SEVERE CYCLING TEST

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 130, 29 November 1926, Page 12

SEVERE CYCLING TEST

ROAD RACE IN THE RAIN

CANTERBURY CRACK IN GREAT FORM

STIRRING FINISH FOR FIRST PLACE.

"Without doubt he is the best amateur rider on the road and ou the track in New Zealand to-day," remarked the president of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club (Mr. A. C. Kitto), in calling upon F. Grose, of Canterbury, to accept the blue ribband for ■ registering fastest time in the forty-two mile cycle road race conducted by the club on Saturday afternoon. The race was decided under very trying conditions, heavy rain falling throughout the whole period of the race, over a course from the Basin Reserve to Trentham and back. Grose, from scratch, put up a great performance, and was beaten by only a length for first place, after having had to make his own pace practically all the way. However, he gained principal honours by registering fastest time. M. Gane (Wellington) beat Grose for first place in a final and stirring sprint on the grass track at the Basin Reserve. The event was to have been held in conjunction with a sports carnival, but in view of the bad state of the weather the amateur athletic programme was postponed until this "evening. The cyclists decided to carry on with their event, and their keenness was evidenced in the fact that over forty competitors took part. The test was a severe one, but quite a number of the cyclists performed meritoriously; in fact, the performances of several exceeded all expectations. Grose, who holds New Zealand track and road championships, outclassed the other scratch men on the day, leaving them early in the race and finally hitting the front for the. finishing effort on the Basin Reserve. In this Grose was beaten by Gane, who has been showing up conspicuously in road races. Hayes, of Hutt, was a good third. At the conclusion of the race, Mr. A. C. Kitto paid tribute to the fine qualities of the Canterbury champion, and called upon Miss M: Wilkins (captain of the Wellington Ladies' Club) to present the blue ribband to Grose. Cheers wero given for both Grose and Gane. A BIG FIELD. The starters were:—A. Clarke (Wellington), A. Vondersloot (Athletic), E. Rooderkerk (Wellington). K. Williams (Wellington), and S. J. Bennett (Hutt), each IBmi_; A. Horsfall (Wellington), J. de vGrut (Selwyn), S. C. de -Grut (Selwyn), and C. Hawkins (Wellington), each 16 mm; G. Kilpatrick (Selwyn) and H. loonier (Wellington), each 15min; AY. Duff (Selwyn), W. Ogg (Selwyn), and C. M'Ghie (Wellington), each 13min; C. Greer (Wellington), J. Stalker (Hutt), K. J. Clark (Athletic), and S. Semi (Hutt), each 12min; S. Wright (Selwyn), at. C. Avery . (Wellington), T. Martin (Porirua), and R. W. Robinson (Athletic), each llmin; J. Croft (Hutt), P. Dudley (Selwyn), A. Chenot (Foxton), D. M'Fredries (Selwyn), J. Prendergast (Selwyn), and L. Bird (Canterbury), each lOmin; W. Keating (Selwyn), A. Beattie (Selwyn), and G. Chammin (Selwyn), each Bmin; H. Hill (Masterton) and J. H. Morris (Selwyn), each 7min; S. Harrison (Athletic) and T. Hayes (Hutt), each 6min; G. Capper (Levin) and J. Scobie (Levin), each 4min; M. Gane (Wellington), L. Kenny (Wellington) and H. Scarfe (Wellington), each 3min; .T. Carswell (Wellington), C. Flett (Wellington), T. Oakley (Masterton), and F. Grose (Canterbury), scratch. CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. The dispatch o£ -the cyclists from the Basin Reserve was carried out in an efficient manner, there being any amount of enthusiastic officials. to see that all details .ere attended to. The outlook so far as the riders were concerned was decidedly unpleasant, and nobody envied them their task of cycling forty-two miles in heavy rain. Still, they were not disheartened; in fact, they were to be highly commended for their grit in tacking the proposition under such bad conditions. Some of the competitors did not get very far before they realised that there were other trials to bear besides a drenching. Under ordinary circumstances the roads would have been ideal for almost the whole journey, but the heavy rain made the bitumeu surface exceedingly greasy, and skidding was not infrequent. The rails in sections of the roads also presented trouble: , Not a few of the competitors had spills before.they were out | of the city, and one, Tom Oakley had no end of bad luck. Before reaching Thorndon, Oakley had several spills, and then he had the misfortune to be misdirected into Thorndon Station. On turning to get back to the right track he came down again. With all this he kept going, and his subsequent progress was good, though he was unable to make up lost ground on Grose, the New Zealand and Canterbury champion. -The final incident in Oakley's chapter of accidents was another spill when he'was back in. the Basin Reserve and only 200 yds from the winningpost. He and Flett were riding practically together when both crashed at one of the bends on the track. During the race there were other mishaps, the most serious being a crash near! Ngahauranga on the homeward journey. Morris and S. C. de Grut were up with the leading division, closely bunched. The former was unable to avoid striking the rear wheel of Gane's machine, and he fell heavily, also bringing down de Grut. Morris was injured and could not continue, but de Grut remounted and was well placed at the finish. Williams was among others to have spills, while those whose progress was hampered by punctures in- • eluded M'Frcderies, Keating, and Kenny. MAKING UP LEEWAY. While some of the back-markers made excellent progress on the way out, there were not a few of the cyclists with good startß who also made splendid headway. At the turning-point Horsfall (16min), Williams (18min), arid Rooderkerk (lomin) were among the first to face the harder ride back to town. Kilpatrick was also well up, and after turning he gradually improved his position until at Lower Hutt he was in the van. By this time, however, it became evident that the Canterbury cracE would be prominent over the final stages, all going well. He was riding like a real champion, and steadily reducing the handicaps given at the start. Others also well placed were Gane, Hayes, Morris, S. C. de Grut, Robinson, and Toomer. Flett, Oakley, Carswell, and Scobie had overtaken many if the other competitors, but they still had to make up a lot of leeway. Morris and de Grut had their chances spoiled by the mishap on the Hutt road. Plugging away determinedly, the leading riders soon reached the city, and as they neared the Basin Reserve their positions were such as to make an interesting finish very probable. THE FINAL LAP. Grose, who had done remarkably well under trying conditions, was first to strike the track on the Basin Reserve, being closely followed by Gane, Hayes, and Robinson. The competitors then had to ride a lap. before finishing, and it was over this final 440 yards that Grose lost the position which he had deservedly won on the road. In a stirring final sprint Gane, a young local rider who has beci showing much promise, was able to speed up just enough to win by a length from GroSe. Hayes was not far away third, and then came Robinson. It was a fine finish to a trying contest. Grose, of course, gained principal honours of the race by registering fastest time. Those present at the Basin Reserve to see the finish gave him a rousing reception, and they also

