CYCLING NOTES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10148, 22 September 1898, Page 2

CYCLING NOTES.

f« Weekly Press and Referee,

[Br Velox]

I have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the report and balance-sheet to be presented at the annual meeting of the Wellington Cycling Club, which was to have been held on Monday night. The report showed that the members had had a fair amount of racing last season, there being nine sports meetings, and the sum of £210 given in trophies. Mr D. J. Plunkett easily heads the list of winners, and holds for the year the cups presented by Dr. James and Mr W. G. JRyland, for the Three Mile Club Championship and the Five Mile Provincial Championship respectively. The Club held two racing meetings during the season, but neither was very successful from a financial point of view. For the first time in the history of the Club it was represented in the championship events, the gathering being held at Wanganui. The Committee deplored the loss of the Club's rooms, which were destroyed by fire, and the financial loss is estimated by the Committee at about £50 over the insurance, £125. In conclusion the report said :—Members will note that the headquarters of the Alliance has been removed to Wellington, and that the League of New Zealand Wheelmen has applied the boycott to all meetings at which Alliance events are held. Your Committee would recommend members to take into consideration the advisability of etill continuing affiliated to the Union. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been £429 0s 10d, and there is a balance of assets over liabilities of £187 14s Bd, the net credit, not including insurance money, being £27 17s Bd.

Particulars are to hand of another attempt en the Dunlop 100 miles relay record, in which ten cyclists have each.to ride a section of ten miles. This time the attempt was made in Brisbane by the local branch of the League of Queensland Wheelmen, and a fair performance was established, the 100 miles being covered in 4hr 69min 46sec. This time could have been consider* ably lowered if the arrangements **ad been better at the turning points, for it seems that some minutes were lost through faulty changes at the end of the ten miles section. The Brisbane cyclists are not satisfied with the time established, and have expressed their intention of making another attempt when they feel confident that they can considerably improve upon their last performance. The record is at present held by the Metropolitan Bitycle Club, Perth, this team having ridden the 100 miles in 4hr 48min 30aec. Several Melbourne clubs ore now ia

' active training, with their eyes on the ten five-guinea gold medals given for the best - record, and it is expected that the time will be lowered to somewhere about 4hr 40ntfij " within the next few weeks.. The Otago Cycling Club has decided to j hold their annual race meeting in Dunedin on Saturday, December 31st. . > The Executive of the New South' Wales". Cyclists' Union (says a Sydney paper) v , still meeting with much success in the mafc»\\ ' ter of securing the affiliation of new clubs. " The recently-formed clubs at Newtown and Burwood (both on the amateur basis) have each signified their intention of joining, the -■; Union, while there are one or two othen r both in the city and country now being' 4" i formed,, and which will affiliate later on. \; At the annual meeting of the Wellington \, Cash Cycling Club, held on September Still, - the report stated that the club was ia » Vj very good position, and it now had over [4 ninety members. The balance-sheet showed *"' a credit of £61. The following officers wenf ~,;,> .elected for the ensuing season:—Captain, >|p : Mr A. H. Penney; vice-captain, Mr Sutherland; auditors,-Messrs H. T. 8r0wn ,, ;,: and W. H. Henderson r committee. Messw4i IJ. M'DonaJd, B. M'Nab (re-elected), W. ; 'S A. Thomson, B. J. Atkinson,.and W. Pel.','* ham; secretary, Mr A. Homer (re-elected); o handicapper,, Mr (*♦ Wateon . (re-elected), ■\, The election of treasurer was held over <all-{ next meeting, and also that of president _»;;\ and vice-presidents. ' './- A Bpecial general "meeting of tie W«a»/); ganui and West Coast Cycling Club; wal;, *£ held at Wanganui on September sth, a motion was unanimously* carried*" -in "•-*,"; favour of amalgamating with the Wanganui }yi Bicycle Club. Dr. Hatfierley, of the former club, in proposing the presented, in. pi very, jfckfar . and < cqnciae 4-;•-,. manner the many advantages which j>, would be gained by there being only one - ;; , ;;-. League Cycling Club in Wanganui, aod* 'jj , expressed the opinion that if the same" ' were brought about, Wanganui would X 1 possess a Cycling Club second to noneiathe colony. ', , /\. The latest overlander, A. McDonald, who : . is riding from Port Darwin to Melbourne!,',, *' is making good progress on his journeys '% (says a Sydney paper of September,-3rd), He left Port Darwin on Monday,' August 22nd, at 6.15 a.m., and by the /following-&J[ Monday he had covered 553 miles—a daily j ';|T. average of over 70 miles. This is remark- -* ably good going, and is considerably faster than any of the other rides-over the country. McDonald was certain that W^.y' , i would be able to lower the other records, /jg';; L and had his machine fitted in such a as to allow him to ride where the others , '- i~$?Z had found it necessary to walk. He »\3& mounted on a "Swift," fitted with tyres and geared to 56. His cranks are longer than usual, and with the machine so equipped he finds but little difficulty' riding through sand which effectually /tv;j blocked the pioneer riders aorose tie, desert. ' : , ' • ' ' # '^'0} World's amateur records were established;? i?£ -by H. W. Payne,-25 miles amateur cbs.m-y'i: r pion of England,, at :the Crystal !j£ London, on July 28th. Prom a 'flying, J;" start, paced, he put $tp the following „>„-£ times ;— Quarter -mile, 25sec { -half, V^ 149 3-sth sec; three-quarters, Imin 16seo~r */ one mile, lmitt 39 2-sth sec. ' "• { • '-? E. H. Ainsworth, -whcr Visited Australia •• jwiflh J. Platt-Betls, is now-riding.well hv v ']. England. At latest, he was giving the ~ English cracks a snaking up. adopting;.ft'; trick Ke learnt in Australia, that of going ■", out at the bell, and sprinting the whole of Vf the last lap. Ainsworth defeated England*. ;• V champion, F. W. Chirm, for the Binning- ' '. ham Centre One Mile Championship. V ■