CYCLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9886, 17 November 1897, Page 2

CYCLING NOTES.

fßy Vklox.]

Mr Burley, tho manager of the New Zealand branch of the Dunlop Cycle Company, leaves Christchurch for England next weak. The cycling season in Wanganui was oponed on October 20th, when, despite the fact that a very strong wind was blowing, there was a good muster, fully 100 riders taking part in the prooession. The prize for the best decorated ladies' machine, was awarded to Miss Hodgson, and tho gentleman's was won by A. Tucker. After riding round the town tho party proceeded to Cook's Gardens, where Mr Olaf Schracder, |of the Flying Jordan Company, gave a very ! pleasing exhibition of trick riding. Tho Invercargill Cycling Club's Hports were got off on YVedneadny iv fine weather. The principal winner wae V. Gekeustecn who, with liberal starts, won tho Mile Maiden, the Two Mile Roadster, and the Five Milo Open. E. R. Godward won the Two Milo Opon Race. E. iluyu-iM--, tho Now Zealand Amateur champion, took part in the One and Fve Miles Championship's of Victoria, decided under tho auspices of the Victorian Amateur Cyclists' Union at St. Kilda, near Melbourne, on October 23rd, and he finished second to W. L. Park in. the mile, the time being 2min 47j|sec, whH)rhe won the Five Miles, with Park-second, in 12rnin 31"" sec. Park also annexed tho Half Mild Handicap from scratch in lmin 4sec, in which Reynolds did not start. The Auckland special of this journal wires .-—The road race under the auspices of the Auckland Cycling Club, held on Saturday afternoon, was from Bishop's j Court, Par-ell,, to Otahuhu. Eighteen riders I competed, and D. Hyamson, tho limit man i finished first, with D. Crozier second and A. Skeats third. Hyamson's handicap was 6min 45aeo.

The annual tournament at Springfield, Mass., was held on September 14th and two following days, when the principal event was a twenty miles match between J. Michael of Wales, and Lesna, the French rider, for a purse of $1600. The. former rode a 106 gear, aud Lesna 100. Lesna led for eleven miles, but he was then passed by the Welshman. In the 'seventeenth mile the former again got in front, but Michael soon regained the lead and eventually won by 300 yds, the twenty miles being covered in 38min llsec, which is a world's record. On September 18th Michael, Lesna and McDuflee met in a twenty-five miles match at Boston for a purse of $5000, and the first named led after covering two miles and eventually won by a lap from Lesna. All the new records created during the twenty mile race at Springfield were beaten, and the timjs for the twenty-five miles was 45min 58f sec.

A week later Michael and Lesna tried conclusions in a thirty-three miles match at Manhattan Beach, Coney Island, the riders to share halt the gate receipts, the winner taking 70% of the same. Michael took the lead at the start, and, keeping in front throughout, won by nearly two mile 3. The winner created new records for from six miles to the finish, his time for the full distance being 62miu 17£ sec.

On September 27th J. W. Stocks made further attempts a' "owering world's records, and he suco-*oded in establishing new figures

from six to thirty-three miles. He covered 16 miles 1230 yds in half an hour and 32 miles 1086 yds in an hour. 4 His timo for the 33 miles was 61min 34jjsec, the previous best being 62min 17|sec by J. Michael. E. A. McDntfe, of Boston, Mass., rode a mile in lmin 40j$sec in an unsuccessful attempt, to beat Stocks's mile record at Charles River Park, Cambridge (America), on "September 11th. A. A. Chase, the English professional, was pitted against Bonhours, the French stayer, in an 80 kilometres race at Paris on September 26th. The Englishman won by 3£ kilometres. He beat the world's record for 60 kilometres by 54sec, covering the distance in lhr 13min 2sec. Theßo kilometres record, however, was not touched. The encounter between the English professionals, A. A. Chase and Tom Linton, in

their 80 kilometres natch at the Pare dcs Princes Velodrome, Paris, on September 19th, resulted in a victory for Chase, who won by three laps. The race attracted a very large crowd, as it was anticipated that both men would struggle their hardest to decide the much-discussed question of superiority

The cycling racing season in England was ! practically brought to an end on September ' 25th, when the Fifty Miles Amateur Championship was decided at Wood Green. Among the entrants the most prominent riders were McW. Bourke, P. W. Brown, E- J. Callagan, A. J. Cherry, and F. Burnand. A large field went away to a capital start. J. Sigsworth was leading at a mile ; but W. P. Brown was in front for the next few miles. After seven miles had been covered, A. J. Cherry left Brown behind, and made the pace very hot. In the eighth mile, getting the better pacing, Brown passed Cherry, keeping his lead till fifteen miles. Cherry once again went to the front. Brown, who was riding very well, had a fall, and did not remount. Cherry then had things all his own way, and he secured the championship in lhr 53aim 45* sec. Burnand was second, and C A. Sedgwick third.

