CYCLING.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20045, 29 September 1930, Page 7

CYCLING.

" ROUND-THE-GORGES " RACE. F. J. GROSE GAINS TITLE. Each year has seen the interest in the "Round-the-Gorges" cycle race grow, and on Saturday the crowds that assembled at Papanui for the start of tho race, and at tli# Show Grouncls to see the finish, were much larger than those of the two previous yearn the race has been he'd. Along the route, which led along the North road, ttiough Kaiapoi, Woodend, Kangiora, Loburn, Glentui, Ashley Gorge, Oxford, Waimakarm Gorge, VV'addington, Darfield, Kirwee, Rolleston, and then by the Main South road to the Show Grounds, enthusiastic spectators cheered the riders as they passed, '.(.he event this year included tiie Canterbury IOU-nnlc championship, and attracted riders I'iom .Napier, Wellington, Uunedm, and lnvoicargill. The weatner conditions, as in the past two years, were most tavourable, and it was considered that J;'. J. Grose's time of 4 hours 46 minutes 15 seconds last year wcuid stand as a record for the course for many a' long day; but on Saturday he reduced that time by nearly 16 minutes. This, also is more remarkable, owing to the fact that the distance was a few miles longer than on the two previous occasions on which the race has been held.

Of the sixty entries received, only four riders failed to turn up. The limit riders, A. C. Hands, the oldest rider in the race, and A. H. Rogers and S. H. Tibbotts, two lads barely fourteen years of age, were dispatched punctually at 9.30 a.m. The second bunch were sent oft 10 minutes later, and the scratch men, F. J. Grose, K. G. Lange, and J. L. Richards, left at 10.35 a.m. liach lot of riders as they rode down the avenue of people received rounds of hearty cheers, aiwt wishes of good luck were shouted to the riders from individual friends. When tho scratch men left, the' limit riders had rtached the Makerikeri>bridge, about five miles beyond Rangiora. Hands and Tibbotts were then in the lead, Rogers having dropped back about half a mile. At Loburn. Hands passed through Loburn, the first n.iik station, at 10.47 a.m. Tibbotts and Rogers were next to pass at 10.55 a.m. Three minutes later the five men off 55 minutes grabbed at their milk, two of them making misses. V. Ayres led the 60min riders at 11 o'clock. At this stage they had only gained 2 minutes on the leader. The riders off 23tuin and 26mm were together and passed at 11.23. The 4min men, W. A. Christensen, M, Gane, D. O'Brien, and W. 1\ Wilcockson,' were riding well, and were gaining on tiie bunch in front of them. At this stage they had gained nearly a minute on the scratch men

Glentui. Between Loburn and Glentui the route led through undulating country, and on some 01 tbn rues the paca slowed down to fifteen miles an hour. At Glentui, the riders descended a ateep hill witli a sharp turn near the foot. Many of the riders were prepared for this and had equipped their machines with fieo-wheels. From now on started some heart-breaking hill work, with short, stoep climbs and sharp descents. Munds turned the corner into the Ashley Gorge road at 11.36, eight minutes ahead of T. A. Grose, V. Ayres, S. Weir, and 1)'. Muir. H. W. Skidmore passed on' his own, looking very weary, at 11.48, followed by Ropei, Burnett, Ling, Winterburn, Lester, and Goodger, at 11.54 a.m. A minute later carno the two limit lads, Rogers and Tibbotts. At 12.17 & bunch comprising the four-minute and eight-minuto riders passed, with Hetherington out in front. While trying to secure oranges, which were held oil the end of sticks, from the official refreshment car, one of the riders came down, bringing O'Brien and Beale, two Dunedin riders, down with him. Fortunately no on» waa injured. The scratch men were 6imiu behind the 4min men at this stage and about a milo beyond this J. L. Richard* retired.

