CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 156, 3 July 1936, Page 13

CYCLING.

CENTRE'S JUNIOR RACE. 1 MANUKAU CLUB EVENTS. i The wet and windy weather last Saturday had a disastrous effect on the fields and only 33 raced. The senior 25-miler was a fast race considering the conditions. The winner was Gilbert R. Purdom, a plugging type of rider who had 6.0 start. He just managed to outsprint Dave Lawson (5.0) in a hard finish against the wind. Purdom well deserved his victory, for he rode a hard race. It was his first win after three seasons of competition. Dave Lawson is definitely a good distance man. He was only 2.3.3 slower than Tom Riddell. Jock Stewart, limit rider off 11.0, made tlie race. With a twospeed gear he reeled off the laps much faster than in any previous race and led for nine laps. Many expected him to win, for hi* entered the last round 3(is ahead of Purdom and Lawson. But they caught him As itTi -a mile to go. However, Jock was a good third.

Allan Stonex displayed better form while Junior Ron Wilson was third fastest in 72.35. It' he can produce similar figures in the junior unpaeed championship 011 July 18 next he will possibly be the proud bearer of the sash. Any rider who can pedal 25 miles in less than 75 minutes can regard himself as a good roadman.

Lionel M. Nicholson was second fastest to TOlll Riddell, who appears outstanding at present over the Blockhouse circuit. Riddell was able to clock 70.41, and judging from his effort it will not be long before Jack Hall's record of 70.4 is bettered. Jack Clark was unfortunate to find his rear tyro showing a deflation over the final lap, but he ran out the 25 miles in 72.45.

Jim Walker had his fourth win when he headed Chas. Caddy in the junior fivemiler. Walker is only a midget but has a knack of his own in pitting the miles behind him. Ray Chappell did to beat Bill Smith for time honours. Noel Aulick and J. Gardiner paced well to get away from Jack McKay.

The centre's decision to run the junior championship under unpaeed conditions over a 25 miles course extending from Point Chevalier to the top of the Lincoln highway hill and back is arousing comment. The event will be the longest imposed on juniors and as the championship was over 13 milea last year the event must appear fairly open 011 this occasion. It is doubtful if there are half a dozen juniors capable of finishing if rough weather prevails. Ron Wilson has been racing with the seniors lately to gain experience. He is one who will definitely be prominent. Chas. Picknell also proved himself a stayer in the King's Birthday 52-miler, and had he not had a spill and put his variable gear out of action might have been troublesome to the winner, whom he accompanied for 40 odd miles. In the Centre's races next Saturday nil riders must wear their registered numbers and must see that same are not obscured by feed bags. NORTHERN CLUB. I The Great Northern championship race, held on June 23 from Devonport to Orewa and return, proved once again to be the hardest race in the Auckland province, if not in the whole of New Zealand. One thing it brought to the surface is that Auckland riders have not yet learned the value of group riding, and until they do Auckland riders will never figure prominently in interproviucial road competition. The most successful rider on the day was Jack Price, who collected second fastest time and sixth place. Price s ride was a commendable one, for he was one of the few riders who were able to finish with the hard-riding scratch man Charlie Cochrane. He was also one of the few men who were able to better their last year's time. The winner of last Saturday s Club Day race of 16V& miles was Ronnie Rollinson, who scored a runaway victory. A speciallyaugmented prize list was responsible for a good field of 29 starters. This marks Rollinson's second ride after a long spell. His last season was in 1933, when he won the club's 23Ms miles B grade uupaccd championship. Fred Hutton sprinted well to take second place by a very small margin from Bill Doherty. Dohci'ty was unlucky to meet Hutton in such fine form.

The light for time honours was very close, Gamble, Price ancl Byrnes having only 8s between them at the finish. Hiding from 1.0 Byrnes rode a great race. He dropped his co-markers on the first lap and eventually finished in twelfth and Price were the two scratch men, and they teamed well. During the fourth lap Gamble fell, but Price waited for him ancl they lost very little time. On Saturday week this club will be visiting the Lynndale Club on then- New Lynn circuit, and an interesting race should result. • • 1 On July 19 the Auckland provincial junior unpaced championship and senior teams championship will be .held, starting and finishing in Carrington Road, .Foint Chevalier. . takapuna club. I The above club held a combined seniorjunior event over the lake circuit last Saturday. The distance was 26 miles (/ laps of 3% miles) and times were good. A Broad (off 9.0) was the limit rider and led the field until the tlnr.d lap, when he was overhauled by K. Vosper (7.0). In this lap D. Bowsie (2.30) was in sight of the scratch men, E Williams and E. Lan "''idge, who had already added D. Keatin" (1.0) to their number. Ihe race resulted as follows: —D. Keating (1.0), first in 73.45; E. Williams (scr), second in 72 45 1-5, this being the fastest time; D Bowsie, third in 75.15 2-5; E. Langridge (scr), fourth, just l-5s slower than Ids co-marker. Just prior to crossing the line a newspaper would have co\eied the i D o Keating is generally successful in claiming a placing, dependent on sprinting, it which he i.s unusually expeit. Den was also the first- club rider to finish in the 50-miler. He. is second at present in the se j)° r ßowsie, in gaining third place, is now leading in the junior points from L f'redin bv three points—not in 'tselt a bi" enough margin to do much good, but tins rider is fairly certain to add to these. E Langridge, to get to the place where the club expects him to. will have to work hard on his sprint His performance in the 50-miler was creditable, but his luck was out. ' AUCKLAND LADIES' CLUB. The Takapuna Club included a 7%-mile ladies' race in its programme on the King's Birthday, and the winner was Miss Arrol (1.15), with Miss Meßae (30s) second and Miss U. Baird (scr) third. Miss Arrol has been riding very consistently and lias taken three firsts and one second in the last four starts. „ „ Miss Mcßae is still riding very well. Miss Baird returned to the racing on Saturday, June 20, and won the six-mile road race, also returning fastest time. This rider also returned fastest time in the Takapuna racc. Owing to adverse weather last Saturday's i*cf> was postponed. but will be held on the road circuit next Saturday. CENTRE CONTESTS. ' . I'WO RACES,, OX. SATURDAY. Two" road races will be decided I>. V the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Cvcling Association to-morrow. The senior -riice will commence at 2 p.m. and the junior-event at 2.1y p.m., front Gladstone Road School, Point Chevalier.