CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 196, 20 August 1930, Page 18

CYCLING.

WITH THE AMATEURS.

THE WEEK-END RACING.

FIXTURES

Saturadv, August '_'3.-Ifive Miles Junior and 20 Miles Senior, 2 p.m. . ■•■ Sunday, August 24.—Club Kuu to Hobsonville, leaving Ponsonby Reservoir at SaUirdav, August SO.-Five Miles Junior and 30 Miles Senior.

"There must be a 'Jonah' among our ranks," several of the senior members of the Manukau Amateur Cycling Uud were heard to remark last Saturday afternoon, when.rain began to fall just as they were lining up for their Aomiler over five laps of the Mount Roskill circuit. But fortune smiled upon the juniors, whose 5-miler was decided before the senior event. The "juveniles had dry roads to race over, even though rain- clouds hovered above and a cold nor'-westerly blew to their detriment over the last couple of miles of ■ the

circuit. The juniors took quite a time to get going on the new course, but once.-they commenced racing again, all who- had any association with them at Mangere knew that they would keep going once started. And they are upholding thenreputation for consistency. Saturday saw nine of them out, the best entry for any of the three events held to date. N. East was the newcomer to their ranks on' Saturday. The last of the nine to be dispatched was H. V. Gordon, who was standing starts up to 4m. J. R. Bowen and P. H. Bicknell were the limit riders off the 4m mark. There was none more delighted at the close finish among the juniors last week than Handicappcr Auckram. It was a finish amply compensating him for the hours of work and thought he had devoted-to the adjustments, and he has good cause to be satisfied with the result of his labours. All nine were in the finishing straight when the winner crossed the line, and only a short interval separated the nine. Tho handicapper deserved to be complimented on this occasion, for he had had only two previous events to "go on" to frame his handicaps from. Xow that he has them just about "0.K.," some good fast sprinting finishes may be expected when a junior race concludes. There is little glory to a rider who wins a short five-mile race by "streets." Budge's Second Win. S. F. Budge, 2m, came to light again last week, but his win on this occasion was not of the runaway variety which characterised his victory in the opening race for the juniors, at Mount Roskill. He won by 7s (round about 70yds when converted to distance) from co-marker W. Webb, with whom he paced the first four miles. Probably his more solid build helped him considerably to pound tho pedals around faster than his immediate opponent against the half-size gale over the last stretch. Three junior races, and Budge with two wins and a third, places him at the top of tho ladder. His time was 14m. 565, an improvement of 13s over that which permitted him to win the opening race when riding off 3m. And again, Saturday was no record breaking day. Training has brought W. Webb (2m) yet another placing. Ho was second to Budge last Saturday. He won the week before off 3m 30s, with a time of 10m 325, whereas" he took 15m 3s this time. The reduction of f lm 29s in his time alone amply illustrates that he is fast developing into a champion junior road rider.

Gordon Fastest by Small Margin. The fastest time issue was an open one last week. H. V. Gordon (scr) had a worthy rival in A. W. Robinson, who rode off. 455. Gordon just managed to gain the honour with a time of 14m 7s, the eight bare seconds faster than that of Robinson. Robinson, by the way. holds the junior lap record in 14m 2s. In all probability the pair will be seen on scratch before many more races are decided, and thus added interest will be lent to the junior races. The two form a striking contrast in physique. Gordon is short and wiry, while Robinson is fairly tall for a lad of fifteen and solidly built. At present Gordon enjoys the advantage of experience gained from two seasons of racing, accompanied by many successes. Another Long Senior Race. Seniors to tho number of 15 started in the 25-miler last week. Only eight of them completed the full distance, a face which should convey some idea of the difficulties imposed by the' heavy rain and strong wind over the final stages of each of the , five laps which had to be covered. Four —R. T. Baston, G. P. Clark, C. Hansen and C. A. Clarke—rode off limit (9m), while tho scratch mark was occupied by R. G. Foubister, E. A. Cleaver and H. R. Dwight. The race, as a spectacle, was spoilt by the good—too good for tho rest—riding of two of the last-mentioned, Baston and Clark. They never had occasion to look back from tho word "Go," and finished with the third man over half a mile away. In a strenuous fighting finish, so much enjoyed by all cycling fans, R. T. Baston (9m)' kept going hard and fast for the last 200 yards, to win by inches from Clark. It was a matter of the survival of the fittest, and Baston had Clark worn out over the last 20 yards, after lying a wheel to the bad till that point .was reached. Baston started his road-racing career this season. Prior to last week's win he had been placed four times, with one second and three thirds. Of the 12 races held this year he has only failed to start in one. Although lightly built, he is a real stayer. He was third in the last 25-miler. when riding off 4m 30s, thus his victory did not cause much surprise. Clark's Best Effort to Date. G. P. Clark (9m), second, had nothing but praise for the fine way Baston assisted him in the pacing work, and candidly admitted that his partner throughout the race was too strong a finisher for him. Twenty yards from the line his legs cramped under the intense strain of the final effort against the wind. He naturally slowed, but the relaxation after crossing the line soon restored his muscles to normal again. It was his first success of the season. Easily his best effort to date was the popular opinion of those who had witnessed his previous riding. He lapped in 14m 335, lorn 15s, Jsni 4Cs, 16m 16s, and 15m 48s, a total time of 77m 38s for the 25 miles.