Oxford. • Hands still led at Oxford, at 12.16, a mintun ahead of X. A. Grose, Ayres, and Weir. Muir had now dropped back over a mile and passed on his own at 12.26. Winterburn, ijing, Jjeater, and Rogers passed through, followed by Skidmore, at i 2.20. A buncli of eight, led by H. J. Harper and B. Dunlop, passed at 12.35. On reaching the town■hip the scratch men had picked, tip the one minute fifteen seconds they had. previously tost on the 4min men* -At thia stage it was level pegging for » time' between the two : bunatios. Lange, who ; was- suffering from a severe cold k was plugging along grimly with Grose. Waimakariri Gorge. About five miles before reaching the Gorge bridge, S. Weir and V. Ayree overtook the leader, Hands. On the rise loading from the bridge, Weir shot ahead and gained a good lead- '<?• A. Grose followed Ayres about a quarter of a' mile away, with Hands a short distance further back. By'this time thu field was well strung out. The backraarkers were gradually getting up. Grose and Lang* were now only about three minutes behind tlio 4min men. DarfleM. Weir passed through Darfieid at 1.15, riding at 20 miles per .hour. He iisd a lead of nearly two miles on Ayres, who was nearly as far in front of T. A. Grose. V. J. Grose left Lange just before reaching the township. He was now only lmin 30seo behind the 4mii map. Having them in view x>n the long straight stretch of road, he Sot out to catch them, and at one period, witli the back wind, he was peddling at a Sf-eed of 82 miles per hour. Solleston. Between Darfield and Kolleston the roads were rough In patches, but Weit pedalled along at an-average speed of 21 miles .per hour. He reached the township at 1.65 p.m. Ha now had a lead of about three miles. from Ayres, with T. A. Grose riding third, a long way back. I l '. Grose caught tlio 4 min men near Kir wee. Hie presence bioke the bunch up, Wilcockson dropping back at this point. Christonsen (4min) and N. Robinson (Bmin) were about half a mile aLead of Grose. Eastlake (ttmin) and J ennings (lSmin) were a similar distance in front. About a mile past the township on th'j concrete road, the five riders were together, taking lap about, doing a good 25 miles per hour. At the Show Grounds. A large crowd had assembled at the Show Grounds. On the announcement ... that Weir was entering the gates, all those in the grandstand rose to their feet and cheered loudly. He crossed the line at 2.89 p.m., looking fairly fresh after his long and tedious ride. Eight minutes passed before Ayres came in. A few minutes after, F. D. Robson, H. J. Harper, P. L. Robson, and 0. G. Deans rode in together and crossed the line in that order. The next six riders came in singly. Excitement was intense when a bunch of six entered the oval. "There comes Grose," ifras heard from all parts of the grandstqnd. The riders kept well together around the back, aijd in the sprint finished in the following order: —N. RobinSon, F. Grose, F. Jennings, E. Eastlake, J. E. Winterburn, and W. A. Ohfistensen. The remainder of the riders arrived at irregular intervals, all showing signs of their trying journey of one hundred miles.

