CYCLE RACING.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 78, 4 April 1910, Page 3

CYCLE RACING.

SATURDAYS GATHERING. SLOW TIMES. The. Cash Cycle Ctumpionshipi of New Zealand wcr* held at the Basin Reserve on Saturday before a very moderate attendance. This class of sport no longer flourishes like it did a, few years ago, and it was hardly surprising that little, if any, general interest was taken in the proceedings. The championships, with possibly th« exception of the five-mile event, wtra painfully slow and lacking in interest. For instance : the time in the half-mile championship vrit Imin 21 2-ssec, whereas the time in an amateur event over the same distance was Imin 13 1-5 sec. The time for the final of the onemile championship was 2min 52 2-ssec. A spectators' race, competed for by individuals in long trousers, over exactly the same distance, was won in 2min 38sec ! The various events resulted as follow :—: — Half-mile Championship. First prize, £4 ; second prize, £2. A. E. Parkes. Taranaki ... 1 R. J. Jones. Palmewton North... 2 A. R. Jacobsen, Nelson 3 Also started : P. Gillespie (Temuka), A. C. Walker (Wellington), and P. Hill (Christchurch). Parkes won easily by three lengths in' Imin 21 2-ssec. One Mile Championship. First prize, £4 j second prize, £2.— First heat : A. E. Parkes (Taranaki). 1 ; A. C. Walker (Wellington), 2; P. Gillespie (Temuka), 3. H. Thomas (Wellington) also started. Time, 2min 47iec. Second heat : A. G. Donald (Palmerston North), 1 ; R. J. Jones (Palmerston North), 2; A. R. Jacobsen (Nelson), 3. P. Hill (Christchurch) also started. Time, 2min 46sec. Final :— A. E. Parkes (Taranaki) ... 1 R. J. Jones (Palmerston Noith) 2 A. C. Walkev (Wellington), ... 3 All qualified started. The contest in the earlier stages was more of a joke than a championship event. Parkes won easily in 2min 52 2-ssec. Three-mile Championship. First prize, £6 ; second prize, £2. A. G. Donald (Palmertaon North) 1 R. J. Jones (Palmerston North) 2 A.' E. Parkes (Taranaki) ... 3 Also started— H. Thomas (Wellington), A. C. Walker (Wellington), P. Gillespie (Temuka), A. R. Jacobsen (Nelson), and P. Hill (Christchurch). The best rider in the race was undoubtedly Parkes, but he was out-manoeu-vred by Donald, who, after making the pace practically the whole of the way, suddenly spurted just before the bell went, and never stopped sprinting till he passed the post a winner. Time, Bmin 36sec. Five-mile Championship. First prize, £6; second prize, £2. A. E. Parkes (Taranaki) ... 1 A. G. Donald (Palmertton North) 2 R. J. Jones (Palmertton North) t P. Hill {Christchurch) t Also started : H. Thomas (Wellington), A. C. Walker (Wellington), P. Gil. lespie (Temuka), A. R. Jacobsen (Nelson). Owing to the snail's pace at which the other races were run, the officials decided to put on two pacers, who took the job of leading the field lap and lap about. Parkes had the race in his keeping at atl stages, and won with a nicely-timed spurt in 13min 3sec. Half-mile Amateur Cycle Handicap. — J. L. Foubister (Auckland). syds, 1; B. Gosling (Wellington), 50yds, 2; H. Edwards (Wellington), scr, 3. • Also started : J. Sutherland 10yds, F. S. Hetherington 20yds^ J. Lyons 20yds, F. C. Ambridge 40yds. Time, Imin 13 l-ssec. Youths' Bicycle Race.— Kelly, 1; Walker, 2; Finch, 3. ; One Mile Amateur Cycle Handicap. — H. Edwards, scr, 1 ; J. L. Foubister, 10yds, 2; A. J. M'Pherson, 70yds, 3. Also started— Sutherland 20yds, F. G. Hetherington 30yds, J. Lyons 50yds, W. Turner 60yds, F. C. Ambridgo 90yds. Time, 2min 33sec. Half-miie Walk, for boys. — Sullivan, 1; Hickling, 2. Musical Chairs. — H. Edwards, 3. Spectators' Bicycle Race. — Claik'e, 1. Time, 2min Msec.