CYCLING CLUB’S MEET

Evening Star, Issue 20720, 17 February 1931, Page 4

CYCLING CLUB’S MEET

FOGARTY ADDS TO LAURELS B GRADE TITLE TO HAY. The Gtago Amateur Cycling Club staged its ten-mile A grade championship and its five-mile B grade title event at the Caledonian Ground last night, and in addition to the one-mile maiden cycle handicap, two running races were put on by the Otago Amateur Athletic j Centre, the half-mile handicap being won bv J. A. Pledger, off 35yds, in 2min lsec. From scratch M'Lachlan ran his best race tin's season, being beaten by , barely a yard, and running the fastest half-mile done on the track this season, which indicates that he is approaching ' form. The conditions left little to be desired, and a good crowd of spectators witnessed a splendid finish to the tenmile A grade club championship, which J. C. Fogarty, triple Otago champion, annexed for the first time in the record time for the race of 25min 47sec. Not a length separated the placed men at the finish, but once more Fogarty's final dash enabled him to head G. Smith. The seventeen years' old rider, A. J. Hav disclosed the most promising form of the night, as he won the fivemile B grade club cycle championship bv more than a lap in the good time of 12min 2Csec, and then went out to ride a fine race in the ten-mile event for third place. He used his head in following the pacemakers in the B grade event, and after riding at a good clip all the way finished strongly. Fogarty finve further evidence of his real quality by sustaining his sprint for practically the whole of the last lap of the ten-mile event. The pacemakers included C. G. Lucas, H. G. Cooper, and D. Thompson, and, carrying out their duties well, they greatly improver] the racing. Messrs <T. A. Johnston ("president), A. Ockwell, J. IT. Simon (secretary), and several officials of tho centre had control of the meeting. Results: — FIVE-MILE B GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP. A. Hav 1 J. Milne 2 P. M'Connell ... 3 Other starters: F. Loades, B. Thomas, J. W. Ferguson, and H. Stokes. The pacemakers carried the riders along at a splendid clip from the gun, and M'Connell. Stokes, and Hay were in line over the first lap. It was not long before the field began string out, the solid pace that was being followed being too much for some of the slower riders. With fourteen laps to go, M'Connell led by a length from Stokes, but the order changed quickly in the next lap. Stokes went to the front passing the stand, Milne sitting in immediately behind Hay, while the pace was too much for M'Connell, who dropped back to fourth place. Ferguson retired after covering five laps, and, with ten laps to go. Hay, who was riding a heady race, was making the very best use of the pacemakers, having established a gap of 50yds from' Stokes and Loades. The next mije saw the lead further; increased, and, ; with five to go, Hay was a fnrlong ahead of Milne, M'Connell, and Stokes, Loades withdrawing from the race. Hay was riding with tons of dash, and, sitting well over his machine, he lapped the field just after entering on the last lap. Milne set out after him. but ho had no hope even of sticking to the leader while the latter covered his last furlong, Hay winning in great stylo by over a lap. Milne held a big lead o\;er M'Connell, hut the former Was tiring badly. M'Connell making an effort to catch him. The leeway was too much, however, and Milne finished live lengths ahead of M'Connell. The winner's time was 12roin 36sec. • 75 YARDS HANDICAP. First Heat.—lT. Hail (7*yds) 1, M. G. Vnlk (*>er) 2, R. W. Maskell (3yds) 3. Five starters. Won by inches; inches between second and third. Time. 8 2-ssec. Second Heat.—P. Traill (7vds) 1, S. C. Andrews (Byds) 2, G. W. Garden (2yds) 3. Five starters. A foot between the placed men. Time, Bsec. Third Heat.—G. Morrison (4Jyds) 1 B. G. Spiers (7yds) 2. J. M'Crae (7yds) 3. Another close finish. Morrison winning on the tape. M'Crae half a yard back. Time, S l-ssec. —Final.— Traill ... .., 1 Morrison 2 Spiers 3 A fine finish, Morrison just failing to head Traill, who won by 6in, Spiers half a yard hack third. Time, 8 1-osec. 830 YARDS HANDICAP. J. Pledger, 35yds 1 L. C. M'Lachlan, scr 2 J. Lovelock, scr 3 Fourteen starters. J. A. Pledger was always near the front, and at the end of a lap led by a foot from N. I. Pledger, A. 11. Geddes going into third place entering on the last lap, M'Lachlan and Lovelock were lying fairly handy, and they improved their positions along the back, Fish being another vlio was going well along, the back stretch. Fish was done with entering' the straight, and Geddes, who had made his run rather too soon, found that he could not hold tho position out in front, Pledger displacing him up the straight. M'Lachlan came with one of his oldtime dashes up the straight and finished only a yard behind Pledger, Lovelock, who also went a good race, being a similar distance back third. Time, 2min lsec. ONE-MTLE MAJDEN CYCLE HANDICAP. 11. M'Ddugall, 100yds 1 J. W. Ferguson, 80yds 2 F. Loades, 20yds ... 3 Eight started. M'Dougall won comfortably by lour lengths, half a wheel between second and third. Time, 2min '.'4 -]-ssec. TEN-MILE A GRADE CYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP. J. C. Fogarty I (i. Smith 2 A. Hay 3 The other starters were P. M'Connell and J. Milne. There was no shirking on the part of tho pacemakers from the outset, and with half a mile covered Smith led Fogarty, Hay, Milne, and M'Connell in Unit order. This order was maintained over the'nest mile, covered at a good bat, Smith continuing to use the pacemakers to good advantage. Fogarty was content to bang in behind Smith, but at the end of another mile he shot to tho front, only to find that M'Connell was bent on sitting in behind the pacemaker. With 23 to go M'Connell led Fogarty and Smith,, hut not for long, and with just on hall' the distance covered M'Connell retired, it then being clear that tlio race was going to resolve- itself into a struggle between Fogarty, Smith, and Hay. Hav and Fogarty alternated in the lead over tho next few laps, Milne retiring with two miles to go. Fogarty was leading at the bell, and he went out to make tha pace a " cracker " over the last lap. Smith stuck to him. and the crowd cheered 'with excitement as Hav di-ow almost level with the leader rounding the bend. Entering the straight Smith was almost blocked bv Hay, but though ho was unable to head Fogarty, who put in a <?reat spurt up tho straight, he heat Hay for second place by half a wheel, Fogarty being the by half a length. Time, 23min <l7scc—a record for the race. '