INVERCARGILL TO DUNEDIN

Evening Star, Issue 21845, 8 October 1934, Page 13

INVERCARGILL TO DUNEDIN

L WILSON WINS BIG CYCLE RAGE FASTEST TIME TO J. L. RICHARDS Pedalling valiantly in a lonc-handed effort practically from Clinton, L. Wilson, twenty-six-year-old Invercargill novice, won the Invercargill-Dunedin amateur road cycle race on Saturday after a sterling performance- from the 70miu mark, the winner’s actual riding time being 7h 37min 50sec. The race, the longest amateur event yet held in the dominion, actually finished at Green Island, the distance being 132 miles, and although the forty-two riders faced a fresh head breeze all the way, the overhead conditions otherwise wore favourable, the sun shining brightly all day. The roads were in fair condition, but near Waipahi there was a particularly bad stretch where the road was under repair, and between Clinton and Balelutha the riders had to contend with some bad portions. Again, between Milton and Wailiola there were further gravel stretches. The course proved a gruelling one, and it said much for the condition of the men that twentysix finished.

This race represented L. Wilson’s first success on the road, and only three weeks ago he was second in a novice seventeen-mile race at Invercargill, and fourth in a thirty-mile event a week earlier. He was equally at home on the hills as on the flat stretches, and throughout rode very strongly indeed. Second place went to a twenty-one-year-old Invercargill rider, J. "Humphries, who was off Somin. Humphries rode a good race and led at Clinton, being passed soon afterwards, but sticking to second position for the rest of the way. He is a firstseason rider.

Tho performance of the Canterbury riders—all of them representatives of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club—in taking the three fastest times was a fine one, J. L. Richards, who rode from scratch, finishing in third place and making fastest time, 6h 43mfn 23sec, a great effort. Richards put up fastest time in the New Zealand 100mile road cycling championship at Dunedin a few years ago, and is recognised as one of New Zealand’s best amateur road riders. Several times he has been runner-up to F. J. Grose in the “ Round the Gorges ” race in Christchurch.

I. J. Taylor (lomin) finished fourth and gained second fastest time. He was third in the “ Round the Gorges ” race recently. Fifth place and third fastest time went to another Christchurch rider, C. Gread, off lomin, and he was followed by a clubmate, L. S. Radford (who looked a certainty for the “ Round the Gorges ” race when his tyre blew out), G. "Homer, who was seventh, was tho first Dunedin man home, and took fastest time under twenty, 7h 39vnin 23sec. He is eighteen years of age, and rode a very fine race indeed. The control of the race was in the hands of the’ Invercargill and Dunedin Amateur Cycling, Clubs, and both at Invercargill and Green Island the arrangements passed off without the slightest hitch, while at the intermediate stations at Clinton, Balclutha, and Milton the co-operation of the local people left nothing to bo desired. The officials were: Superintendents, Messrs W. G. Harris and A. Ockwell; referee, Mr F. Sutherland; timekeepers— Messrs H. P. Campbell, G. Wilson, C. A. Lucas, A, C. Paterson, and F. H. Greenfield; starters —the Mayor of Invercargill (Mr John Miller), Messrs H. P. Campbell, and C. A. Lucas; judges —Messrs J. Fletcher, I. M'Millan, R. Sivertsen, H. Greenfield, H. Ockwell, T. Gilchrist, R. M'Cash, and R. Wilson; handicappers—Messrs I. M'Millan, A. Ockwell, and E. Smith; course stewards—Messrs M. Wilson, W. Kent, H c Insail, J. Pickford, D. Patton, J. Robinson, T. Robinson, J, Leslie, J. Stewart, W. McDonald, H. W. Laws, H. Annison, A. C. Paterson, A. Ockwell, G. Sinclair, and F. Greenfield. THE STARTERS. In an entry of forty-three it was noteworthy that there was only one scratching. The field comprised:—W.. M'Farlane and C. Wilkins (In.) and R. Driscoll (Du.), 90min, W. J. Templeton (Du.), J. Humphries, R. Wilson (In.) 85, K. Woods, G. Jones, L. Wilson, and W. Matthews (In.) 70, G. Elliot, J. Forde, R. Dixon (in.) 60, V. Laws (Dn.), R. Flynn, L. Bloy, V. Flynn, A. Targuse (In.) SO, H. Robinson, D. More (In.), J. Blackie, G. Heatherington, G. Homer (Dn.) 40, L. Johnson, E. Summers (In.), J. Kewish, A. Fletcher (Dn.), L. S. Radford (Ch.) 30, C. Robinson, M. Smith (In.), M. Paterson (Dn.) 20, G. Foster (Dn.), C. Gread, I. J. Taylor (Ch.) 15, W. Pickford, J. Flynn, W. Frame (In.), C. G. Lucas (Dn.) 10. and C. G. Gilchrist, D. M'Callum (Dn.), A. J. Lancaster, and J. L. Richards (Ch.) scr. THE RACE DESCRIBED. Invercargill enthusiasts were early astir, and when the limit men were lined np outside tho Town Hall shortly after 7 o’clock, there was a crowd of several hundred people present, the numbers being added to by others on their way to work before the time came for the scratch men to be sent away. It was 74 minutes past 7 when the throe limit riders, M'Farlane, Driscoll, and Wilkins were despatched. Ninety minutes after the front men had gone, the Mayor of Invercargill (Mr John Miller) started the scratch men, M'Callum, Gilchrist, Lancaster, and Richards.

