CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 220, 17 September 1930, Page 16

CYCLING.

THE CASH RIDERS. ; : £JEfE MABItf CUP CONTEST.: C. WILLCOX'S WELL-EARNED WEST.

FIXTURES.; September 20—13 Miles Handicap, .2.45 p.m. ;■: .- September 27—CambridgeiHaniilton*Auckland Championship (finishing Prince Edward Park, Papakuira,'3.3o p.m.). "Last Saturday was the big : ■day. for! members of the Auckland Cycle Club, when the longest event o£ the season's weekly road races was decided in beautiful weather. This was the ;annual:.4o- - handicap for the Mabiu Cup, .donated by A. C. ("Booker") Herring, vice-i president of the club. The popularity of this event, and" the keen, competition for - the: trophy, \was shown by the record field of 19 riders, the largest since leaving the Maugere circuit. Last year the course was 'an out-arid-; hdru6 oho toCleyedon and back, 45 miles, but this year, oh account of the restrictions, another suitable one could not be found, and it was decided tp hold it over a circular. Course of 11 miles. Three laps of this had to be traversed: over undulating roads, and one of the usual 7|-mile circuit. That the course was a gruelling one was evidence in itself at the,finish, for only four completed the distance. The race was practically a miniature Cambridge-Hamilt6n-to-Auck-land, aiid would benefit.the contestants in that event considerably.' At the conclusion of the event, the winner, C. A. Willcox (who hails from Christchurch, and joined the club this season),,was presented with the' cup by tho 'donors email son, Mabin. The youngster derived as much pleasure in presenting the trophy as the-winner did in receiving it.

V A Gruelling Race. . W. Hills (2lm) was first away, followed by. 1\ Lowndes, Iv. Kae (18m), -A. Eose (16m), G. Willcox..(l4m), H. Clay (13m), E. Clarke, 11. Clarke, W. Pratney (10im);G.Hali(7m 15s),L. Pinfold (6111 455) 5 K. Green, J.. McDonald (61m),. S. Litchfiekl ;(s£m),- W. Mathieson • (2Jm), IV Taylor (2m), S. Hayes, S. Gooch, scratch. At the end of the first lap (11 mDes), excepting ;-a couple of niishaps, there were not many changes. Hills.wae the.leader,.passing at. 37m 10s> Eae having left his co-marker Lowndes; passed at 40ni 11s, Lowndes 41' m 325, WiLlcox and Clay together, 44m 10s. Rose had dropped bacK; and was now with E. Clarke and Pratney at. 48m Pinfold, Green, R. .Clarke 49m 10s,:W. Msltliieson and Litchfield sQui '355,, -while Hall ha<|. dropped well batck and passed-atf-51ni 19s| Tlie scratch-men .now -sliowied- up and Went by aQsittr 525, while 'McDonald; fell and Taylor going well 'punctured. At the end of lap two (22 miles), the riders were filing out. Hills.still.led, passing at '■-- 74m 75?, Rae 76nl- 375, Willcox ami Clay going well, ,79m 555, Pinfold and Green 83m.45e, W. Mathieeon (who had gained-45s oil ?the. ecratch men) at 84m 333, E. Clarke 80m 2os, Pratney 85m 42s and Hayes and Gooch,B7m 4Cs. Litchfield Rose, K. Clarke, and Hall retired in this. lap. There were only, sis eurvivors at- tiie.end ,of ,33>miles.. Willcox had liibw gdne into thq, lead,; haying ridden a' : good" lap. He. : now- 20s ahead of Hills,'who ; in' turn'Hvae- 13s ahead oi-Eae: Pinfold cameiiex|y.4m-33s behind : tKe^leaderV : and' Hayes'and ;Gpp C h 4m 555. In; the last seven rniles;Willcox held; his to,coine:.onrand;cr6,ss-the by 2nr36s from Hayes,^ ; h:p outeprinted Gooch in th e- race -to the line. Hille was the only other rider to finish, fijjirth. . ■ : ; 'Q

|: How They Rode. I'C. A; Willcox. (14m) well-earned the victory that ;came to him on Saturday, for in conversation with the writer he informed him -thaJb .was his first win on,; T the, road- for tWO.V, years, the last being in Christchurcii,,where he was residing' fore coming to Auckland.; He .was all the more;, pleased in .having won the coveted-cup. A good performance was expected from this rider for-he had shown clearly before that he a distance 'inan fcy*finishing 'third inV25 and 30-miieVevents, and. on his showingin this event, should -go-a; great .race in the big classic." " Ife has ridden previously in 0 the Tiniaru. to Christchurch and Roundrthc-Mountain races.; off limit marks. His lap times were:—37m 10s, 35m 455, 36m 55s and-30m'l8s; his actual being 2h 30in Bs. .

