RINKING.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7159, 21 September 1888, Page 6

RINKING.

A mile race will take place at the Columbia Rink this evening between C Langdon, the Papanui Rink champion* and George Fisher, the attache at the , Columbia. As both men are good skaters, the race should prove very exciting. Among the rinkists last evening were several members of the English footballers.

At least 250 persons assembled at Mr Burnip's rink in the Kaiapoi Drill-hall on Wednesday evening to witness the race between John Higgins skating on roller .skates and David McGifford running over a mile track, both starting even, for a trophy value £10. The course was in 24 laps, and the conditions of the match being announced and the officials told off to keep a proper record the men were started from opposite sides of the halL Both went off with a determined rush, tiiggins wore a nair of fast skates, d McGifford ran in rubber-soled boots, which enabled him to keep up on an otherwise slippery floor. McGifford slightly forged ahead in the first three laps, when he was caught by Higgins, and from the quarter mile the skater had a slight advantage. The turns at the top and bottom of the hall rather delayed the pedestrian, but his friends expected he would spurt into the first place in the latter part of the race. Nine laps were covered in 2min. At the twelfth turn and thence to the fifteenth lap Higgins improved on his lead, but was apparently unable to shake his opponent off. From this stage to the twentieth round the positions did not vary. McGifford brought in a rush, which challenge the skater gamely accepted, and the interest of the whole room was now keenly alive to the contest. Higgins came in a winner by 3sec or 4sec smin lOsec A hearty cheer was raised when the result was announced. The £10 subscribed was placed in the bands of Mr J. Lowthian Wilson to purchase a suitable trophy commemorative of the event. Afterwards an exhibition of bicycle riding, displaying several meritorious feats, was made by Master Atkinson. Arising out of the race a second match has been made between the same competitors, over a circular, in place of an oblong course, the skater conceding the runner a lap in the mile. This race takes place on a day to be fixed. The Skating Rink at Prebbleton still continues to draw a good company together. On Wednesday last, at the special session for ladies, about forty attended, young and old, and great amusement was caused to the onlookers by first attempts of manypn the skates. On Wednesday night at the Lyttelton rink a race of a novel character came off, bein? a contest between a bicyclist and a rinkist, which resulted in a hard-earned victory for the bicyclist, who managed to overhaul his opponent at the last lap, he having four laps out of the 25 for the mile as a lead. The whole proceedings were watched with the greatest interest Mr B. Adams rode the bicycle, and Mr A. Lane represented the skaters.

iwf ?fe^ls^Vil^ lo - w has del «rered to the ■Berlin Trades Unions a touching memorial address upon the Emperor Frederick.