DOMINION CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 43, 21 February 1939, Page 14

DOMINION CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS.

H. BALDWIN'S WINS.

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR.

J. WILSON'S TEN-MILE TITLE.

The Xew Zealand amateur cycle chainpionships were held on Saturday in Dunedin. The .banked asphalt track at the "aledonian grounds was \ised a n<l .Jthoujjli it lacked the banking of the Western Springe track it offered a fair surface. Both Roy Taylor and Joe Gillb'anks experienced difficulty in taking the bends. This was not so with junior .H. R. Baldwin. Knowing the advantage of the leading position and inside running he made for the head of the field for the final lap at" both events and never looked like being beaten. Three titles in two seasons is a splendid effort, and he has every prospects of beating Wade's efforts in track championships of a national nature. Baldwin has represented Auckland for three seasons as a junior and has been .placed in all six events he has contested. During the past few months he hae been racing with tne senior riders from the scratch mark and such racing was in his favour when lie met the southern riders. In July lie will be a senior. Last year when he returned from the Empire Games, Kon Ulmer, of Wellington, won all three of hie centre's provincial titles, and this season won botli the uripaced a:id sprint. Naturally lie went to Dunedin with every confidence of success. He tirst won a national title in 1935, when he won the 10-miler at Petone from Frank Grose and Gordon Patrick. A rugged type, he would find the Dunedin track very suitable to his style of racing. He duly won the 500 metres.

Jack Wilson is well known to Aueklanders, and hie win in the 10-miler was expected, for he has prepared specially for the distance event. He even went to the extent of going up to Wanganui tlie iprevious Saturday to meet Gooder, Gamble and Baldwin, of Auckland, iin<l won the ten at that meeting. His time for the event of 24.27 '2-o is the slowest of the series, which commenced in 193.). His brother, K. Wilson, won the 100iniles race from Palinerston North to Petone last October, and both riders have invariably displayed a good combination of speed and stamina.

Since the retirement of F. J. Grose and the transfer of G. R. Giles to the cash ranks, Canterbury lias had its ranks of first-class men sadly depleted. G. L. Thomson, winner of both junior titles at Auckland in 1937, was the best of the Canterbury men with twe seconds.

The Local Titles. With -the ■ local club and provincial championships right at hand, C. K. Gooder, of the Lynndale Club, is in excellent form, and if he does not win at least three titles many will be surprised, for he came from scratch in two races last Thursday to win with ease. W. A. Renwick, of the Papatoetoe Club, is steadily becoming accustomed to the faster track, and his second to Gooder and defeat of J. Archer support such impression.

On Thursday evening the Lynndale and Northern Clubs will combine in conducting their "respective championship events, and on Saturday evening the Manukau Club will hold its annual title meeting. Both meetings promise excellent racing, for all the riders will be at their beet in order to try themselves out for the provincial meeting the following week. Gooder, Hughes, Baldwin, R. Clark and W. Barnett will be the principal riders in the Lynndale Club's races, while the Northern's leading men are J. W. Partridge. J. S. O'Gorman, J. MacDer.mott, G. H. Cunningham and J. B. Johnston. Giiibanks should win all three of the Mamikau title events. Last year he won two.

Attempt on Record. Xext Saturday afternoon (.'. D. Lapwood, of the Te Awamutii Club, intends to' make his attempt on Ron Fonbister's hour record of 24 miles 1282 yards. Fwibieter'e record has stood several attacks since 1931, but none have given him any cause for excitement. When Foubister established the record he was more outstanding among the riders then than any rider is at the present time. The record is one of the toughest on the books, and Lapwood will not be at all disgraced should he fall short of the distance. Lapwood ie one of the best road riders in the Waikato, and his previous distance work will be in his favour when he takes the track for the hour ride.