The official times and placings were as follows: — S. Weir (Iticcarton), SOmin, 4hrs BSmin 55sec .. ■. -. 1 V. Ayres (Frebbleton), 50min, shrs 2min 13 2-ssec .. ■. .. 2 P. D. Bobson (Napier), 26min, 4hrs 43 min 54sec .. .. 3 H. J. Harper (Waltham),. 28min, 4hrs 40min 55eec . . 4 P. li. Kobson (Napier), 23min, 4hrs 40 min 59sec .. . . 5 C. G. Deans (Aranui), 32min, 4hrs SO min lsec .. .. 6 W. h. Ling (Christchurch), 40min, 4hrs 59min 2sec ... .. 7 T. A. Grose (Papanui), 50min, shrs 10 min 276 ec .. .. 8 I. J. Lester (Sydenham), 40min, Shrb lmin 6 8-ssee .. . . 9 A. C. Hands (Christchurch), 65min, shrs 26min 13 3-ssec .. . . 10 •0. Rhodes (Aranui), 23min, 4hrs 47min 39 4-ssec .. .. .. 11 G. P. Brown (Richmond), 16min, 4hrs 44min 53 4-ssec . . . 12 N. Robinson (Wellington), Bmin, 4hrs 38min 25 l-ssec .. .. 18 P. J. Grose (Papaqui), scr, 4hrs SOmin 25 2-ssec .. .. .. 14 P. Jennings (Sydenham), 13min, 4hrs 43 min 25 8-ssec .. .. .. 15 R. Eastlake (Invercargill), llmin, 4hrs 41miA 25 3-ssec .. .. 16 J. E. Winterburn (New Brighton), 40min, shrs lOmin 25 4-ssec . . 1? W. A. Christensen (Yaldhurst), 4min, 4hrs 34min 40sec . . .. 16 D. O'Brien (Dunedin), 4min, 4hrs btjmin 40sec • • • • .. 19 R. P, Dunlop (Waltham), 23min, 4hrs 55min 41sec .. .. .. 20 P. C. Muir (New Brighton), 55min, 6hrs 28min SSsec . . . ■ .. 21 N. Berry (St Albans), Bmih, 4hrs 43min 0 l-ssec ... . - .. 22 J. Donaldson (Spreydon), 32min, shrs 9min 40sec . . .. .. 23 W. P. Wilcockson (Christchurch), 4min, 4hrs 42mih 34sec .. _ .. 24 H. 0. Basher (Aranui), Bmin, 4hrs 46 min 34 2-ss6c " 25

K. 0. Lange (Yaldhurst), cor, 4hrs 38mln JS4 3-Ssec .. .. .. 2« G. vf. Hetherington (Dunedin), Bmin, 4hr 46min 84 4-ssec .. . . 27 D. J. Richardson (Shirley), 32min, shra lOmin 35sec .4 .. .. 28 S. Campbell (Cashmere), Umin, 4hra 40 min 37sec .. .. 39 H. J. Quill (Spreydon), 28min, shrs 8 mln 84see .. • • 80 M. Beale (Dunedin), Bmln, 4hri 52mia 38sec .. •• {• 81 A. J. Lancaster (Spreydon), 26mln, snrs . lOmin 59 8-sßec .. 82 0. Krlccson (Wellington), lOmin, 6hrs 4min 85seo .. • • .. 83 S. Conway (Fend Alton), 19min, Shirs 7min 86sec .. • • .. 84 G. Humphreys (Harewood), lOmin, Shra 7min 89sec .. .. .. 86 R. Roper (Halkett), SSmin, shra 48min 59sec -. • • ■ • 3® Fastest time was registered by F. J. Grose (scr), who covered the distance In 4hrs 80min 25 2-6 sec; second fastest, by ' W. A. Ohristensen (4min), in 4hrs 34min 40sec; and third fastest by D. O'Brien (imin), 4hrs 36min 40sec. -

BEFORE THE FINISH.

OPEN-AIR BOXING. Prior'and during the finish of the "Bound the Gorges'' race on Saturday afternoon, entertainment was provided the spectators at the Show Grounds by open-air taxing, several exhibition fights and one decision tbout being staged. W. Carey and X). Forward gave a good exhibition in the first of the professional fights, and were followed by U. Wright and W. Davies. ' • , In an amateur decision bout, B. Carey and L. Overend fought a feather-weight contest. Oarey led in tba first round, but took a lot of punishment thereafter, Overend hitting strongljr. The fight was stopped in the third round, Overend having by far the better a? the exchanges. , . , F. Andrews and N. Moulin, J. McNichoJ and S. Larkln, and'G. Forward and W. Good gave exhibition amateujr bouts. Mr C. Gardner was referee, Mr P. C. Crooke timekeeper, and Messrs G. Gardiner and McDonald Smith judges. An acrobatic display was also given 07 Misses M. Austin, N. Pye, M. Pye, and V. Clayton, pupils of Mr J. Musson.