E. J. Avery's splendid ride from the 4m mark'was completely overshadowed by that of the two lastmentioned riders, whose commanding lead took much interest from the contest. Every lap Avery improved his position, even when he lost the support of his co-marker, U Harris, whom he left on lap three to continue unpaced and finish third.' It is interesting- to note here that at 20 miles last Saturday he was 2m inside the time he registered when he came second in the 20-miler on July 5. His last win was m a 15-miles race when given a start oi 2m 10s. Auckland's Fastest Amateur Roadman. Evidently R. G. Foubister (scr) docs not like company when racing. His actions on Saturday led one to believe such, for, after going the first lap with Cleaver and Dwight, the other scratch riders, he set out on his own, to leave them well behind. At the 10-mile mark he was 17s ahead of Cleaver and 30s ahead of Dwight,,who retired after going three laps. At a lap \o go he was with J Wliitten (2m) and N. B. Casey (lm), but at the conclusion he was on his own aoaim to flush fourth and gain fastest time in 71m 30s. He was riding his new machine and naturally was pleased to christen it in the manner. A fastest time rider can rightly claim to be the champion of the race. Fqubister has been the. champion, of the last seven and has broken all. existing records as far as successive winnings of time honours are concerned with club races. His previous time for 25 miles of the new course was G9m 465, but the slower time ■' last ' week can be very easily explained, for conditions ' were right aoainst fast cycling. His time at 5 miles was 13m 30s; at 10, 27m 335; at 15, 41m 28s; at 20, 55m 555; and the 25 miles he did in 71m 395. The riding of E. A. Cleaver (scr.) over the last lap was the sensation of the race. Ho eventually finished 29s behind Foubister, whom he gamely chased from early in the second lap, when Foubister broke away. Over the last 5 miles Cleaver actually gained as much as 39s on Foubister. Cleaver is a noted strong finisher, but none anticipated him to gain on such a fine road rider as Foubister. Race Comments. N B. Casey (lm) was well to the fore when he entered the last lap, but early on same he took a tumble and retired. It was his second spill this season. J. Wliitten also .fell on tho last lap, but remounted and finished. Both riders appreciated the attention they received from the two first-aid men who were, m attendance. ■ . . The judges placed L. Cogan second in the junior race, but as soon as he had dismounted Cogan informed the.judges that he was really out of the race, for lie had made a wrong turning, which cut off a portion of the circuit. None saw him take the short-cut, and silence on his part would have meant second place in the event. But it is such acts of sportsmanship that mean far more than even a win. It was most unfortunate for Co<mn that he made the error, for he only cut off about 150 yds by doing so _ Had he taken the right route he would in all probability have been placed second just the same. I - ■ AUCKLAND CLUB. ' ■The following handicaps have been declared by Mr. G. Knight for the Auckhud Cycle Club's 20J-mlle road race to be held on Saturday, starting at 3.40 P.m.: S Hayes, S. Gooch, scr; K. Matlnesor i.V. Tavlor. 30s: W. Mnthieson. 4us; D. Flet-, cher. lm 4.35: J. McDonald W. Francis, °m 30s: P. Aberliart, 3m; L. Pinfold, C. Galbraith, G. Hall, W. Pratney, 3m o0s; W. Pollard, 4m; D.' Storey, 4m las; S. Litchfield, H. Camp, 4m 30s; H. Clay, K. Clarke, K. Green. 4m 50s; C. Yule, A. Rose, C Rollerson, B; Moore,T>m; V. Lowndes, F. Potter, W. Archer, K. Rae, C. Wlllcox, 7m ; \V. Hills, N. Whyte, 7m 15s; H. King, S. Arnott, 7m 30s; W. Guy, R. Reid, 8m 30s.