CYCLE MARATHON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 17

CYCLE MARATHON.

1 100 MILES TITLE.

BROWN'S DOMINION RECORD.

MAXUKAU'S LAST RACE,

The best yet was the general opinion of last Saturday's 100 miles championship event. The day wae perfect and there was a definite calm about the atmospheric conditions throughout the duration of the long race. The field of 71 starters was a little dieappointing, when last year 91 raced. Last year no restrictions were placed upon junior riders, while that event also carried North Island honours and attracted quite a number of visitors from outeide the province. Thie year R. Dutton, O. Disley and R. Evans were the only riders from outside the Auckland province to race, tvans rode in the first race in 1933 and finished fourth last j ear, while Dutton has competed in the laet three

Only eleven of che 71 starters rode without three-speed gears, which have almost become universal ameng the leading road rulers in distance events. While mentioning gears it is interesting to record that the winner, F. J. Smith, 32.0, used a free wheel gear of 75 inches, the same gear ae K. G. Poubister used in the first race in 1933, when he was beaten in the sprint by A. u. Patrick, who was fastest that year.

The winner, F. J. Smith, is a junior member of the Papatoetoe Club, and alone iV i \' E V Xoonan . V. E. Wardell and JJ. &. Knight, won for his club the team shield, which is awarded to the club finishing four men first.

B. G. Sharp, from Matakana, deserves credit for his sterling effort. He had not previously raced in any open events this season, yet he ran Noonau to a hard finish to eventually fill third place. Last year Sharp finished eleventh oft 26.0. This year he had 29.0 start and wae a tower of strength to the leading group in making the pace and helping to prevent the bij? bunch of back markers overhauling. W. K. Grant from Welleford, North Auckland, and his brother, A. D. Grant, were also having their firet race of the year. Fourteen miles from home W. K. Grant was with the leaders, when J.

Kvans, of Matamata, fell and brought him down. Both remounted but had a hard struggle to catch the leaders. The 1934 winner, \V. Crocker, off 38.0, the limit, would have done better had he let A. K. Goulter continue on hie own over the initial stages. Goulcer set far too fast a pace from the eturt and tired badly beiure half-way. Crocker was 4.5 ahead ot C-oulter at Ngaruawahia, the turning i>oint. Crocker, too, elowed later. G. H. Cunningham was one who used Rood judgment. When his co-markers, Purdom and Keith, set off too fast, he let them go and waited for the h> e off 10.0 to catch up to him. With their help he later passed both Keith and ] urdom and finished with d bunch of nine to outsprint the group for fifth place only 1.22 alter the, winner.

L. M. Nicholson and O. Disley worked like trojans, but the lack of co-operation by the others gave them little encouragement to continue their effort*, otherwise they would have piined the lead before 80 miles. At oO milos they were 12.40 behind the leader, but at 65 miles they were only 5.30 behind. Then the rot set in.

The finish between Brown and Triner was a very unsatisfactory conclusion to a wonderful combined effort. In spite of their delay by the collision within ten yards of the line both reduced Nicholson's course, record by over 1.5.0. Admittedly, a grasa track is an unsuitable surface to finish a long road race on, but after last year's experience of a road finish and the consequent congestion of spectators and other traffic the Auckland Centre had no other alternative than to finish on Prince Edward Park at Papakura.

Browne time of 4h 28m 25s will stand as a record for the race for many years. for it is doubtful if better conditions could prevail. His time is also the best yet done in the Dominion for 100 miles. Grose has ridden around the "Gorges' , course i.i 4h_ 32m 30s in 1932, and his time was the New Zealand lecord until Brown and Triner got together last Saturday. Their meeting with Grose, Taylor and Lancaster, of Canterbury, this month will make the New Zealand title race this year an intensely interesting event. Next Saturday the Manukau Club will be concluding its 1937 road season with a consolation race for the trophy, a clock, which R. S. Triner sportingly donated back to the club atter winning the annual club championship event. The clock will be awarded the firet rider to finish who lias not been first, second or fastest in a club race this season. Ordinary trophy values will be offered in addition to the clock. Triner, himself, will be leaving this Thursday, along with Hughee, by the Limited for Christchurch, ae he wishes to have a ride over the Round the Gorges course with F. J. Grose and other Canterbury riders before the race.