JAPANESE CYCLISTS CAN EARN £10,000 A YEAR

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31125, 30 July 1966, Page 11

JAPANESE CYCLISTS CAN EARN £10,000 A YEAR

"DEWING in totalisator form, 54 racing tracks in the country, yearly individual earnings of up to £lo,ooo—this is the incredible story of bicycle racing in Japan. Described as ‘‘a deformation of amateur racing into a gambling sport and . . . no different from horse racing," cycling is a big business in Japan and there is racing every day of the week except Wednesday. Eight, nine or 12 competitors ride a given distance on a concrete track with laps of 400-500 metres. People bet on the racers as New Zealanders would bet on horses, bearing in mind their past performances, improvement, or even relying on a wild speculation. There are 2s, 10s and £1 tickets (in the equivalent Japanese yen) and, in accordance with most totalizator systems, 75 per cent of the money is returned on winning tickets. The 12 per cent remaining after deducting operating expenses amounted to a staggering £ll9 . million in the first 16 years after the sport started in its present form in 1948. This was used, in fairly equal proportions, for the construction of schools, housing construction, social welfare, and for urban public utility projects. As a further example, in 1963. £500,000 was contributed towards the Tokyo Olympics.

The velodromes in Japan are massive affairs and the largest, in Tokyo, seats 35,000 and covers an area of about 40,000 sq. yd, with a 400 metres track. There is a further similarity to horse racing at the starts. Instead of sundry

officials holding riders for a release start, the back wheels are fitted in grooves of an apparatus which performs a similar function to the barrier. There are more than 5000 professional racers, male and female, in Japan, but they

have had to qualify to participate. Those wishing to compete as professionals must pass the examinations of the Japan Keirin Association (the controlling body of the business), and undergo three months of schooling and training in the Nippon Bicycle Racing School. After graduation, a rider is given Class B status.

no concept of match winning, the backs aren’t used. Their tight forwards jump for the ball and wrestle; their loose forwards effectively jump on the opposing five-eighths; and that’s about where their concept of the forward game ends. The record tells the story of this team that can’t score. Instead of good back play producing 250 to 300 points at this stage of the tour, the score is instead 149 to 137 about 13-12 a game. Money back please Rugby Union.’’— FODIOR.