WITH THE WHEELMEN

Evening Star, Issue 21523, 22 September 1933, Page 5

WITH THE WHEELMEN

[By Pistol.]

CYCLING NEWS AND NCTES

FIXTURES. September 23. —Otago amateur fiftymile championship, conducted by the Pacific Club; Canterbury 100-mile amateur championship. September 30.—Pacific Club’s open seventy-mile event for the Holler Cup. October 7.—Waimate-to-Christchurch professional road race; Southland fifty-six-mile amateur road championship. Fifty-mile Amateur Championship, An excellent field of thirty-nine riders from all the clubs in Otago has nominated for the big race of the season to--morrow afternoon. Pacific, Otago, Toko, and Invercargill Clubs have good representation, and a great race is expected. The handicapper (Mr Alan Ockwell) has given general satisfaction, and very few complaints can bo made on the score of bad marks. The championship is at present held by C. G. Lucas, but he will have serious opposition this year from his comarkers, Foster and M'Callum, both of whom have been showing good form this season. Of course, a surprise may be effected by a handicap man, but at present it looks like Poster taking the sash, with M'Callum close on his heels. The winner of the junior championship may be an Invercargill man, but the most likely of the local riders are Smart (who won this title last year and is still under the age limit of nineteen years), A. Oakes, and M. Paterson (who has shown good form for a firstyear rider). The winner of the race is rather hard to sort out, but on paper it does not appear that the handicapper has eliminated the scratch men’s chances, and it would occasion no surprise if the scratch men were in the placings. The Invercargill riders are something of an unknown quantity, but of the local men the following are expected to be prominent;—J. Kewish, the Blackie brothers, E. Fletcher, C. Gilchrist, M. Paterson, and D. Smart. The teams race is fairly open, but the Invercargill Club will make a strong bid to take the cup south. They will find some strong opposition from Otago B and Pacific. Pacific Notes. Duncan M'Callum scored a popular win last Saturday in the race to Milburn and back, a distance of fifty-three miles. He worked hard over the whole journey, and rode homo an.easy winner. M'Callum has been rather unfortunate in striking Foster in such good form, and lie usually is just headed off for time honours. This made his victory all the more popular with followers of the wheel game, and he received an ovation from the crowd at the finishing line. This performance makes his chances of securing fastest time tomorrow very much brighter. He was the recipient of a handsome silver cup, and no man in the club deserves the honour more than the genial “ Mac.” C. Gilchrist was the second Pacific man home after riding an improved race. Now that the longer events are coining off Cyril is expected to show that he is still to be reckoned with. The club will be relying on him to go well in the fifty-mile in order that the Teachers’ Cup may be regained. C. G. Lucas went well off the scratch mark on the outward journey, but was unfortunate enough to fall rather heavily at the turn when lie touched Foster’s wheel. By the time he made adjustments to his cycle and remounted ins co-markers were well away on the return trip, but he kept at it, eventually finishing in fifth place, registering third fastest time. It was a much improved performance, but it appears to be too late in the season now to be just striking form, and his chances tomorrow are not as bright as they might bo. Jim Blackie was unlucky enough to puncture, and his brother Arthur was going well until the effect of riding a distance race without taking some refreshments with him told its tale, and he was fading badly towards the finish. Both these riders are included in the Pacific Club’s team to-morrow, and arc expected to be prominent. Jack Kilner did not seem to relish the hard going, and he dropped back early in the race, but W. . Templeton stuck it out well for a rider of his Foster had his first mishap on the road last Saturday when he punctured at Titri on the return journey. The points in the J acl i,.^, es ,V e competition: Foster 49, M Callum 28, J. Blackie 25, Kilner.l9, Ralston 14, Gilchrist 13, A. Blackie 11, M. Wright 6, Lucas 3, Templeton 1. Otago Amateur Activities. Owing to the nearness of the fiftymile championship very few rulers started in the club’s open race to Clarendon and back last Saturday, a distance of fifty-three miles. Iho strenuous nature of the course told tale ou most of the riders, several finishing well behind the placed men. Dave Smart pedalled a hard race from start to finish, and it was only on the Saddle that he lacked sufficient energy to keep up with the Pacific wheelman, M'Callum. Dave also collected first place and fastest time lor his club. M. Paterson found the going very strenuous, but managed to stick with the back-markers to fill third position, and gain second fastest time for the dub. Ted Fletcher was the next club man to finish. Fletcher has been well treated by the handicapper lately, and on form should he iu the hunt on SaturD*. Seque is riding exceptionally well for a novice, and was most unfortunate in puncturing when riding in a handy position. Frank Greenfield rarely goes well on a hot day. He seems to bo more at home in a cooler temperature. Jack Kewish, who filled third place in the fifty-mile last year, is now at the top of his form, and should give a good account of himself on Saturday. In the M'Connell Cup series A..Oakes is still in the lead with 18 points, M. Paterson is next with 17, Greenfield .14,

Kewish and Sinclair 12, Smart 9, Laws 6, Hamilton, Mnndy, and Fletcher 4. The Otago Amateur Cycling Club has entered two teams for the fifty-mile, and on performances its riders should have every chance of retaining-, the Teachers’ Cup. The A team consists of front-mark-ers, and if these riders work hard together there is no reason why they should not be in the first twelve to finish. The B team consists of Kewish, Smart, Greenfield, Paterson, Fletcher, and Seque. This combination should work well, as all except Seque have had plenty of experience and are now in good form. Notes. Four of the Invercargill riders who intend to compete in the fifty-mile amateur championship rode through from Gore last Sunday. They were met at Clarksville by C. Lucas and C. Gilchrist, of the Pacific Club. They arrived safely after their long trip. The riders were M. C. Wilson (who at present holds the Southland fifty-six-mile championship), Des. Patton (who is well known in Dunedin, where he has competed on many occasions), W. Pickford, and A. Targuse. The latter two are promising junior riders. _ A further contingent was expected to ride through on Wednesday, and in all eleven riders will be competing from the southern capital.

“ Thousands of bicycles are to be ,seen in the streets of Japan, and many of the riders are really like acrobats,” said a New Zealander on his return after a holiday in the East. “ I have seen these cyclists carrying the most curious and awkward loads. One was riding along with four cream cans, another with four blocks of ice, and a third was carrying a tier of quick lunches.”-