CYCLING FORM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 55, 7 March 1939, Page 16

CYCLING FORM.

PROVINCIAL TITLES.

CHAMPIONSHIPS REVIEWED.

PARTRIDGE SURPRISES.

When the unpaced, sprint and distance championship events were first introduced in 1930 the main objective was to arrive at a different type of rider for each title and last Saturday's provincial title meeting achieved this object as far as the senior events were concerned.

The meeting was admirably conducted and programme times were* adhered to throughout the afternoon and evening. A noticeable feature of the day's racing was the fact that times were faster in the afternoon than in the evening. This may have been caused by the poor lighting system at the Western Springs Stadium. If the lights were, suspended directly over the cycle track the "black outs" along the back straights would be avoided. It is at present ,extremely difficult for spectators to follow the riders under the floodlights.

All three senior title winners received great ovations. Graham Hughes' effort of 1.18 for the unpaced kilometre gave him his first track title since he started racing with the Manukau Club back in 1932. In 1937 Hughes won the 100 miles New Zealand road championship. Present national unpaced champion, Ron Ulmer, of Wellington, won his title last month at Dunedin in 1.21 4-5, but Hughes was not at Dunedin.

The riding of J. W. Partridge in the event was as astonishing as it was unexpected for he was only 2-5s slower than Hughes and tied with Roy Taylor, who is a bunch of energy. Colin Gooder and Jim Archer were another fifth slower, but the intermittent breeze was against them. Gooder was runner-up last season and has always been good against the watches. Joe Gillbanks was noticeably slow and no doubt his injury, just before Christmas, has .left his leg slightly weak.

Tauranga Rider Impresses. J. Wooller, of Tauranga, created a very ■favourable impression, and it could be quite easily seen why he won .all three Waikato titles, for he is a short, solidlybuilt rider, the type usually best on grass tracks. He was the best of the visitors, but Doug. Lapwood. of Te Awamutu, was a good second to him. J. A. Robertson and H. W. Liddington appeared sluggish, while W, Policy, of Tauranga. could have ridden faster on a lower gear.

There is no doubt that the 500 metres makes a better race of the sprint. Even then several riders did a bit of the slowmotion antics which tend to annoy the crowd, but, taken all round, there was definitely less of it. No surprises came in the opening heats, for all the seeded riders won. Number one shock came in the first quarter final when Arthur McInnarney excited the crowd by beating Goodar by three lengths. Then in the semi-finals, this year decided l>y best two out of three matches, Mclnnarney gave further astonishment by defeating Joe Gillbanks in two straight heats. This put him in the final with Roy Taylor, who had easily disposed of Jim Archer and almost as simply won the two final matches from Mclnnarney, although he had to clock a 220 yards in 13s. Taylor's terrific sprinting powers have to be seen to be appreciated. For a quick wind up and sheer speed he has nb peer, and his beating of Geo. Giles in 1937 is still fresh in the memories of Aucklanders. Training and racing on the Papatoetoe track | has enabled him to adapt himself to all tracks and had it not been for his disi qualification at Dunedin he would have I won there. He had won all his eliminaI tion heats at the time..

There is perhaps no more stirring race | than the paced 10 miles, and last Saturday's event brought a splendid meeting to a fitting conclusion. The result was obscure right up till 20-year-old Maurrie Green flashed off the home banking with •Tim Archer hanging to his flying pace, while Colin Gooder was touring behind with hand raised in protest. Green won by a length and 'he received an ovation equal to that which greeted Gordon Patrick when he won the national title in 1937 by clocking 20.33. Under the system employed now Patrick's record will stand for manv years, for the riders now circle the track uselessly for a lap and a half before picking up the pacer. Before it was a matter of shooting off the mark, on to the pacer, and awav with the pace to a clip which weeded out the field before manv realised the race was on. Even now the passengers soon drop back. Gooder. Green. Archer and Hughes were responsible for the field Clacking up before three miles and the four had actually lapped all the other nine starters before five miles were covered:

Surprise Retirement. The retirement of Hughes surprised many, for he had always been noted as a stayer. This left Green, Archer and Gooder to battle along on the pacers. Archer, the favourite, was dropped with less than two miles to go and had it not been for Gooder's reluctance to follow the pacer Green's club mate may never have got up with them again. However he did. Gillbanks was definitely out of trim, while Jack Partridge had used his energy up in his team efforts. None of the visiting riders could stand the pace, which was only natural, for none had had previous experience or the opportunity, to gain any.

So Outstanding was Bert Baldwin in both junior title races that he distracted attention from them. A. T. Vost was a good second in both and his keenness to win was natural, for he turned 18 years next day. Baldwin leaves the junior ranks in July, which will be good news to some of the younger riders. The teams' event was more of an individualist race, for again the first rider played the important part. To say the team had completed the four laps when the first rider was home was hardly a team idea. Partridge proved the individualistic nature of the event by carrying his team to a last minute victory over Lynndale, and was on the way to defeating the Papatoetoe team when he eased up half a lap short of the requisite distance, and so Papatoetoe's team won. The latter were decidedly better balanced ; with Benwick, Archer, Mclnnarney and Green as the four teamsters.

Mclnnarney was again seen at his best in the miss and out and the points races. The miss and out is becoming more of a champion's race, as the entry of five indicated.

On Thursday evening the final scratch race meeting of the season will be held at the stadium, and with only two-thirds of a point separating Lynndale and Northern, competition promises to be very keen indeed. Lynndale have by no means the advantage, for riders are

graded and Gooder, Hughes and Baldwin cannot be separated from the A grade, which leaves the racing in the other three open.

Te Awamutu will be holding its postponed meeting next Saturday, but will start the events later than first scheduled. The club is arranging a big two-day meeting for 1940 Anniversary week-end.

To prepare its riders for the big road race from Hamilton to Te Kuiti, 48 miles, on Easter Saturday, the Manukau Club intends to commence the road season next Saturday week with a 20-mile event for the seniors, and a 5-mile event for the juniors. Beach Haven and North Shore Clubs also intend commencing this month. Thus a big entry is expected for the race to Tc Kuiti. in which Norm Harvey, of the Manukau Club, was fastest last year when competing as a junior. For this year's race 31 miles are over sealed surfaces, practically to Otorohanga.