ROAD CYCLING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 55, 3 September 1934, Page 14

ROAD CYCLING

HOPE GIBBONS SHIELD

FINAL CONTEST HELD

With the be.st aggregate hi the two races, the Poneke Amateur Cycling Club's B team are the first winners of the Hope Gibbous Shield. The second and final race of the season for the shield was held at Petone ou Saturday afternoon over a 25 miles course. In this contest, the Port Nicholson A team made a fine showing, winning decisively, but their performance was not good enough to enable them to be placed higher than third in the aggre- j gate. Hutt Valley A were second iv the race on Saturday, and Poneke B third. ALONG THE ROUTE. Teams were dispatched at five-minute intervals, and although wether conditions were ideal, Strong cross winds hindered the competitors sohmewhat throughout the entire journey. Poneke A were first away. Blnckett, who was indisposed, was' replaced by Evans, who, being far from fit, soon tailed off. He completed the course, however. Good progress was made, and at Silveretream, against the wind, Houston was pacing his team mates at 27 miles an hour, but on the return journey, Lasky, who had ridden splendidly, broke a pedal, and waiting for Evans, changed cycles, and finished six minutes behind his team mates. At this point Blackett was sorely missed. i Hutt B had a clear run until the final, stages, when Nattrasa was dropped. Port' Nicholson B were next in order, but lost their captain, Sinclair, who had a. puncture early in the race. Lea Sowerby riding splendidly, helped hi 3 team mates considerably, and would not have disgraced himself in the A team, which followed, the B team, and only caught the latter at the Petone ramp. Magnificent team racing was indulged in by the Port Nicholson A team, who lost K. Wilson on the outward journey through a puncture^ J. Wilson, Len Sowerby, Disley, and Arlidge rode splendidly, although the latter's laps.lacked the sting of the other three, but be pluekily held on. This team averaged 28 miles per hour over the last few miles, and flashed by the club's B team at 30 miles an hour. Poneke B, the shield winners, followed next, and on the outward journey Walsh paced the others splendidly. This told on him on the return trip, when Thomson, who had alao worked well with Walsh, and Barnsley made the pace a cracker, dropping Walsh and Griggs at the Hutt. Pcrcival, the captain, had retired early in the event. The last team to leave, Ilutt Valley A, were without the services of Stavcicy, who has "retired. This team were well m the picture, but were unfortunate to lose Morris, who sustained a puncture, but borrowed a cycle to finish eight minutes after T. Roe, Dutton, and Biggs, who displayed a fine turn-of speed on the return journey. Cook, a junior, substituting ior Stavelcy, finished well back." THE RESULTS. Results of Saturday's events are:—Port Nicholson A, Len Sowerby, captain, Dislev 41-lid^e, and Wilson (2), lhr lmm 47sec' 1- Hutt Valley A, lhr 4min Sosec, 2; Poneke B, lhr 4mm 45sec, 3. Aggregate Times.-Poneke h. P. 1 ercival. captain, Griggs, AValsh,_ .Barnsley, and Thomson, lhr 2min 41 2-osec, 1; Poneek A, lhr 3min 10 3-saee, 2; Port N cholson A lhr 3rain 28 3-sse C , 3; Hntt Valley \ lhr 4min 15 3-ssec, 4; Port Nicholson B,' lhr 6min 12 SP «, 5; Hutt Valley B, lhr lmiu 0 l-ssec, 6.