SLOW MOTION CYCLING

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 25

SLOW MOTION CYCLING

WILES OF " PRO'S."

DELAYED THRILLS. » TACTICS AND SPRINTS. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD AT WESTERN SPRINGS. A challenge half-mile cycle race—anil the two competitors see-saw around the track a little faster than an athlete's jot; trot. They race only lor a couple of hundred yards. This happening at the Auckland provincial professional cycling championships at the Western Springs Stadium last night would seem extraordinary to those < not conversant with modern eyelβ racing. The day when riders leaped straight away from the mark ami rode all out arc past. Cycling championships- in the short and middle distances, as demonstrated last night, are matters of tactics. Kor the greater part of the journey the sport is a wonderful demonstration of slow motion. One might almost he watching a suspended film. The skill apparently comes in the manoeuvring for position and a whirlwind dash for the finishing line. The spectators are kept in suspense almost to the point of boredom. Then suddenly one man sees his chance, dashes to the front, and the others ha.sten in pursuit. The race is on at laet. The long-awaited thrill has come. This, at least, was the impression left by the half-mile, mile and half-mile challenge contests last Apparently championship cycling is not a matter of etamina. Rather is it a matter lor generalship and sprinting ability. In contrast, however, the amateur riders who participated in handicap racee made the pace from the gun and provided those who were not conversant with-the wiles in match events with what they had expected. Thrills Near End. It was not until the final race on a programme that lasted till 11 o'clock that the spectators saw the professionals more or less all out from start to finish. This was in the ten miles paced event and it was certainly a thriller. There was a big field at the start and it was picked up by new pace-makers practically every lap around the back. One of the pacemakers got foul of the field at one stage and three men crashed on the concrete track. Fortunately they were not hurt seriously. With about three miles to fro there were only four competitors left and though they threatened to get down to slow motion again, when tliey were jockeying for someone to follow the pace-maker, these tactics lasted only one lap. . For the greater part of the race. P. Bicknell was out in front. But with a lap to go, W. Pratney ehot to the front and stayed there until I?! - Nell and J. Wade came from behind with a sensational burst to beat him on the post, Bicknell taking the title.

Straight-out racing like that, however, was nut seen in the two match races between J. Wade aud Bicknell. Wade won both by cleverer tactics, but there was little excitement in the victories. In tile first clash there was eome clever jockeying for position on the high banking two-thirds of a lap from, home and then Bickuell leaped away and made for the finish. Wade made tremendous efforts and managed to overtake the chamjpion iu the straight. Jn the second race the start was slower still. The two men crawled around the track, at times almost stopping. Wade kept in front, castine- anxious glances behind at Bicknell, who clung to his rear wheel. They were right into the straight before Wade decided to take the risk. He jumped away in a tremendous spurt that Bickno-11 could not meet. While the crowd roared its excitement, Wade finished a clear length ahead. Timed over the last 220 yards, Wade took 17 4-ss, as against 13 l-5s in tJhe first race. Dash From Behind. More excitement came in the milj final, which W. White led for three laps. The riders bunched together and moved with extraordinary klowik'ss, all watching for the first break. When it did come the Held was taken so much by surpprise that (.'. Knight, the young rider who made it, v. an able to race away from the rest and finish a clear ten yards ahead. -Alter the third lap, the riders were keeping a. sharp eve on the veterans, Wade and Bicknell, and were totally unprepared for the sudden swoop from the top of the banking made by Knight. He leaped 30 yai'de into the lead before his rivals realised that he had broken from "the tail of the held. They made desperate efforts to catch him, but he was yards away at the finish and won casing up. Early iu tho evening two attempts on the Hying quarter-mile record were made by (.'.' Knight and H. Bull. Both were unsuccessful. Knight recorded 27 2-5s and Bull 27 4-Th. The record, held by W. Pratney. stands at 20 l-ss. Results were:— Ilalf-miln Provincial Championship.— J. H. Wade I, I'. Bicknell 2, W. Pratney 3. Time , , 1.48. One Mile Provincial Championship.—C. Knight 1, P. Bicknell 2, S. Ward 3. Time. 3.!) :i-5. Special Match Race, half-mile, hetween J. H. Wade and P. Bicknell. —Wade won in two straight heats. Ten Miles Provincial Championship (pncedi.—P. Bicknell 1. J. H. Wade 2, W. Pratney .". Time. 21.26. Hnlf-mile Handicap.—D. Hills. 60yris. 1 : T. Shechan. sOyds. 2: W. T. Willis, 35yds, 3. Won hy a wheel. Time. 57 4-ss. Two Milos Handicap.—W. H. M. WhttP. 140 yds. 1: n. Hills. 200 yds. 2: .7. Bicknell. OOydx. :! - Won easily by four lengths. Time, 4.311 2-5. Italian Pursuit Kaeo. hotwoon two teams of four ridors.—W. Hanson's team (T. llnokhani. J. P. Shpohan. T. Blackmorp. W. Hansen I won ii.v mio-fifth of a second. Time for four laps. 2.W 3-5. One Mile Amateur Handicap.—First heat : K. W. <;. Pi.kncll. IWyds. 1 : 11. It. Baldwin. 2."i.v(li(, -J.: f. H. (ioixlrr. scr. 3: F. Treilri'n, lioyd*, 4; M. Johnson. KOyds. o. Time, 1.35. Ni-cnnd heat: J. li. Cillbanks scr. 1: W. K. Ken wick. 7\v<ls. 2; J. F. Archer, 4?tytl». ■'! : M. T. Gamble, scr. 4: (i. K. Purdiiiii. lsnyds, r>. Final: F. Trotlroa (Manukaui 1, K. W. <;. l'ickncll (Manukau) 2: M. ('. .Tnluisnii (l'iipatootoe) 3. Won by a length. Time. 1.50 4-.~>. Three Miles Amateur Handicap.—C. R. Goodpr. scr. 1 : W. Renwick. 15l>yds. 2; J. F. Archer. 70yds, 3. Won by * length. Time, 6.33 4-3. '