CIRCUIT RACING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1942, Page 7

CIRCUIT RACING

CYCLING INNOVATION

O'GORMAN MAKES BEST TIME

For just over ten years the Auckland Cycling Centre has been conducting events open to all amateurs, and the races have served a useful purpose in fostering the friendly relations whicn now exists among the local clubs. This season, owing to the lack of patrol cars, the out-and-home events have r>een abandoned and circuit racing substituted. It has been decided to hold two races each month, and to use the club circuits in the following rotation:—Papatoetoe, Northern, Manukau and Lynndale. Last Saturday s senior race was the shortest held for that division since open events were instituted in 1932. The Papatoetoe Club's circuit of 4.7 miles is probably the easiest in Auckland, for apart from two slight inclines it is level and 01 good surface. Martin And Langridge Work Well Twenty-two seniors lined up with F. T. Tredrea and J. S. O'Gorman on scratch and L. Stonex and R. Sargent on the limit of IV2 minutes. The race was over lour laps (18.8 miles), but at halfdistance it was fairly obvious that the middlemarkers would fill the places. G. de Martin (Lynndale) and E. A. Langridge (Manukau). off three minutes, shared the lead at the end of three rounds, with D. Stewart and B. Simpson. On the last lap they drew ahead, and In the final dash Martin, who rode Impressively at Western Springs during the summer, shot away from Langridge. the leading scratch rider of his club in 1938. Both worked well throughout, and Martin's effort points to his becoming a versatile wheelman. Stewart, third, stuck tenaciously to the pace set, and was only tailed off in the final sprint and finished three seconds after Langridge. H. Simpson, fourth, of Papatoetoe, with J. E. Ludlam, were the only memoers or the home club competing. the former being almost a minute faster than his older club mate. The Issue for fastest time was never in doubt, for O'Gorman and Tredrea lapped perfectly, and on the third round, spurred on by the sight of a big group immediately ahead, rode ihe ustest lap of the day in 12.2. O'Gorman headed nine riders to take filth place and make best Lime in 49.17. Tredrea finished in eighth place. So lar O'Gorman can well claim to be the leading rider of this season, lor he has been fastest in both the open races. Lynndale's main hopes centred in J. Hill, sixth of! 455. He was well supported by A. Stonex and C. Scopes, and the trio kept the scratch pair away for 11 miles. Sainieri Wins Off New Mark The juniors rode three laps (13.1 miles), and 23 started. After his fine ride in Manukau's 25-mile race the previous week, K. T. Saunders started well pleased with his mark of three mins., and he was accompanied by hardy riders in S. W. Bartley and S. Morris. Before two laps had been covered the trio were among the leaders. Six sprinted for the final placings, with Saunders the winner by two clear lengths from Bartley. Pascoe, Morris, McArthur and R. Gibson completed that group, ana 12 seconds later Rattray headed four more, among whom were the fastest pair, A. V. Naulls (Manukau Club's hill-climbing champion) and A. Wilson. Their teaming was faultless, and Naull's time of 38.3 was 30 seconds better than that of Hills, best of the scratch group of four which included Lloyd (Junior track champion), Meredith (crack Lynndale lad) and Northern's 1942 Junior hope, H. Jones. A. I. Bishop and G. Ashton started off well and were expected to seriously challenge the scratch riders, but in taking the first acute bend Ashton skidded and buckled his rear wheel without falling. Bishop, riding alone, still kept the scratch group off and clocked 38.47 to Hill's 38.33—a fine unpaced effort.

Three well-known Auckland racing cyclists. B. Christopher. H. F. Hawke and G. Webb, were married last Saturday.