WITH THE WHEELMEN

Evening Star, Issue 20984, 24 December 1931, Page 5

WITH THE WHEELMEN

CYCLING NEWS AND NOTES

[By Pistol.]

FIXTURES. December 25. Winton Amateur Cycling Club’s sports. December 26.—Meeting at Waipiata. February 27.—Otago amateur championships, Carisbrook. March 11 and 12.—New Zealand track and field championships at Auckland.

R. Wilson Pyne was again in the piotui’e at the Otago Amateur Cycling Club’s meeting on Wednesday evening of last week, and collected first placo in the mile off 90yds and second in the three-mile event. This season he has been the outstanding handicap rider, and it will bo interesting to see how lie fares off shorter marks. J. Brosnan is another front-marker who keeps well in the placings, and he rode a really sound race to finish second to Fogarty in the two-mile race. G. Milligan proved a surprise, and collected two tliirds after riding good races. He has had little or no training, and would do really well on grass tracks if he concentrated on the sport. A. Hay, off 50yds, secured third position in the three-mile, and worked hard throughout the middle part of the race. R. Wilson Pyne continued in winning vein at the Otago Amateur Club’s meeting on Saturday, when he went a good race to win the half-mile. In the mile event lie was rehandicapped, found the going much harder, and could nob get up. He is at the top of his form at present, and must realise that “ sitting in ” will not prove of any value in the long run. G. Milligan again showed out as a forceful pedaller, and filled second place in the half-mile and third in the mile handicap. He is not afraid to make the pace, and with a little more competition he should bring to light a good finish. J. Brosnan added another placing to his credit when he went a fine race to head the field in the mile. He is a mere slip of a lad, and is pushing well for his first season. G. Hetherington pedalled well on the heavy track, and won the two-mile with a fine sprint at the finish. He showed great confidence in the two-mile heat, when he fell and quickly remounted, to collect third place and thus qualify lor the final. • A. Oakes, who was making his first appearance on the track this season, rode well to finish second in the mile aud third in the two-mile. Ho pedalled a small gear, and was quite at home on tins, hard turf. .lack Fogarty filled third place in the half-mile at the centre’s meeting on Saturday, and looked a siii’e winner of the two-mile event, as he y’as going sti’ongiy out in front entering on the last Jap. Unfortunately Wilson Pyne swerved on the wet grass, and, shooting across right in front of Fogarty, brought the Otago champion down. It was bad luck, for Fogarty lias been showing signs of his best form lately, and on Carisbrook should be capable of registering fast times. At the Otago Amateur Club’s meeting last week he won the two and three-inile handicaps, aud was second in the mile. In tlie longest event he staged a brilliant sprint up tlie straight, but all his efforts were characterised by well-timed and powerful finishing bursts. J. Kennedy is a hard worker, and is an object lesson to some of Ihe back men, who rely too much on their comarkers to carry them up to the field. He finished second in the two-mile final, and was unlucky in missing places in the other two events, in which ho rode splendid races. R. Duncan and J. W. Ferguson intend to compete at Christchurch meetings during the Christmas holidays, and will be making the return journey on their cycles.

G. Hetherington is entering for the amateur cycling events at Timaru on New Year’s Day, and most of the other riders will be competing at Waipiata and in the Southland district. It is reported that Milton may be staging an evening meeting on December 29, and in all probability quite a few cyclists will make the trip.

Three Christchurch cyclists—F. J. Grose, L.,.1. Pearce, and T. O’Brien—journeyed to Wellington recently to take part in a sports meeting at Petone. The fields were big, and the racing proved very interesting. The Canterbury contingent did not fare as well as was expected. The one-mile scratch race was won by Grose (says an exchange). The race for the La.ykold Cap was held over a distance of five miles, there being thirty-five starters. In a great sprint for the finishing lino a rider ran up the hank and spoiled the chances of the back men. In a particularly close finish O’Brien was placed second and Grose third. Amateur riders are having a very quiet time at present. With the exception of a sports .meeting at Halswell on Boxing Day and the Prebhloton sports on January 2, they have not had a fixture in Christchurch for several weeks (says the ‘ Star’).