THE WORLD of SPORT CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 68, 22 March 1927, Page 14

THE WORLD of SPORT

CYCLING.

DOMAIN PROSPECTS. BACK MARKERS FANCIED, . WILLIE MACULE'S SUCCESS. (By SPROCKET.) COMING EVENTS. March 2G.—St. Patrick's Day Sports on Domain. April 2.—Si-mile Junior Road Race April 2.—11 Mile Senior Road Race. April 9.—17-Mile Senior Road Race. What promised to be a good day's sport «£i marred by the inelement weather that prevailed over the weekend, thus causing the St. Patrick's Day sports to be postponed until Saturday nest. After glancing through the handicaps one is inclined to think that it will be a day for back-markers, who appear to be very fit just now, while the limits given are of a very modest nature. If he starts, M. P. Byrnes (scr.), will probably have little difficulty in accounting for the one mile event, while Wade and Gore, 4Syds, and H. Dwight, 55yds, on form, should be iiis nearest attendants.

t. Wmmmxek . p Byrnes. \

Bad luck generally 'accompanies Ken Matheson, who, on occasions, can produce a lightning sprint, equal to the best in Auckland. His brilliant performances on Blandford Park prove this, as he was the most successful amateur sprinter competing. Thirty yards start should give Matheson a grand opportunity of being amongst the placed men in the three-quarter mile handicap, the shorter distance being greatly in his favour. A. G. Baird (38yds), and a new rider, N. Crisp (70yds), may be looked upon to show, a good turn of speed in this event. The two-lap race appears very open. This race includes some very fine pedallers and, should the limit boys make use of their handicap, the back markers will not have things all their own way. The former, by pacing together, would develop more speed and consequently would gain a larger pcrcontajro of ins than they otherwise do.

Mathieson.

The nama of M. A. Williams again figures on the programme, after an absence of two or three seasons. This one-time brilliant performer is in strict training for both track and road events, and 45yds in the half-mile, and 85yds in the mile gives liim a reasonable chance of staging a come back.

SOUTHERN AMATEURS. Retaining his New Zealand championshap, form, T Oakley beat all at a recent electric light sports gathering conducted by the Wellington centre, on the Basin Reserve The meeting between Frank Grose, of Canterbury, and the Masterton rider was of special interest, for at a preceding meeting Oakley had beaten the former by narrow margins in the two and three miles cycle handicaps T n first-class 880 yds handicap, both riders won their respective heats in 1.5 2-5 f ro m scratch. In the final Oakley had the mis fortune to fall heavily and Grose had no difficulty in scoring an easy win from C. Flett in the particularly fast time of 1.4. Again in the two-mile event, Grose and Oakley gained the premier position in their heats. The final produced a thrilling sprint. Oakley led at the bell and, although Grose made every effort to overtake the New Zealand champion it was of no avail, and amidst great excitement Oakley flashed over the line barely a length ahead of Grose, with Gane third and McFedries fourth. Undoubtedly the main attraction of the evening was the five miles champion- i ship, i Q "Web such first-class riders as Scarfe, Oakley, Flett, Grose and Gane competed. Although the pace for the race was slow, the fur began to fly with four laps to go, the order past the post h«n<* Morris, Baker, McFedries, Oakley and Grose. The last lap but one found .-Jane in the lead with Grose and Oakley ~Zll back. Scarf e took charge sat the tell followed by Oakley, Carswell, Baker, St and Grose in that order. The last-named pair went up fast along the Sni»k The pace here was a cracker, and Ctoklejr <°°* £• Grose challenged strongly and the pair fought ou a great finish with Oakley half a l«Qgth to the good, white a kngth and aeparated Grose and Fletjfc.

AMONGST THE PROFESSIONAL^. Professional cycling in Auckland is at present dormant, but within the next lew weeks something will most likelv be done by the local oiacials towards opening the road racing season. It mav be mentioned here that Blandford Park will in all probability not be opened before Christmas. The New Zealand phampion, Willie Mackie, added to his collection of blue riband prizes by winning the quartermile Australasian championship held at English Park Stadium, Christchi rch. this meeting being held as a benefi: for this year s Timan to Christchurch road race. Phis race was in four hea , the winners only of each heat starting in the iinal. The names of the heat winners are as follow: First heat. C. f- Parker (33 1-ns); second heat, W. Mackie (39 l-ss); third heat, N. O'Shea (33 3-ss); fourth heat, Goodman (34 2-os). In the final Parker jumped to the front, followed by Mackie O'Shea and Goodman. O'She'a went to the front going down the back and into the straight ahead of Mackie. The pace here was terrific and Mackie, making an almost superhuman effort, caught the judge's eve by a fraction.

OVERSEAS NOTES. The world's junior unpaged record f<# a hundred miles, held by Cyril Jungey, was broken recently at the .Melbourne Motordrome by Bert Withall, a 17-year-old Melbourne amateur. Here is a comparison of the sectional times of the two riders:— DUNGEY. WITHALL. h m s h m s 20 miles .. 053 19 051 18 40 miles . . 147 4."» 140 33 f>o miles .. 244 2<» °41 4s 80 miles .. 344 12 340 IS 100 miles ..4 47 0 4-3 439 49 1-5 7 u U 3 h 5 U bettere(l t!ie Previous record by Willie Spencer is at present the dominating factor in European eyeing. Having won the American sprint title recently for the third time, Spencer is at present in Paris, where he .vo the Continental winter sprint championship, previously won by him in 1323. The six finalists, with their respective points, resulted as follows: Spencer (America) 15 points; Martinette (Italy) 12 points; Moeskops and Leene (Holl.-nd) 6 points each; Haufmann (Switzerland) and Degrave (Belgium) 3 points at:.. Willie Spencer is described as being a stylist, while the majority of the other European champions are at times very patchy. Jumbo Wells (Nev Zealand), racing in Australia, surprised the critics when* he won the one mile professional handicap at the Melbourne Exhibition Oval. It was generally considered that off 60vds "Jumbo" did not have a 'dog's" show, but, riding with splendid judgment throughout, he was too fast for Purser (140 yds) when it came to the final dash. Wells was given a rousing reception from the crowd, who \ re pL ised to see our New Zealand rider once in the limelight. °