CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 18, 22 January 1931, Page 16

CYCLING.

WITH THE AMATEURS. LAST WEEK'S TRACK RACING. FIXTURES : Saturday, January 2-I.—Run ta Howiek, ieavißff Newmarket at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January -28. —One mile handicaps, Stadium. ' • At G p.m. of Wednesday, last week, officials of the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club were a bit dubious about allowing the riders to compete on the banked concrete track at the Western Springs Stadium, the surface of 1 which had just received a liberal coating of water from a light shower which the threatening skies had every abearance of repeating. To settle all doubts about tlie safety of the track. Ja.ek H. Wade confidently circled it from a flying, start in 36 seconds without the semblance of a slip. After the first two heats had been decided the track was to all purposes dry, but a strong wind, which helped materially in the latter piocess, down the finishing straight slightly hampered the riders and consequently no fast times were returned. ' • ■ j

• There is no getting- away ironiv >f>he fact that D. Iv. Gough is -one of: the sensations of th'e, present path reason. On Wednesday last he _ came, to'lightagain by winning both his heat and the final of the junior two miler, beating Gordon in each. He has now raced in three junior events to win the treble. Last week he fell off jufct as he was about to start in the first heat, but gamely remounted and pursued his field, an action which promptly received the sympathy of the judges who called him off and allowed him to start in the next heat. Thus he met H. V. Gordon twice during the evening. Both rode from scratch. It was Gough's first ride from the mark of honour and he proved himself wcjj worthy oiythe honour. Gough's entry into the sport has never had a predecessor in the ranks of the Manukau -Club.- It will be remembered by many that Jack Wade, now a scratch senior rider, won his first junior i;6ad race when he joined up in 1D26, but did not follow up so successfully as has Gongh, the junior "hat tricker." Right from his first appearance he has dominated the 'junior events. Counting heats and finals he has only raced in six events to win five and finish third in the other. Truly remarkable, but the result of a perfect combination of speed and judgment. His time for the final was 4m 435. Gordon Gamely Challenges.

In years H. V. Gordon is a birthday less than Gough, so his, efforts against] the club's, latest "find" are noteworthy 'for' in everyone of their meetings he has"managed to finish right on Gougli'.s wheel. 'Gordon, looked like a winner last week when he shot inside S. G. Webster, 19oydfi, who was riding unduly high on' the banking, and reached the straight first. Quick work on Gough's part in going around Webster and swooping off the' banking into the straight soon reversed the order, but only just in time, for boih flashed over the line ■together. ' I- ■^

S. Pinfold, 120 yds, the Papatoetoe pedaller, displayed' a rare sprint to win the first heat from Webster.' Through an excusable error which did not effect the race," for the riders' had bunched early, Mr. R. Mackrell,. the ..club's jovial lap steward, rang I»he bell a lap too soon. The pace had dwindled to a "crawl," but the sound of the bell had a magical 'effect upon the riders. But officials who wish to discuss matters with the lap steward sl.t uld remember thai the worst • time io do so 5.? when a nw is in progress, Once Stan.- C., Webster, 195 yds, gets the hang of the bicycle on which Jack Wade has Won many championship events, including a Dominion title, he will take some" catching. Second in his heat and; third in th<j final was his performance last week. IRido the black line when-leading on the Jiomd 'banking next time, Webster. < . j and Wade (Battle Out Senior. id starters, and thg long markers in receipt' of starts up to 450 yds, J. C. Lawi-ie's mark, the senior;race promised to be a good thing for the' front men. But the scratch riders in the first heat, Wade and Foubister, collected first and second place in spite of the 450 yds conceded. In fact-,- at -tliree laps to go they had the leaders, and from then on held interest, which intensified when Foubister gliot out early, with Wade on his wheel. Wade came level on the home banking, and sprinted • strongly to win by a clear length. When the final arrived a lively encounter was expected between the two scratch riders just mentioned. And it was lively. Sharing the pace throughout, they were still 40 yards behind Sjjragg at the bell, when Foubister crammed on the pace, with Wade handy. The pair Hashed up to Spragg like a pair ■of rockets, but instead of rocketing past they received a rude shock, for Spragg just then started to go in earnest. Foubister, despite, his earlier effort, packed on more m.p.h., came off the home banking at; high speed, and stuck to his task to snatch the -lead from Spragg 10 yards from the line, with Wade alongside second. Now that Foubister has developed his'long sprint to such an extent that he can still increase his. pace •in the straight he will prove a hard nut to beat.

- Ex-Dominion Half-mile Champion. Holidays taken during the height of the path racing season do not always .benefit a rider, especially _ if •' the old "speed iron" is left aside during the merriment. Jack H. Wade evidently found this out last week when he raced for the. first time after a month's spell. However, he has not forgotten how and when ■ to sprint. He proved the latter by winning the hpat. During his absence Foubister had vastly iipproved his sprint, a fact which Wade was not then, but is now, aware of. Then, again, Wade rode an B&in gear, which he found' did not suit him as admirably as his usual 83 gear, Bapk on his customary gear this week he should be in a better''position to produce some nimble pedalling at the business end' of the half-n]ile handicap. Wade,' by the Ava.y, is the ojily Auckland amateur afc present riding who has won a Dominion title, the half-mile' championship at Wellington in 1(329. It has often been emphasised that the limit riders would do better if they "went" from the bell instead of dawdJing. along, at a fast tpuring pace until .caught..Ken Spragg, 3Goyds,- gave rather a good practical demonstration last week -it Winning the heat and finishing third, not a length behind the two scratch men, in the final,. He is gradually mastering ■ 104 in gear, and once he gets the upper hand he will take some catching. His time UVthe heat was 4.18 3-5. .The fina! T.me -was 4.24 3-5. "Leave your eftort for the final this week, Ken. K That geni ft I.old etaggr. Frank J. Casev, soyas, once again chased home the scratch men. Third in liis heat and fourth in the final this time,' For a,;

! while he was a back number then he ! started riding a cycle specially built for him in England since when he quickly come to the fore. In 1927 Casey was a familiar figure on the scratch mark at Mangere with W. T. Bray. Not a Match for Whitten. J. Whitten, who won a junior race away back in 1923, unwound a useful turn of speed to beat Wade in the third heat of the match race and to hold oil' both Eric A. Cleaver and Geo. P. Clark in the final. He had rather a tall order to fill for he raced in the final immediately after winning the heat from Wade, not even having time to get off his cycle. But the more racing he gets the bettor docs he go. Whitten's defeat over Wade camo as a big surprise. Geo. P. Clark won the first heat by going right from the starting signal. Generally in a match race the riders crawl off the mark at a walking pace. The two others, Whitten • and Casey were doing so when Clai k shot away and pained siieli a big lead that lie won by 50 yards. General Comments. "Cycle touring will do me for a holiday,"" W. T. ("Bill") Bray remarked when he arrived in Auckland last Wednesday evening after two weeks on the read from Wellington. Bray is an exManukau wheeler who went to Wellington .two years ago. He returned to Wellington by train last Friday, having insufficient time to do the return J °Dav'ul Ba'uxl, brother of .S! J. Baird, has °onc to work oil' a farm near Pio Pio, so will be ijiissed from .the weekly raccs in which he was a consistent starter. Dave was runner-up in the Kohn Cup competition during the past road season. Members will be pleased to learn that their popular president, Mr. L. A. Paul, is well on the road to recovery from his recent illness.