Cycling NATIONAL TITLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 43, 20 February 1940, Page 12

Cycling NATIONAL TITLES.

AUCKLANDERS WIN SHARE. PARTRIDGE AND TWO JUNIORS SUCCESSFUL. Highlights of "the New Zealand ainaiteur cycling championships were the success of tlie Auckland juniors, the exceptionally even contest for the unpaced title, and the slow time of 23.25 3-3 lor a banked track, in the 10-miler. After establishing the New Zealand kilometre record of 1.14 :t r> u fortnight previous J. Partridge was naturally favoured for the national title. lie was the tirsrt rider to take the track for this eveut, and uaturally liad to set a standard, which is a much more dillicult proposition than endeavouring to better a time done l>y another competitor. However, Partridge's 1.2J withstood the onslaught of TJ others, although Gooder, runner-up, got close with 1.22 1-5. R. Taylor seemed to have lost his usual dash, for he clocked 1.25 1-5, while W. A. ltarnett took 1.24 ;t-."i. The Auckland riders were prominent tb rough out the sprint event and all tour, Taylor, Gooder, Retiwick an:l Partridge, got to the quarter-tinals, where W. Williams overcame Renwlck and Pennington. The Auckland championship rivals, Tavlor and Gooder, met in oue semi-final, and this time Taylor succeeded in turning the tables 011 Gooder, but only by inches. Pennington had no trouble to dispose of Williams, and this left Taylor and Pennington in the three match races. A past master at sprinting on his own Petone track, Pennington had Taylor really puzzled and extended By sheer strength Taylor managed to go round Pennington in the first match race. But his reserve must have been severely sapped, for Pennington won the next anil had a regular runaway in the third, winning by live lengths. Pennington has been runner-up in the sprint for the past two seasons, so this title may be regarded as a just reward for so consistently persevering. M. J. Green's failure to seize the inside running led to his defeat at the hands of L.. Sowerby in the paced lOmiler. However, Green made a great finish to the race and was only beaten by inches. Auckland has always done best through the medium of its juniors, and this time J. White and M. G. Harland brought back a title each. was a bit unlucky to be disqualified, for he had gone rouud , the two leaders entering the straight, but was reported by the steward to have come down the track too sharply. However, he made no mistakes about the paced five-miler. J. White saved the situation in the half-mile, and his win was some consolation for Harland's disqualification. The first junior ritle race was inaugurated at the 11W5 meeting held on the Petone track, since when Auckland juniors have figured in all the title races. The ISMI championship meeting has been given to the West Coast centre to conduct at Wanganui, and it is hoped that a date in March is chosen. To maintain interest through to Easter the usual evening meetings will be continued and the Lymidale Club's Saturday afternoon racing at the New Lynn bnnked track. On March 9 the Old Fourth Waikatos will hold their annual meeting nt Hamilton, while Matamiuta. Taurangn. Te Kuiti and Ngongutalia clubs will conduct meetings during Daster.