ROUND THE HARBOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 230, 29 September 1930, Page 15

ROUND THE HARBOUR.

RACE WON BY CLARKE. TIME HONOURS TO MACKIE. Although they had to pedal in the face of a strong wind for a considerable part of the distance, competitors in the round-the-liarbour cycle race, conducted by the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club on Saturday, made excellent time. Road conditions were good for the an- . nual fixture, but several of the competitors were compelled to withdraw owing to punctures. One of the scratch men, E. A. Cleaver, had .the misfortune to suffer this fate just before reaching i Albany, when he was going well. He , mended the puncture and continued on gamely, but could do no better than finish fifteenth. C. A. Clarke (14m) finished first, in , 2h 21m 14s actual riding time, weU ahead of the rest of the field of 27, thus repeating his performance of 1920. Fastest time was registered by the exChrietchurch wheeler, A. Mackie, who covered the course in 2h 18m Is. Riders finished in the following order: — C. A. Clarke (14m), 2h 21m 14s actual riding time 1 W. Dwight (14m), 2h 22m 36s .... 2 G. P. Clark (10m), 2h 24m 30s 3 Les Dwight (10m), 2h 24m 31s .... 4 R. T. ©aston (12m), 2h 26m 37s ...., 5 J. Leather (6m), 2h 20m 45s 0 A. Mackie (ecr) 7, H. R. Dwight (scr) 8, R. G. Foubister (scr) 9, J. Whitten (scr) 10, C. Bunting (12in) 11, E. 1. Andrew (10m) 12, N. B. Casey (8m) 13, K. Spragg (151 m) 14, E. A. Cleaver (scr) 15, S. R. Gatland (17m) 16, and V. Sanders (12m) 17. Fastest times were made by the following: — A. Mackie, scr. 2.18.1 H. R. Dwight, scr 2.18.2 R. G. Foubister, scr 2.18.3 J. Leather, 6m 2.20.45 The course set for the cyclists after leaving Devonport was through Albany and Riverhead to the Great North Road opposite Western Springs. Tho limit man (W. Clarke, on 20m) got away sharply from the Esplanade Hotel at 2 o'clock, and the remainder of the field Avas in good order within about twenty minutes. Their riders all put their heads down to it, and made the most of the concrete stretch to Milford. The scratch men were riding with rhythmic action, and overhauled first one man* and then the other. Clarke and W.-Dwight were pedalling strongly and making the most of their handicaps, and the former took the lead on the Albany Hill. Ten minutes later they were foliowed by H. R. Dwight, A. Mackie and Foubister. The riders found the going hard to Riverhead, with a stiff wind opposing them, and welcomed the side wind and the zephyr at their backs thereafter. Clarke speeded up at New Lynn, and gradually forged ahead of W. Dwight, who had been hanging to him. A large crowd gave him a good reception when he flashed past the winning post in Great North Road two minutes ahead of Dwight. At intervals G. P. Clark, Les Dwight, Baston and Leather came home, 1 and then the greatest finish of the day

was provided by the scratch men. Coming past ' Western Springs, Angus Mackie, H. R. Dwight (last year's champion) and Foubister were racing neck and neck, but the first-named had most in reserve and won by a little over a length, with a similar distance between the other two scratch men. • After the race the competitors were the guests of Mrs. C. A. Paul, wife of the president of the club,* and the prizes were presented to the winners at a convivial gathering.