. Final, first five in each heat to start: C. Curteis, 1 ; H. Ritchie, 2; W. F. Ramsay, 3. Time, lmin 14 3-sth sec. This was one of the best races of the afternoon. Curteis' got home about a wheel ahead of Ritchie, with Ramsay a very close third. Boys' Half - mile Bicycle Handicap (under 16 years).—W. Hendry (30yds), 1; H. Miller (scratch), 2; E. Stone (30yds), 3. Time, lmin 27 2-sth sec. Won easily. H. Miller, the scratch man, rode a good race. Nine started.

150 Yards Handicap.—F. H. Somers (15 yds). 1; A. W. Watts (10yds), 2; T. Speer (16yds), 3. Time, 15sec. Seven started in this event.

Five Mile Interprovincial Scratch-- Race. —A. R. Barker;(Christchurch C.C v )pl jT. Clarkson (Cliris'tchurch C.C.), 2; a .|£. J. Campbell (Atifeldaii dC. C.), 3. TimeS S_flin: 2 4-55ec..,-Tiie~prii-p offered by the.-Dpjiiop Tyre Company tor the rider who passed the winning pbsfcldr&i the/ greatest number of times was won by Blade, who led during 16 laps. Campbell, Hendry, Peacock and Ritchie also started. Peacock took the lead at the start, and held the position for the first mile, followed by Barker and Clarkson. In the fifth lap Blade took up the running, and Clarksonreplacedßarker, with Ritchie fourth. The field kept well together, and the position remained unchanged till the fourth mile, .vhen McDowell went to the front. Entering on the last lap, Clarkson and Barker spurted away from the field, and riding wheel to wheel, fought out another desperate finish up the straight, Barker crossing the line a bare half-wheel ahead of Clarkson. Campbell, who rode a plucky race, was a good third, and McDowell finished fourth.

Two Mile Club Handicap (for members of Auckland Cycling Club only).—W. F. AVilson (210 yds), 1; P. Smith (30yds), 2; B. Wyllie (200 yds), 3 ; F. Rose (180 yds), 4. Time, smin 36 3-sth sec. Nineteen started. Wilson, the limit man, was never caught, and won with plenty to spare. Smith and Wyllie had a good fight for second place. Curteis and Irwin fell in the fourth lap, and in the last lap Brook also came to grief.

250 Yards Handicap. —G. Wareham

(scratch), 1; C. R. Waddel (35yds), 2; T. ISpeer (27yds), 3. Time, 25 l-sth sec. | Wareham, the scratch man, came through the field in great style, and won a fine race by a yard from Waddel, who was on the limit mark. . Auckland Wheel Race (two miles handicap).— G. Hyauiason (100 yds), 1; C. Curteis (150 yds), 2; R. Hendry (80yds), 3. Time, smin 16 l-sth sec. Twenty-eight riders competed in this event, and the large field made the race very effective from a spectacular point of view. D. Hyauiason and Wyllie led for the first mile, when the former dropped back, and Irwin and McDowell moved up next to Wyllie. The scratch men, Barker and Clarkson, gave up during the second mile. When the bell rang for the last lap Hendry was leading, with McDowell and Curteis in close attendance. Aulsebrook spurted at the last corner, but could not last, and Hyauiason, Curteis and Hendry fought out a fine finish up the straight, crossing the line in a bunch in the order named. Aucldand Cycling Club Handicap (second distance, two miles).—J. Chalmers (130 yds), 1; W. F. Ramsay (130 yds), 2 ; G. H. Lethaby (120 yds), St&fpTto* sroin ; , 23sec. Eleven started. !l Iri'W'e last lap Ramsay and Chalmers spurted away from Lethaby, and a sharp struggle for first ■ place ended in Chalmers getting past the ■ judges a wheel's length ahead of Ramsay, Lethaby finished third, close up to the other two. Two Mile Club Championship (Club ■ members only).—A. J. Campbell, 1; R- . Hendry, 2; G. Hyauiason, 3. Time smin ■51 3-sth sec. P. Smith lap prize, 6 lapsP. Smith won the special lap prize presented ■■ by Mr G. Henning, passing the winning post first six times out of eight. Six started. Smith made the .pace for the greater part of the distance, giving place to ■ Chainey at a mile and a half. The field bung well together right through till ■ the last lap. Chatney was still ahead when the bell rang, followed closely by Smith, . Campbell, and Hyauiason. Racing round the last bend Campbell with a fine spurt caught the leaders, and won a splendid race by a wheel from Hendry, amidst great i excitement. Quarter-mile Handicap.—W. A. Worrall . (45yds), I; D. Somers (40yds), 2; A. W. Watts (22yds), 3.. Time, 49 3-5 sec. ! Worrall, the limit man, had a fairly easy . win. Wareham got a bad start, and gave i up after going 300 yards. Multicycle Race (two miles, handicap).— - Five tandems and a triplet entered. i Barker and Clarkson (scratch) went to the front in the fifth lap, and finished ahead of i Hendry and Chainey (50yds), with Campi bell and Trendall (30yds) third. The rest of the field, including the triplet, were 1 nowhere.

Auckland Cycling Club Handicap (third distance, three miles).—J. McDowell (100 yds), 1 ; J. Chalmers (230 yds), 2; J. W. Blade (165 yds), 3. Time, Bmin 19 2-ssec Thirteen started. Clarkson retired at the third lap, and Barker followed*suit at the end of a mile. D. Hyauiason, the limit man, led for about ten laps, when he was caught by McDowell and Blade. Entering on the last lap McDowell, who was leading, spurted away, with Blade and Chalmers in hot pursuit, and the race ended in McDowell getting the verdict by about 13 yards from Chalmers, while Blade beat Ramsay for third place.