CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 90, 17 April 1929, Page 16

CYCLING.

WITH THE AMATEURS.

RACING IN THE RAIN. THE AUCKLAXD-WELLING TON" RIDE. FIXTURES. Wednesday. April 17.—Henderson Club's Prize divine Niuht at Henderson Town I la 11. Thursday. April is. —S. Wright leaves Auckland Post Ollice at 110011 for Wellington. Saturday. April L!o. — Five and a-half Miles Junior and Miles Open Road Races. Sunday. April J I.— Club run Muriwai Beach leave Ponsonby Reservoir at 7.-'Jo a.m. Conditions last Saturday were most uninviting, and it was only the enthusiasm of the members of the Manukau 'Amateur Cycling Club wiio journeyed out to -Mangere central in torrential rain that permitted the club's ollicials to carry 011 with the programme. The success of any club is largely dependent on tho enthusiasm of the members, and the Manukau Llub is fortunate in this direction. it must lie remembered that a race was held every Saturday afternoon during the last season. On 110 occasion was it found necessary to abandon a

race, although wretched weather was often experienced. The club ruling stating that "if live or more members are willing to start in a road race the race will be held'' influences many in their decisions 011 such davs as last Saturday.

The motor races which were to be Jield at the Mangere speedway, where the Manukau Club had been granted per-mis-sion to conduct a three-lap race, and naturally to be postponed. The weather through the week was threatening and anticipating a postponement of the motor sports the officials of the Manukau Club made provision for members in case of emergency. A distinct advantage of the tar-sealed Mangere circuit is that the surface is not detrimentally a fleeted for cycling by heavy rains. There was one consolation in Saturday's racing conditions, the absence of a high wind.

The novice race over eleven miles was almost a one-man race. R. C. Foiibistcr (:t(is) was prominent throughout the event. Eleven started in the race and tho leaders the first time round were 11. Farter (2.45) and A. \\ . Mackrell (2.:!(>). with C. ,T. Wood (2.30) and H. H. Camp (2.45) in close attendance. W. Clarke l.'i.l'O. the limit rider, was overhauled on the first lap. Foubister passed along 50s behind the leaders and recorded the, good time of 14.1ti for his first five miles and a-half. F. .T. Casey and C. <!. Calbraith, the scratch men, lost 20s on Foubister, who rode his lap alone. This fact will give some idea of the capabilities of Foubister as an unpaeed rider, l-oubister was \\ith tho leaders early in the tinal lap. When lie leached the loaders he remained with them for a short period to get a "breather,"' then went out with a burst of speed, gradually leaving the opposition behind. He was making a determined effort to score fastest time as well as a win, so naturally it was not in his interest to stay with the front markers for long, for their pace was too slow for bis purpose. He won the race by a margin of -12s from H. Farrer. Never before has such a decisive victory been scored in a road race at Mani gore. Foubister made his first appearance this season 011 Saturday. His riding in tho rr.ee was a revelation to many, and several consider that he will feature on tho scratch mark before many more races are decided. I.ast year ho competed fairly regularly but met with no success. Besides winning so easily, be recorded fastest time in 28.55. The

merit of this ride may bo gauged when it is mentioned that the record for the distance of eleven miles stands at 25.50, and was established under perfect racing conditions. H. Farrer and C. T. Wood were both competing in their second road race, and made a fine finish for second place, the issue being in doubt right up to the finishing line, where Farrer triumphed bv a wheel. The 17 miles open race drew* a field ot IS and provided an exceedingly close finish. Tho handicapping proved wellnigh perfect and had the day been as good it is doubtful whether the road would liavo accommodated the finishing bunch, which would have been double that of last week's. The interval between the winner and the scratch man (-T. \\ hitten), who finished fourth, was 12s. which, converted to distance, would be 140 yards. The first lap was naturally led by the limit men off 4.15; the two-minute men. from whom came the eventual winner, passed 40s later and were lapping fast. Whitten returned the fastest figures for the first circuit in 14.20. but his nearest bunch, the 45s men, H. R. Dwight, H. G. Brewin. C. Francis and F. .T. Casey, who retired at this stage through mechanical trouble, were only 5s slower. Important changes took place on the second lap, when the two-minute riders took the lead. Wliitehouse (2m), who. by the way,

established a school record for two miles at the Technical College Sports last Wednesday, fell at the Robertson Road corner, but remounted and continued, losing 30s during the process. The leaders entered the third lap 1.15 ahead of Whitten, whose time for two laps was 20."). The closing stages of the race saw the two-minute men still at the head of affairs, and the final issue rested with this group. In scoring his second victory this season R. R. Watson put in a strong finishing effort to stall off C. Harris, who pressed him hard over the last furlong. Watson's riding has shown wonderful improvement over that of last season. In winning two road races in succession he has achieved a feat which has very rarely been recorded in road competition. He attributes his early success to consistent training well before the road racing commenced in earnest. The second and third men, C. Harris and H. Russell, both off 2m. are hard workers and fond of making the pace. In fact, it was the fast bat set by the above two that was responsible for keeping off the back-markers on Saturday. Last July Harris started his road career, his first placing being in the 25 miles race to Papakura and back, when he was third off 8m on August 11; then on September 15, riding off in a 28-mile evnt, he came second. Russell's only success last season was the winning of a 22-mile "time trial" handicap off Tin on July 28. J. Whitten. who registered the fastest time in 4.'?.27. rode alone off scratch and was rapidly decreasing the leaders' margin over the filial stages of the event, just failing to catch H. Russell, who finished less than one hundred yards ahead of him. Whitten had a fine list of road

performances to his credit. Perhaps the most meritorious ride of his career was the winning of the Auckland 50 miles provincial amateur championship road race on October fi. 192*, when he also returned fastest time ill 2.1(>, a record for the Epsom to Clevedon and hack course. Then 011 July 2S, ID2S, in a 22mile "time trial," in which competitors ride unpaeed against the watch, he returned ~i5,37, heating his nearest opponent. .7. H. Wade, by over a minute. Whitten has commenced the season well; Saturday was his lirst ride. Wade, who has had a record season 011 the track, has been advised to rest for a few weeks, after which he will resume activities. It will be good to witness the friendly rivalry between Wade and Whitten, the I scratch markers, once again.

A popular member of the Port Xichol- I soil Amateur Koad Cycling Club. S. Wright, will be leaving the Auckland tipost otlice at K a.m. on Thursday in his attempt to lower the Auckland to Wellington cycle record. He will be followed throughout by an official car containing Mr. If. lb McFredries and Mr. Coudunan. two well-known personalities in the cycling sport of Wellington. Wright has set himself a fairly comfortable schedule and allows fourteen hours for rest, seven at Awakino and another seven at Wanganui. The headlights of the following car will greatly a ssist him in "Minding the road" at night. The moral support, too. will be another factor that should assure him a successful and record trip. The present record is held by H. <1. lirewin. who took ti'i hours for the 474 miles. Brew in will sot out at 1 a.m. on February 20. l!»2«). wlirn he made the record, and was unaccompanied and also met with tyre trouble 2."> miles out of Wellington, which co-t him live hours before he could continue. S. Wright will be the first Southerner to attempt the long journey by cycle, ami Auckland riders are showing keen interest in the attempt. Wright has been training hard for the occasion, and a fortnight ago rode up to Foxton and back, a distance of ISO miles. He rode over the I'aekakarikis on both tilt; outward and inward trip from Wellington, 110 mean feat, as one familiar with this famous climb will admit.

Next Saturday a 22-mile senior race and a oCniile junior race are set down for decision. The present record time for the former distance stands to the credit of J. H. Wade at I.