/Scratch Men Ride Well. Slater Hay-es , and Sam Goocli, the scratch pair, ; a great α-ace and demonstrated-.that they are at the ,top of their form,for the coming big event. Hayee, if anything, finished the fresher of the Jlair this time, and clearly showed that he-jhas bee»:gaining hard.. When ! he would not haive blown f- a; match: Vout, 'and if he does not; make haspreseTiceifelt in this year's big con-test,.the.,writer,->vill ,be> surprised. Gooch, wh* ha»^not;-been able to- /train, on "account of received,, put up a good'ride nevertheless, and the race ■' should;do him a world of good. At one part of the journey it did not look as if these- two iwould , get anywhere, near the limit were they, pedalling,but: overthe latter stages of the contest they gradually faded, and. the back meii gathered them all in excepting Willcoxi In the sprint to the line Grooch was in front entering tlie finishing straight, biit when Hayes asserted himself HherWwtts rno mistaking who •would be Second. The lap times of the pair read■ thus :~-33m 525, 32in 545, 33m 59s and -'27m.595; "Hayes'. ridingtime being 2h: 8m 445. ' -' Billy' Hills? (21m) went>a surprisingly good rac& and: was • the: only other to finish the distance. Oiie of the founders of the club and fond of sport he is a wonder.-' He can. teach some of the younger ones a lesson by never' giving in, and Always, finishes how.

far he is behind, iit one part of the journey he had prospects, but , over the latter stages tired. A win for ■; Bill is always: popular among Ms club mates. ■ ' ■■..' ' "■ . •

,v ".Topical Pars. Billy Math.|eson'went fast m the early! etages and if; he I could have seen it out must have gained a place. He did the ! festest lap for the 11 miles—33m ss. Sid. Litchfield surprised by retiring in lap two, having dropped his gear too 16W/ arid -could , - ribt : <foot ■■ "it. , ■-Frank Taylor;punctured again; he:has?struck a,"bad l patch of luck.":\R. Green's chain rippingfour Bppkesrout.;bf his rear-wheel. was : going.; well,;too. Jim McDonald, "after ' many*; weeks' absence, had the misfortune to fall iii some loose metal; - abrasions was hip quota.. E.'Clarke, of Papakura, who has been: playing football,' was awheel again, getting reidy for the big race, and went w«U considering. ' Ken Mathieeon, last y«art "winner of the Mabin Cup, was but/could not start as he had conje.miß'us some of his gear. Ken was itoppoUlted and had to listen to come good netured from his mates.

There is sure, to be keen rivalry for the Pardy Points Cup before the eeason ends, as three'riders are now level with 12- points each, namely, F', Taylor, S. Hayes 'and S. Gooch. The two latter were lO'and 11 respectively,, but Saturday's -result,' brought' them level. W. Mathieson and R. Green follow next with 9 points. : Hayee is a sure winner already foE the fastest time points cup with 8 wins, Gooch having 3.' ■

, in connection with the Cambridge-Hamilton'to'Auckland classic is going along splendidly, entries for which, are now coming to hand, and will finally close next Friday,; September 19. It \is anticipated that many more provincial riders will be competing this jyear as the secretary has already had many '.inquiries for .nomination forms from intending competitors; 1928 saw a record field of 43> last year,2B; will the first-named be. eclipsed, this? Entries, with-, nomination fee (7/0), no acceptance, should be addressed to Secretary H; W. Tonkin,, P.O. Box 305, Auckland. Handicaps' will appear on the' following Monday. , Auckland riders are advised that a motor van Will be leaving for Cambridge on the morning of the race/ and those who are desirous of travelling on same should hand their names to the secretary: from whom particulars can be had. The van, will be there" in plenty 6f time' before the start of the race. Competitors shoiikl consign their machines by rail direct to Cambridge. ; Saturday's eyeilt- will be a short one. ',&)■ 13 .miles handicap over the email circuit.