SIX DAY WHEEL RACE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 6 (Supplement)

SIX DAY WHEEL RACE

— » BILLY GUYATT, ONE OF THE WINNING PAIR AMONG WORLD'S MOST VERSATILE CYCLISTS

DY his recent amazing performance in Sydney when he won the six-day race at the Sports' Arena with the New South Wales ride. Ray Brooking, Billy Guyatt, the 20-year-old Sale wheeler, has proved himself one of the most brilliant riders we have produced . 1 this class of race. He combines lie rare combination of speed and amina, akin to that possessed y the world's amazing six-day oars, Kilian and Vopel. who have < nrried all before them in the past • ;v/ years. Experts arc agreed that Guyatt is it only Australia's greatest .sprinter . "id match race rider, but is among he world's most versatile c-vclists. : '.it for the war. I feel sure that his c I'sonal manager and mentor. Bruce . mail, would have taken him to : I v.rope to engage in the world's .-••■" nut championship this year, states .'. J. Midier in "The Spirting Globe" Not since the days of Bo'o Spears 'world's champion in have I seen anyone possessing the brilliance of Guyatt. Ever since Billy Guyan. as a kid of 21 year.-. <c am pored >'■ ■'■'■n hid on his "trike." without ar.y concern. narrowly dodsinc a motor car. to the consternation of his mother. \u.»tralia's No. 1 cyclist has shown i'li utter disregard for dancer, and ■ -played the qualities which en to take a world's champion. Cycling 'i the > ic;r ir feiiow's blood and he ■ >'-: to the bike as a kitten takes to Biilv was born at Fen.v Greek, in the Dander-::. Rar.ces where his eeper. But kiter .■;-. with his -.' am i : :..: i •";" w .-.; ;;;\ . c i :.i a Quale; '.:*.g :'..:• • .•• p'.'.; t •.. :\- he ai hieved his ambit; •:'< bv winning with 30 point.- :':■■ .ti A. Dun;.-. 'I* points . Some days, before t':m .• •■-••-- i was down' a; ; he'" IV '- w - ; - "Uppy.'' >■ ho ;-••• . . _..-.. •'-.. • ; MTU' s: ■ -\ •dv; ■ •--.-. ■ i f- r .

• ' Adversity came Guyatt's way a week later when, in the Malvern ! Star Australian junior championship he crashed, but he was in no ; way discouraged.. I had formed a very high opinion i of Guyatt as a young cyclist. I felt ; and said at the time that one day i he would rise to great heights. In 1936. when he won national and 1 international honours by defeating I the French junior champions. Guy Berthou and Georges Soulhae. I felt . that the confidence which I had reposed in him was not misplaced, i Following this. V.A.C.U.. State and other titles came the lad's way I on the track and the road in 1937. \ \ Billy has since gone on to greatness, thanks to his willingness to listen to those who have his interests ' at heart. ' . In this respect Tom Carey, the . once well-known cyclist, and in re- ' i cent years a popular trainer, cave j Guyatt much good advice, while . Bruce Small and Opperman have I also been helpful to him 1 Barred From I" ip'ad. As a boy Billy had infringed hiamateur status, but he had been reinstated. However, because the I rules governing Empiads and Olympiads provide that no reinstated person can compete in these contests. Guyatt, much to his surprise and regret, could not or.gace in the , Empire Games in Sydney in I93S — when he was 17 and right in a class by himself. He was probably the best amateur sprinter in the world, proved by "he j fact that he defeated •■Mickey" Fran- ■ ciose. the famous Italian-American amateur champion, who came here to race on the "boar.-is" a* the Melbourne Exhibition. And what thrilling battles they provided: Here we saw Guyati at his best—a veritable tornado on the track. Billy turned professional and it has been in thl- sphere that he has ■ a hieved wonderful success, proving almost peerless. This human dynamo ha- taker. ..- ■ P-2: Kl a- ' ": p -a aces as Charles Rampelberg France'. seems to have been in the Svdiiev l six-days race at Easter, promote'! by Bob Spears on behalf of the mar.age- - men* of the track. There were many who were : im lined to think that Guyatt. for ■ 'me so young, was taking a risk in making his debut in a erueilinc event that usually takes a hie toll • ' n >>'.io'< mental and physical enercy. I i Guyatt va- not to be denied. He rode with the experience of a seasoned champion, sizing up his opponent? he rode each day. To.

be candid. I was a little apprehensive as to whether this lad would be abie to survive his enormous task. However, he not only came out with flying colours, but. with the aid of his j colleague. Ray Brooking, set up a new Australian record of 2101 miles, bettering the previous record of 2058 miles made by Paddy Hehir and Alt' Goullet on the Sydney Cricket Ground 20 years ago. In Spears' Footsteps. It is interesting to see Guyatt following in the footsteps of that once great Australian. Bob Spears, who. after winning Australian sprint title honours, won six-day events. Afterwards spears reached the highest peak—the world's sprint championship, a feat which has never been equalled by any other Australian. Before the present war began Bruce Small—who has sponsored visits overseas of track and road cyclists—discussed with me the proposal to take Guyatt abroad and to place him for a couple of years with a noted coach in France so that he would gain that international experience so essential when seeking championships on the other side. For the time being, however, any such ideas must be canned. Guyatt should have a great future. His services meanwhile are not to be discarded, because Bruce Small is to utilise them in various directions —to search for likely talent and to coach iads with a view to stimulating trie campaign for National FitIn -p:te of many experiences—and ':■'.' ">ec ■ ' a beDecidedly temperamental, he would -■'oner \. c led than be driven. There ; s some-tiling in his make-up that is irresistible. From time to time he has creased In wordy battle with ofho;ais and others, bur. in spite of '■'■ .« ■■'■■ '■■'",. have a distinct regard Wizard of the Wheel. i have always found Billy a little geivTi-mar. He ha- never hesitated to ta.-tv me into his confidence when '-'■} trouble, ami I know lie realises tr.ai i have respected those confiSop.te dav I hope that Guyatt may win a world's cycling crown. I know it will >:t •.'.'oil on his head, as it did in the < ase of Bob Spears.