AMATEUR CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 12

AMATEUR CYCLING.

100 MILES TITLE. ! GRAHAM HUGHES CHAMPION. NOEL GAMBLE FIRST HOME. The winning of the Auckland provincial and North Island 100-miles amateur championship titles by E. L. G. Hughes of the Lynndale Club was a just reward for a very great effort. Hughes, who was rehandicapped from 8.0 to scratch, started to demonstrate his .fitness when he Reached the foot of the three miles climb of the 15ombay Hills on the way home, with 14 miles to go. Only Kon Triner was able to hold him on the long ascent, and Hughes beat Triner in by 20yds. Hughes clocked 41i 53m Bs. As anticipated, owing to the big limit mark of 50.0 ngainst 40.0 last year, a long marker again won. One of the Papatoetoe Club's leading junior riders, Noel Gamble, oil' 4(is, caught Noonan, 50.0, just before | 50 miles, and later went ahead alone to ride the last 35 miles unassisted. Twenty miles from liojjie he was 9.5 ahead of a big group of 18 riders, and, although he tired slightly after topping the Bombay Hills, 31 miles from the finish, he managed to win convincingly by 3.44 from W. H. Smith, who just beat Haddon Hawke in. Gamble took 5h 25m 'Js, and finished 13.59. ahead of Hughes. The race was the fourth annual event for the provincial title, and the North Island title was the second decided in conjunction with the event. The course of 100 miles extended from I'apakura to Ngaruawahia and back to Kirk's Bush, I'apakura. The finish took place on the concrete highway. Of the record entry of 95 riders the only non-starters were A. J. Evans, E. D. Bryant, 15. N. Millar and It. McOnie. The last-named expected his cycle down from Hamilton by rail, but it failed to arrive, irfuch to his disappointment. Bill Brown, 1935 race winner, used his cousin's cycle for his was stolen from his washhouse overnight. The three limit men were Noonan, I. White and I*. McLaren, with 50.0 start. The scratch group of 11, Hughes, Triner, Williams, of Napier, Dutton, Franklyii and Disley, of Wellington, J. Brown, Gamble, Gooder, Nicholson, 1935 title holder, and Cochrane left at 10.20 a.m.

Chapter of Accidents. Several riders had to retire before the first 50 miles. Cyril Cronk, Kay Beehre and Keith Clark fell together, just before Huntly, 40 miles. All three damaged their machines. Johnnie Brown puncturetj his single tube at 40 miles, changed to another, and went on, but. was again delayed with a pedal, which unscrewed, but he finished inside the time limit. Ossle Dlsley (Wellington) and Floyd Franklyn dropped back on the Bombay Hills, 10 miles out. Kay Dutton (Wellington) did 65 miles off his scratch mark, then punctured. Cochrane lound the pace torrid, and eased off, as did all, bar Hughes and Triner, although Williams, of Napier, struggled manfully on. Gamble and Noonnu passed the 50 miles check at Ngarua wahia, sharing the lead, at 11.54 a.m. Then Bassett (4G.0), J. Stewart, K. Elia, Dallas Grant (off 43.0), Ken Grant (40.0) went by six minutes later, followed by Geo. Harrison (40.0). Jock Stewart punctured Just as he reached the checking station, but made a hasty repair in 3.10. t „„ A group of IS passed next, but 11 minutes behind the two leaders. Koy Evans, of Wellington (off 36.0) was prominent, and also Charlie Clarke, who won the 1926 provincial title. At the Turn. The fastest to the turn were the eight scratch men—Hughes, Triner; Gooder, Gamble, Nicholson, Cochrane. Button 'and Williams, who clocked 2h Sin 50s against the time of 21i 10m 45s clocked by Jack Price. Hawkins (of New Plymouth) and Kay Tr ; Plow (of Wellington), all off S.O. Willis and Alderton (off 13.0) took 2h 11m 455. The riders had a struggle against a strong wind on the return, and speeds were almost all below 20. The real test of the 100 miles was the three miles climb of the Bombay Hills, where quite a crowd of enthusiasts had gathered. Gamble topped the long climb at 2.15 p.m., followed by Hawke, Evans, White and Smith 7.10 later. A few seconds later single riders pasfcd, and the best ascent was that of Hughes and Triner, with Hughes doing his utmost in an endeavour to get away from Triner, the only other scratch man to hold him to this point. It was a wonderful effort on the part of both riders, and a deserving cheer was given them. Both used gears—in fact, all the 11 scratch men did so.

