CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 240, 11 October 1933, Page 15

CYCLING.

WITH THE AMATEURS.

THE PROVINCIAL "HUNDRED."

FIXTURES. Saturday, Octobcr 14.—Rim to Ptipakura. Newmarket at 1.30 p.m. Saturday, October 21.—I'almerston North to Wellington Race. Monday, October 23.-—Labour Day Sports at Ngaruawaliia. The members of the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club may well be proud of their efforts in the first 100-milor ever held in the Auckland province. Members finished in the first three places. The course was from Papakura to Ngaruawahia and back. Hard training each week over the distance stood by Jack C. Dolores (32.0), the winner, by 2.5(5, from Chappell. More credit is attached to Dolores' ride by the fact that after going six miles he punctured. Before he resumed ho had lost over eight minutes, but chased after the 24.0 trio, Chas. Clarke, Bill Walker and B. Waugh. and caught them after three miles of determined racing. At Mercer, 82 miles, he was one of the 13 leaders. But on the two-mile climb of the Bombay Hill his hard training paid its reward, for ho gradually drew away on the stiff grades. He pedalled a 77in gear and a free wheel, and finished quite fresh, for he hopped lightly off his cycle aud went for a short run on dismounting. Another popular placing wan that secured by 11. C. Chappell (28.0). "Chappie" stamped along over the last ten miles to displace three riders. He used a three-speed chain type gearing device giving ratios of 6oin, 75in and 85in. When asked if he found it useful, lie remarked that he would have been dropped without it. Consistent Bill G. Morris (30.0). third, camc in for an ovation as he finished fOs after Chappell. Morris rode in every club race this season and is one of the best workers for the sport. He favoured a7O free-wheel gear. Chas. A. Clarke (24.0), sixth, displayed fine generalship throughout the race, and, knowing of his experience at distance riding, his clubinates stayed with him _till the last twelve miles. At the Te Kauwhata feeding station, 70 miles, he was one of a group of 19 riders. He tired a bit over the last stages. Another consistent weekly rider, Sel. G. Webster (34.0), finished in eighth position. Sel has had little reward for his racing this year. Lionel Nicholson (20.0) surprised many. ITe was ninth in and third fastest in the club with 5h 17m Is. For speedy coasting he showed a clean pair of wheels on the 40 m.p.h. descent of the Bombay Hills to his bunch of ten riders. Hon. G. Foubister (scr) proved himself no spent force when he came in two lengths behind Patrick to secure second fastest time in 5h 6m 345. Ron. rode a 74 gear and must have found it a bit hard to pedal on the fast trip up to the Ngaruawaliia check. This iiO-mile run took him 2h 10m 255. On the return against a steady head wind he took 2h 50m 9s. After a splendid season of successes, Les. H. Dwight (scr) had his run interrupted rudely by a puncture_ on the tar seal after riding 73 miles. This he rapidly repaired and set off to diminish the lost time. Ho must have ridden strongly, for ho finished only 1.12 after Foubister. He and Foubister should go well in the Palmerston North to Wellington event on October 21 next. Henry R. Dwight (10.0) has done little racing "this year for ho has been working away from the city. A fall early in the race on the loose metal shook him slightly. Bob Gallagher (43.0) would probably have done better than finish 19th had lie gone much steadier over the first 150 miles of wind-assisted running. A fall shook Keith N. Clark (22.0), but lie plodded on to finish in 20th position. Tireless Jim. C. Fanch (43.0) finished 21st, but on this occasion tired. Falls also steadied up Bill R. Walker (24.0), who finished 23rd, and Cyril J. Cronk (47.0), who camo in next. Cronk was the last rider to finish inside the 50.0 time limit, and the last to gain a performance certificate. This, he mentioned, was all that kept him moving. Manukau riders sympathised with Laurie B. Roberts, of Wellington, who rode tubular tvrcs and punctured twice in the first 15 'miles and then retired. Roy Evans, the other Wellington rider, oft 34.0, kept the long-markers together well, for he, unlike them, had had previous experience over the distance. A fall at 87 miles in the loose metal steadied lais progress and later a herd of cattle. Altogether 24 riders finished in the time limit and 14 were Manukau members. Norbert B. Casey (30s) finished just two seconds outside the limit. Jim Leather, Ernie Andrews and Fred Markham were riders who disappointed by boarding the following lorry. Tom L. Nixon (39.0), who came in sixth and took 5h 32m 48s, was unlucky to puncture 12 miles from home. Les. McFarlane, who had retired and was following in a car, handed his cycle to Nixon, who continued, but had to be disqualified for this breach of the racing rules. Nixon rode well, but was just unlucky to puncture so late in the race. L. H. Dwight, R. G. Foubister, L. M. Nicholson, R. C. Chappell and C. A. Clarke have been chosen for the Palmerston North to Wellington race, but should one of them be unable to make the trip J. C. Dolores will be the reserve rider.

TAKAPUNA CLUB.

On September 30 this eltib held an eight-lap (30 miles) event over the lake circuit. It was the poorest racing ever witnessed here since the club's inception, only the winner, A. Keating, appearing to know he was in a race. Times were slow, and the quality of riding weak. The limit man, riding unpaced from the fifth la-p, made faster time in the last two laps than the scratch men, in company with the remainder of the field. A. Keating, off 6.80, time 90.2, rode extremely well. Making a steady pace, and keeping consistent lap times, he made the best showing on the day. Practically a newcomer to racing ranks, he has a free, well-developed style, which should bring him into the limelight again next season. G. Towart, riding for the first time as actual scratch man, proved very disappointing. He gained second place and fastest time in 86.43, but considering V. Blomfield's time for this distance and course was 81.13, and B. Sharp's only 2s slower, Gil suffers by comparison. B. Oliver, who is also riding off scratch now, also rode inconsistently. This was unusual, as Bert has earned a name for steady work. His time was 86.45, but as both the scratch men have lowered this by 2.0 when middle-markers, their riding in this race was hard to understand. Both were well to the fore coming into the Straight. Towart jumped his machine out, to got a break on Oliver of 2s which carried him over the line comfortably. S. Laurence continues to show improvement in his form, and finished in fourth place. G. Towart, senior, and G. Laurence, junior, were the only entrants from the Shore club in the Centre's 100miler. Although unable to go the full distance, the junior rider off limit led over two-thirds of the course. T.A.C.C. has every reason to be proud of this youngster, his performance being all the more creditable, since he has done very little riding or training recently owing to a badly injured hand, from which he is still suffering. Next Saturday a event will be an IBV2miler (five laips) senior and junior, and as a record field has been nominated, and the trophy is the Onslow Wood Memorial Shield, it should prove a fitting wind-up for the club's racing season. The club's road season closes next Saturday with an 18 1 ,4-mile race over the lake circuit for the Onslow Wood Memorial Shield. Every rider in the club has nominated, and a record field is expected. Mr. Gallagher has declared the following handicaps:—V. Blomfield, B. Sharp. G. Towart, A. Lydford, B. Oliver, per.; S. Laurance. O. Durbin, W. Nash, 30s; A. Grant. W. Pearce, L. Coleman, B. Evans, 1.15; L. Dick, R. Jones, A. Keating. 1.45; F. Roberts, G. Laurance, G. Evans. 3.30; A. Chaplin, W. Henderson, 5.0; M. Hathaway, A. Gunn, W. Johnson, 7.0; P. Bowden, T. Maloney, 8.0.