The Clapham Ramblers' Cycling Club's 100 miles championship was decided at the Putney Velodrome, on September 18th, when seven started, and A. Ingram won easily by nearly four miles from A. Payne, S. Goff being third. Time, 4hrs 35min 37fsec

Two West of England championships were decided at Gloucester on September 18th with the following results:—Half Mile— I*. C. Chapman, Bristol Wheelers, 1; J.

Chamberlain, North Bristol C.C., 2: C. Sargent, Bristol Reform C.C., 3. Won by a length and a half. Time, lmin 14«"?c. 100 Miles—W. A. Edmonds, Bristol B. aud T.C., H T. Colebourne, Bristol Reform C.C., 2 ; H. G. H. Anpleton, Bristol Wheelers, 3. Twelve started. Won easily. Time, 4hrs 28min 27sec.

i On the opening day (Ootober 23rd) of the ! New South Wales Loague of Wheelmen's ! Carnival at Sydney the weather was fine, but the! wind was rather high, and there Was an attendance of about 7000. The sport opened with the Second Class Lap Handicap (510 yds), the final heat of which was won by G. Porter (20yds), F. Bagot (30yds) being second and J. Brady (10yds) third. Time, 37§see. Piatt-Bet ts then essayed to lower the A-ntralian mile record," which we learnt by cable he reduced to lmin 45sec. He Wits paced by a quint, and was (o have been brought home by a triplet, but the latter misjudged the pace and the quint had to go all the way. The half mile was done iv 50Jsec, or lgseo beiter than the reoord. The International Scralch Mile, for prizes of £15, £5, and £3, was then decided, tho heats being won by E. Payne in 2inin 26sec, K. Walne in 2min 45Jsec, and J. Megson in 2min 15gseo, O'Brien, Green, and Reynolds finishing second in their respective heats. These six contested the final heat. Two other riders went out to make the pace, but the field refused to follow them. The cracks rode so slowly that before the last lap was entered the officials declared the event no race. The competitors continued and Walne won from Reynolds and Green. The event was ordered to be re-run a few minutes later, and this time the "stars " hung on to the pace provided. O'Brien led from Walne, Green, Megson, Payne and Reynolds. The order was the same at tho bell. Green was the first to sprint, but he was immediately challenged by Megson. A desperate battle ensued, and a dead heat was recorded, Walne biing a length off third. Time, 2min 14& sec. Piatt - Betts next attempted to lower Lesna's five mile record, but owing to a I mishap he failed in his object by fcsec. Butts ! went off from a standing start this time. He sprinted up to Mutton's triplot, which paced for two laps, when the quint relieved. Everything went well until the ninth lap, when one of the quint's tyres blew out, and the record - breaker, who slowed up, lost fully seven seconds. This mishap prevented Betts from achieving his object. His timos were: One mile, lmin 55i*sec ; two miles, 3min 51§sec ; three miles, 6uain ; four miles, Smin laeo ; fivo miles, 9min 59J:sec. He, therefore, missed the record by isee, but secured the one, two, three, and four miles Australasian standing start records. The Multicycle Handicap, throe miles, brought the programme to a close. Five teams started, and a quint ridden by A. L. Ryan, L. Corbett, P. Corbctt, F. Remfrey, and M. Gustafson, with 160 yds start, won cosily in 6min 27"; sec. In the last lap one of the chains on the quint broke, and only two of tho men pedalled it home. None of the New Zealand riders at present in Australia competed at the above meeting, but Forbes, Hunt, Body, and Simpson took part at a meeting at Newcastle on the same day, as well as Ainsworth, the ex-English amateur champion, this being his first appearance in public in Australia. In tho Half Mile Handicap, Body (scr) was second in his heat, and Simpson unplaced, but the former was not prominont in the final. The Two Miles Scratch Race for prizes of „13, £2 aud £1 was won by Forbes, A. F. Chapman, of Sydney, being second and Body third, while Ainswqrth, Hunt and Simpson were amongst tho other starters. Time, Atn'm 37sec. Simpson (100 yds) was third in the first heat of tho Two Mile Handicap and Forbes (scr) occupied a similar posision in the thii-d heat, but neither waa placed in the final, which was won by R. Adrian (220 yds) in 4n-in Algaec, which is 4jjecc slower than the time put up by Forbes in the scratch race. Body, Huut and A insworth were unplaced in the second heat.