The Finish. Those to finish inside the time limit were:— Noel Gamble (P), 40.0, time 5h 25m 9s 1 Bill Smith (M), 30.0, 51i 18m 53s . . 2 Iladdon Hawke (L), 33.0, 5h 15m 57s 3 Roy Evans (Wellington), 36.0, 5h 19m 17s 4 Charlie Clarke (M), 33.0, 5h 17m 2s . 5 Jim McLaren (M), 36.0, 5h 20m 3s . . 6 Ken I'icknell (M), 33.0, 5h 17m 6s . .. 7 Bob Gallagher (M), 40.0, oh 25m 6s . . 8 M. A. J. Hunt (Napier), 36.0, oh 21m 42s 9 C. S. Hawkins (New Plymouth), 8.0, 41i 54m 18s 10

B. G. Sharp (BH), 20.0, 5h 12m 19s: Win. Crocker (M), 30.0, Sh 24m 15s; Clias. l'icknell (M), 33.0, 5h 21in 10s; Ken Grant (BH), 40.0, 5h 28m 18s; D. L. Keating (T), 40.0, 51i 2Sm 40s; Stewart Baird (51), 13.0, 5h 3m 28s; W. H. White (P), •Jb.O, oil 2Sm 18s; lan Vost (P), 40.0 oh 32m 20s; E. Wells (Napier), 26.0, sh' ISm 20s; It. E. Sharp (BH), 43.0, oh 32m uSs; Graham Hughes (L), scr, 4h 53m 8s; Stan Alderson (I,), 13.0, 51i 0m 10s; Hon S>. Triner (M), scr, 4h 53m lis; Bill Morris (M), 21.0, 5h 14m ISs; P. D K-, ( f, c ! r " la " (X >> 2C - 0 ' 5h 19m 325; W. d' ™F" 18 ( X\ pi ">- scr > 41 » 50m 455; C. \). Allan (P), 30.0, 51i 26in 465; Wally loung (Napier), 30.0, 5h 30m 48s; Lionel Nicholson (M), scr, 5h 0m 495; N E $m,? nn ,T (P) ' 30 - 0 ' 511 50m 50s; W T (\) So h, 13 io 5 o 1 17n l, 1 1 4s: Jack {**), 0.0, oli 19m Sis: Ted Mvnoft- /"\r^ 17.0, oh 28m 375; H. A. Sharp (BIT), 430' oil o4m o3s; R. A. Elia (BH) 43 0 Tli o4m olis; Dallas Grant (BH), 43.0, 5h 54m *4m ru P rlp n" w (WeUlngtDii), 8.0, 51i 35 ' G - Cunningham (M) 17 0 Hi ij l " lerv - (N), scr, 5h 19m wf \v s er i?r,!wn 01 V\/> M) ;> 1 1 I' 0 ' 511 43m 0s ; l N !uvson W! i\ k r) r V~r/ "Voi 'SBm Brown (M), scr. Oh acn/los ° S 1 J ° hnnie

| Fastest Times. The fastest riders vrwc : Graham Hughes (L ) vr m lion Triner (M ), scr' " A ,? s C. S. Hawkins (New Ply I 4h 53m mouth), 8s . .... y , h ri WD. Williams (Napierh scr 4h 5cS Ist bla\* m a b rm bands®. IT* S" o C f lu r b ™ e tvws, Hi¥= of their father. ' was the wish