paid tribute to Gane's noteworthy 'performance.

FINISHING ORDER. The order at the finish was:— M. Gane (Wellington), 3min 1 F. Grose (Canterbury), scr " 2 T. Hayes (Hutt), (imin 3 R. W. Robinson, llmin 4 11. Toomer (Wellington), 15min ...... ,r> S. C. de Grut (Selwyn), IGmiu (i G. Kilpatrick* (Selwyn), loniin 7 J. Prendergast (Selwyn), lOmin „ * K. J. Clark (Athletic), 12min 9 W. Ogg (Selwyn), 13min ]0 W. Duff (Selwyn), 13min, 11; J. Carswell (Wellington), scr, 12; C. Flett (Wellington), scr, 13; J. Scobie (Levin), lmin, 14; T. Oakley fMasterton), scr, 15; , . Wright (Selwyn), llmin, 16; H. Hill (Masterton), 7min, 17; K. Willaims (Wellington), ISmiii, 18; L. Bird (Canterbury), lOmin, 19; G. Capper (Levin), 4min, 20; T. Martin (Porirua), llmin, 21. FASTEST TIMES. The best times were registered as follow: — I. Grose, Ihr 55min 45 l-10sec 1 M. Gane, lhr 58min 4nsec ;.... 2 T. Hayes, 2hr lmin 4Gsec ...: :i R. AY. Robinson, 2hr 6min ooscc 4 J. Scobie, 2hr llmin 27see 5 H. Toomer, 2hr 14min 13sec 0 S. C. de Grut, 2hr 15min 37sec 7 THE PRIZE LIST. Prizes were won as, follow:— Fastest time (W.A.A.C. blue ribbon and. gold medal): F. Grose. Second fastest time (gold medal): M. Gane. ' Third fastest time (gold medal): T. Hayes. First place (racing cycle): M. Gane. Second place (trophy): F. Grose. Third place (trophy): T. Hayes. Fourth place (trophy): R. W. Robinson. Fifth place (trophy): H. Toomer. Sixth place (trophy): S. C. de-Grut. Seventh place (trophy): G. Kilpatrick. First Wellington Club rider to finish: M. Gane. First Selwyn Club rider to finish: S. C. de Grut. First Athletic Club rider to finish: R. W. Robinson. Visiting rider making fastest time: F. Grose.