CYCLING.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19803, 16 December 1929, Page 23

CYCLING.

ENGLISH PARK MEETING, OPPERMAN BEATS WATSON. The appeara-.ro o? Huoor! Opp-irmsn at English Park oi S-it-trday evening drew a crowd of iOU'j people to see Lt, meetm; ■with ii. G. VVatsoa ever a iive miles tiicdempaced race. Tandem-paced racing a novelty in Chriitciiurcn, and ;r.e :••.>-•--- were fre'itier.:;;.left behind on Saturday through their not setting a sufficient pace. In the second race they were mueu improved, am opperniat: and Watson were r-ractic;i 11:-; on level terms through the whole distance. The way in which Opperman le.it Watson and bo til sets of pacers at tne end ci t:ie Er-.t rajo ••as a revelation, and the Austral,an showed no signs o:' i'atig-us alter the solid pace which had been set. He is a real champion. Oppennaa also set a record of omin 39 2-5 sec for a distance oi three niiies motorpaced, riding with great ease. He made light work of a very difficult ride. in the rinai of the half mile cycle handicap, K. E. Chamberlain had a bud spill when ia a good position. He was not eeTionsly injured, however. The running events produced some good performances. D. McLennan wen his heat of the 120 yds handicap 'roni -scratch in 12sec, running in ap!e:id:d style. He won the final easily in 12 l-stee. C. K. Yeaiman and G. Getson ran well iu the 880 yds handicap. Veatraan ran a queer race, putting in fast bursts at intervals, but to finish third from luyds was a good performance. Getson was ..lose to Yeatman in the finish, and ran under two minutes for the distance. Following are the results: THREE-QUARTER MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. First heat—E. F. Flanagan (45yds) 1, A. K. Frandsen 2. Time, lniin 33 3-ssec. Second heat—L. W. Hill (25yds) 1, L. Pither (25yds) 2. Time. lmin. 32sec. Third heat—R. E. Chamberlain (60yds) 1, W. T. Weir (40yds) 2. Time, lmin 33 l-ssec. Fourth heat—C. Bearmau (100 yds) 1, T. Griffiths (85yds) 2. Time, lmin 30 l-ssec. Final. Hill . . . . . . J Frandsen .. .. 2 Pither . . ■ . . . 3 Time, lmin 32sec. The scratch men set a solid pace, and were up with the field for the last lap. Hill shot out with 200 yds to go and beat Frandsen by a. good length, with the field close up. Attempt at Record. Hubert Opperman (Australia), with T. R. McCleary as pacer, set a motor-paced record over three miles. Riding with great ease, and showing fine ability to keep on the rollers of the motor-cycle, Opperman set up the fast time of smin 19 2-ssee for the distance. 120 YDS FLAT HANDICAP. First heat—D. McLennan (scr) 1, R. A. Drury (9yds) 2. W. B. Graeie (Siyds) 3. Time, 12sec. McLennan came with a great burst all the way and won by two feet. Second heat: J. H. Williams (7Jyds) I, R. S. Thomson (4yds) 2, J. W. Townsend (91yds) 3. Time, 11 4-ssec. Won by a yard. Final. McLennan . . • - . . 1 Drury . . . • . . 2 Thomson . . - - .. 3 Time, 12 l-ssec. McLennan was out of the holes quickly and had caught Thomson in 25 yards. He led the field at three-quarters of the way, and won comfortably by two yards, with Thomson inches behind Drury. GRAND MATCH RACE. H. Opperman (Australia) v. H. G. Watson (New Zealand). Five miles, tandem-paced. First heat: H. Opperman 1. Time, 10mm 38sec. The race was run side by side. At the end of a mile Opperman's pacers went ahead and the Australian got a lead o£ 50 yards. Watson's pacers were not setting a good speed, and Watson was badly handicapped through it. Both of pacemakers were rather uncertain, but Watson came up level after another mile. Opperman left his pacers and went up with Watson. They were together, with a mile to go, both riders going very easily. For the last lap they were still level, but half-way round Opperman left both Watson and the pacemakers, to win by 20 yards. Second heat: H. Opperman 1. Time, lOniin 40 l-ssec. Opperman and Watson were together for six laps, when Opperman went into the lead. Watson's pacers took him up again, and he went to the front, Opperman leaving his pacers and going with Watson. The pacers were working better in this heat, and there was less confusion when they changed over. With two laps to go the cyclists were still together, and they went away in tfce last lap, Watson in the lead. Round the last bend Opperman came up on the outside, and in a great finish he won by three lengths. HALF-MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. First heat: R. E. Chamberlain (50yds) 1, C. Bearman (80yds) 2. Time, 58 3osec. Second heat: J. R. Robertson (60yd>) 1, W. W. Crofts (45yds) 2. Time, 60sec. Third heat: P. O'Shea (scr) 1, J. F. O'Reilly (70yds) 2. Time, 61sec. O'Shea was able to get up at the last moment and won by a wheel. Fourth heat: L. Pither (20yds) 1, F. Flanagan (35yds) 2. Time, 61 4-ssec. Final. Pither . . .. .. 1 Bearman . . . - ..., 2 Robertson . . . • S Time, 60 4-Ssec. At the end of a. lap Chamberlain, who was in a good position, fell badly and had to be carried off the track. In a good finish Pither won by half a length, with Robertson the same distance away third. O'Shea could not get up. 880 YDS FLAT HANDICAP. S. W. Payne (70yds) .. 1 J. Noonan (75yds) . . 2 C. K. Yeatman (10yds) . . 3 Time, lmin 58 4-ssec. Yeatman made a fast race for the first 200 yards and caught the rest of the field. G. Getson (scr) came up in the last lap, but the pace was too solid for him to win. Payne went out round the last bend and had a 20 yards break. He slowed down in the straight and won by a narrow margin in fast time. Getson was close up fourth. ELIMINATION RACE, MOTOR-PACED. First heat (five miles): W. T. Weir beat J. W. Jordan by aeven lengths after leading all the way. Time, 9min 55sec. Second heat (three miles) : A. C. Ritchie beat S. A. Jordan by six lengths, after a ciose race. Time, smin 38 2-ssec. Weir and Ritchie will ride off on Wednesday evening to decide who will meet H. Opperman over a five-mile motor-paced contest. DERBY ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP. The New Zealand Derby road championship was held on Saturday afternoon at Halswell, over a thirteen-mile course. The roads were in good order for racing. H. Crofts, M. Briggs, and R. Weir were on scratch. Brigps had the misfortune to get a puncture early in the race. At half : way Lohrey and Mugford led from Simpson and Gibson, the scratch men, Weir and Crofts, being 4min 42sec behind the leaders. Results: — T. Lohrey (7min), time 37m in SOsec ~-., 1 A. Mugford (7min), 37min olsec .. 2 H. Gibson (smin), 37min 42sec ~ 3 A. Simpson (smin), 37min 44sec .. 4 H. Crofts (scr), 32min 57sec .. 5 R. Weir (scr), 32min 57 l-ssec .. 6 Fastest time was registered by H. Crofts, who received the championship blue ribbon from Hubert Opperman.