TRACK CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 16

TRACK CYCLING.

PROVINCIAL RACING. SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS. AUCKLANDERS FOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. Last season when the Waikato amateur cycling charcipionships were deckled at" Hamilton the local riders scooped the pool. Almost the same occurred at Tatiranga last Saturday, when the Tauranga Club conducted the events at a meeting which was a real credit to the officials and comipetitors alike. A heavy programme was carried off in excellent time with hardly a hitch.

J. Wooller, of the Tauranga Club, was in fine fettle and romped away with all the 6enior titles, the half, one and three. Wooller has patronised all the open meetings during the present season with beneficial results, for he had the measure of practicallv all the leading Waikato men well before he took the track last Saturday..

His only serious rival was M. Bridge, of the Hamilton Club, but, being a tall rider, Bridge was not so steady on the bends as Wooler and was also inclined to be a bit impetuous in dashing along too early in each event. One of the strongest clubs in the Waikato, Matamata. was unable to make its presence felt in .proportion to its cycling strength, for H. A. Moon, with a second in the mile, was the only limelighter to please Secretary Skidmore on the afternoon. Honours Still Even. The defeat of N. K. Freeman, leading Te Puke junior, did not astonish the Tauranga folk, for P. R. Coker has given Freeman some thrilling all-out sprints in the weekly racing at Tauranga when Freeman has journeyed up on several occasions. Coker won the mile, but Freeman collected the-half-mile, so both riders are still on a par. Freeman has had a most distinguished career as a junior, for in January, 1938, he won four races at Whatawhata when only 16. On that occasion he pedalled a 74in gear and displayed most nimble ankle action.

•Ararwnu must be the happy hunting ground of the Northern Club riders, and A. Keith in particular, for Keith.- won two more races there .last Saturday":'" He did the same in 1988," but was even better •treated by the handicapper last week. Jack Partridge won the two miler from' scratch from that splendid exponent of low gears. F. N. Wardell, of the Papatoetoe Club. Both were riding from scratch and provided the people of Ararimu with a stirring race right from the gun. Interesting Three-Mile. The best of the amateur races at tlie Western Springs last week was the threemiler when a field of 19 riders bunched with five scratch men among the group. Gooder simply flew _ -up the finishing straight to snatch victory by a wheel from Renwick and J. Archer. After that exhibition many are still sorry that Gooder cannot manage to get to Dunedin for the title events this weekend.

. The second heat of the mile provided plenty of speculation as to the merits of R. Taylor and J. Gillbanks, who are expected to provide the fireworks at Dunedin this -week. Taylor shot off the mark like the iwoverbial rocket and had Gamble and Gillbanks, fellow scratch men, lagging in the acceleration portion. However, the latter pair lapped out so well that they were up with the field, and Taylor with half a lap to go and then Gillbanks produced his speed capabilities to win a great race in tlhe excellent time of 2.0 2-5. Taylor was unplaced in the last five of the field of 11.'

The three AnckTanders who competed at Wangandi last Saturday evening, Gooder, Baldwin and Gamble, were unplaced in all' events. Misfortune attended Gamble's efforts, for in the team miler he was just making an effort to move up from the back of the field when his' chain broke and he fell. heavily to

receive concussion. Gamble had intended to travel on to Dunedin for the title meeting with Baldwin, who has now gone on with J. Wdlson, of Wellington, who also at the meeting and won the ■ten-miler from M. Byrnee, .now back in Wanganui.

Therefore, Gillbanks, Taylor and Baldwin will be Auckland's challenge to the other provincial representatives next Friday and Saturday at Dunedin.

Next week the Northern and Lynndale Olubs will hold their combined championship meeting on Thursday evening at the Western Springs Stadium and on the following Saturday night the Manukau Club will conduct its annual title races and a varied programme of handicaps .and 'psofeasiaml «moU.