N.Z. CYCLISTS FOB OLYMPIC GAME

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21732, 14 March 1936, Page 22

N.Z. CYCLISTS FOB OLYMPIC GAME

TO THR EDITOR 0* TH»" PREBB. Sir,—Would you kindly publish this comparison of times as asked lor by a correspondent, "Donation." "Donation" asks for the times of events at the Empire Barnes. As there was no road, race held,, I think the time for the world's 101 miles road championship should suffice. The 1 Empire Games events were held under the worst qonditions. Rain fell during some of the events, and on a grit track it considerably slowed the riders. In fact, as Duncan Gray said, the officials had to work like Trojans to make it rideable. . ■ The 1000 metres time trial D. Gray (Australia) won in lmin 16 2-ssec. McLeod (Canada) was second. Riding in a shower of rain he clocked lmin 18sec. For the 1000 metres sprint, the time is taken over the last 220 yards. The fastest heat was done in 13sec. F. J. Grose was beaten by inches in this heat. The winner of this event. E. W. Higgins (England) did the final 220 yds in 13 4-ssec. These times were considered slow, but under the conditions they were very good. Wanganui track, where Giles put up his recent good times,.is claimed as the best and fastest asphalt track in Australia or New Zealand. In 1928 J. Standen, from a standing start, .unpaced, clocked 29 4-ssec for a quar-ter-mile. D. Gray, from a flying start, did 25 4-ssec for the same distance. Both times were established on the Wanganui track. i Recent times in Australia at an Olympic time trial were: Johnson lmin 13 2-ssec; D. Gray, lmin 14sec. In England recently D. Horn did lmin, 13 2-ssec. T. Merkens (Germany) took lmin 13sec, and is also credited on an open track with lmin 11 4-ssec. , The world's 101 miles road championship was won by Mancini (Italy). His time was 4hr 37min 16sec. Grose's record for the "Round the Gorges", 100 miles is 4hr 30min 35sec. At the Olympic Games the distance for the road race is 100 kilos, approximately 60.14 miles. The first 50 miles in the world's championship was done in 2hr 16min 40sec. No comparispn can be made with the first 50 miles of the Gorge race, as it is uphill practically all. the way. Grose's time for the 50 miles championship was 2hr 7min 14sec. As the Olympic road race is held on an out and home course on a fine gravel road, and a hill-climbing test is included, I think Grose's times should compare more than favourably with those overseas.. As the world's best will be competing at Berlin, the standard will be much higher than that of the Empire Games. Trusting "Donation" will be satisfied with my list of times.—Yours.' etc.. TIMEKEEPER. March 13, 1936.