STIFF TASK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 210, 6 September 1938, Page 16

STIFF TASK.

LONG ROAD RACE.

CENTRE'S 64-MILES.

TRINER'S PRODIGIOUS FEAT.

"Toush!'* That was the general opinion of all who finished in the senior massed start race of 64 miles, held by the Auckland Amateur Cycling Centre last Saturday. Weather conditions added to the difficulties of the course to make the lace ,the hardest trial of this season. | Tlie :$2 starters were dispatched from Birkenhead wharf at 1.40 p.m and had ■ to .ace a long climb right from the outjset. No serious attempt was made bv any jot the scratch riders. Triner. Sileock | Langridge. Brown, and Hughes, to force j the pace, yet H. Appleton. A. \V. Stones « -,° Whitley dropped back in the first mile. Before two miles were completed by the leaders YV. Wi fiallagher W Aldred, YV. Crocker and C. A. Clarke slowed. The last-named, however, made I a successful chase and caught the field half-a-mile later, on another short, stiff climb. Before the riders reached the Dairv Flat turn-off to Helensville. miles the muddy road surfaces had rendered them almost unrecognisable. To this point the leaders. Sileock. Langridge. Brown, Hughes. Patten and Johnson took 46.15 while the nest group. Pnrdom. Hawke! i Knight and Ferguson clocked 46.4.") Webb O'Shaughnessy, Flia. Barnett. Warnock and J. Johnston passed at 47.20, then came Triner. accompanied bv Smith J I and W. R. Walker, and YV." D. Lawrence at 48.15. Whitlev. Thompson and It-By-passed at 48.25. Clarke at 49.15. Aldred and Crocker 52.0, and Stonex. Gallagher and Appleton were last and took for the 16% miles. Hughes Bruises an Arm. The first 25 miles took the leaders, Brown, Sileock, Langridge, Johnson, Hughes and Patten 69.30. Here the riders turned towards Helensville and into a head wind and a light shower. Hawke, Purdom. Knight and Ferguson joined the leaders half a mile later, but at 26 miles Hughes, Hawke and Johnson fell. Hughes retired with a bruised arm and shoulder, and Hawke with a buckled wheel. At Mount Rex, 30 miles. Purdom retired with gear trouble, having stripped the thread of the three sprockets. The 30 miles took the leaders 84.28. At Helensville South. 32 miies. Half-wav, [the lead was shared by Sileock. Brown, Patten and Ferguson, who had taken 91.30. Triner, riding with great determination, went bv 30b later with F.lia, Webb, Johnson, O'Shaughnessy. Knight and J. Johnston. Smith took 93.15; Warnock, Thompson, Ivey, Lawrence, J I and W. R. YValker, 96.20; Clarke. 98 30Whitley. 99.10: Barnett. 100.0: Crocker, 103.10; Stonex and Appleton, 105.20; and Aldred. 106.10. At Reweti, 40 miles, the riders were tiring against the cold head wind. The leaders were Triner, Webb, Sileock, Brown, O'Shaughnessy, Ferguson, Elia and Patten, who had taken 2h 1m 255. Over the next 10 miles the leading group had completely broken up through the efforts of Triner and Webb. Winner's Mishap 15 Miles from Home. When Triner punctured after 49 miles of riding Webb was left with the lead and

passed the 50 miles point in 2h 35m 10s, followed by Silcock, who was 2.20 behind him; then along came Triner in 2h 37m 40s after a hasty dismount and rapid repair. For 8 miles Webb led before being overhauled by Triner and Silcock. Riding together for the last six miles the three spriuted into the wind, for Triner to win by a length from Silcock, Webb being a length further back. For sheer determination Triner's effort was on a par with that which won for him the Xew Zealand road title in 1937, when he outsprinted Frank Grose, of

Canterbury. Only 20 years of age he has frequently proved himself one of the best distance riders in the Dominion, and helped Brown to reduce the 100 mites competition record to 4h 28m 25s in the provincial 100-miler last season. So outstanding were tne winning trio that 7.22 expired before W. Ferguson finished fourth. Patten, of the Beach Haven Club, gave a great display for the first 40 miles. Orewa race winner, W. H. Smith, tired badly but was able to lead Brown over the line. Brown had worked on night shift during the week, which would account for his vimless ride. Had W. R. Walker reserved his energy in the earlier stages he might have won the handicap, for his allowance was 21.0, which eventually gave him second place. A. R. Warnock impressed, for it was his first hard ride. if. C. Johnson gamely continued after his spill and finished with V. Ivey. H. Appleton and C. A. Clarke were last to finish inside the time limit, but a minute later W. Crocker and W. Aldred ended the strenuous 64 miles ride. To have finished at all under such severe racing conditions was a meritorious effort. ' Manukau in the Van. The juniors, too, had a hard trial in their 25 miles provincial championship event over a hilly course out to Bird- ; wood and back. Of the 24 starters 11 rode from scratch. Race winner was Len Mills and title winner N. Harvey, both of the Manukau Club, which provided the first six finishers. Improving with' every race Mills should be in the championship class next season, for he is only 16 now. There was little doubt abont Harvey winning the championship title, for he packs a sprint equal to that of any senior rider on the road. F. Tredrea, runner-up, had his last junior ride, as he turns IS this week. The 100-miler is scheduled for October 1. over a course from Papakura to Xgaruawahia and back.