M'Callum made the pace for the backmarkers in the early stages, and, while warming up as they led out of Invercargill, they moved along at a steady twenty miles an hour against the fresh head wind. Eleven miles from Invercargill the ten-minute men were seen to be teaming well, and bowling along at a twenty-mile an hour clip also. These two bunches were not sighted again until Bnlclutha was reached, but reports came to hand before then that the scratch men had picked up the tenminute bunch in the vicinity of Gore. Fifteen miles from Invercargill, Paterson and C. Robinson had been dropped by Smith, the latter being overhauled by the 15min bunch, comprising Oread, Taylor, and Foster, who were going well. The thirty-minute men were sighted seven miles further on, Kewish leading them down the hill near Edendale, with Fletcher. Radford (who was riding very well). Summers, and Johnson following. Before Matanra was reached the 40min men, working well together, had overhauled the 50min bunch, of whom Targuse and R. Flynn stayed with Blackie, Moore, H. Robinson, and Heatherington for a while. It was at Matanra that some of this lot came to grief, Moore. Robinson, and Blackie having a spill. Fortunately, none of the riders was injured, but the mishap delayed them, Blackie, who was going particularly well. losing 25mip while he straightened out one of his wheels. About forty miles from Invercargill the GOmin men. Elliott, Fordo, and Dixon, wore travelling rather slowly, but steadily, against a strong head wind, and some miles past Gore Wilkins was

noticed pedalling on his own, having been dropped by the 90inin men. A mile or two further on. Matthews, Woods, Jones, and L. Wilson, who comprised the 70min bunch, were pushing well, and were not far behind R. Wilson (85inin), who had dropped behind Templeton and Humphries. Humphries was riding very strongly, and at Waipahi had caught M'Farlane, one of the limit men, Driscoll lying third. M'Farlane retired before Clinton was reached, and the positions of the front men changed a little. A good crowd saw Humphries ride through Clinton at 11.7, his riding time being 3h 55min. L. Wilson had greatly improved his position, and, riding very easily, was only 4min after Humphries, being followed 15seo later by the High School boy, Driscoll, who was still going well. There was a lapse of /Jmin before 11. Wilson, who was maintaining his position well, passed through at the head of a bunch, which also included Jones and Woods (the sixteen-yenr-old rider). About 7min afterwards, Templeton, the oldest man in the race, appeared, and Elliot and Forde reached Milton just ahead of Heatherington and Homer, who had practically caught the fjOmiu bunch, being 27min behind the front men at Clinton. It was in the vicinity of Clinton that Lancaster’s tyre blew out, and Richards went away from the backmarkers. L. Wilson made light of the hills between Clinton and Baiclutha, and. soon went to the head of the field, being first through Baiclutha at 12.18, after 4h 53mm riding. Five minutes lates Humphries hove into sight, another lOniiu elapsing before Driscoll appeared. R. Wilson followed 2mm later, and after a gap of Cjmin there came a bunch comprising Elliott, Wood, Jones, and Homer (who was making time on most of the front men, with the exception of L. Wilson). Homer had gone away from Heatherington, an' accident compelling the latter to change a wheel at Baiclutha, through which he lost several valuable minutes. Forde was ninth through, 26min after the first man, and then came R. Flynn, followed soon afterwards by a Christchurch bunch, consisting of Taylor, Gread, and Radford. Richards, the scratch man, followed very soon afterwards, having dropped his co-markers and made 35min on the leader, and the large crowd cheered him as he passed through, riding strongly. J. Blackie was not far behind, and was riding very determinedly. At Lovell’s Flat Taylor, Richards, Radford, and Gread were together, and teaming well, having almost caught Elliot and Forde, though Homer was still going solidly not far behind R. Wilson and Driscoll. L. Wilson increased his lead over Humphries to Milton, having a margin of ten minutes. At Henley the loader was still riding strongly, but Humphries cut the lead down slightly before Saddle Hill was reached. Driscoll, who had occupied third position nearly all the way, retired about seven miles from the finish after riding a very plucky race. L. Wilson found the going hard at Saddle Hill, but lie rode up this stiff pull, and again increased his advantage over Humphries, crossing the finishing line at Green Island after riding for 7h 37rain 50sec. He finished twelve minutes ahead of the second man, Humphries. Richards and Taylor had left the rest of the Christchurch riders, and they had a great sprint for the line, Richards getting there by a wheel to take third place and fastest time in 6h 43min 23sec. This pair finished 17min after the winner. Five minutes later Gread came in in fifth place, a minute ahead of Radford. Nine minutes elapsed before Homer, the first Dunedin man home, finished seventh, two and a-half minutes ahead of his co-marker, Heatherington. Then came Forde and Blackie, with M'Callum the second scratch man to finish taking eleventh place, forty minutes behind the winner. Lancaster, another back-marker, finished less than four minutes behind M'Callum, and was lollowed by Johnson, in thirteenth place. Elliot beat R. Wilson by a wheel for fourteenth place, V. Flynn and V. Laws finishing seventeenth and eighteenth respectively. Then followed the best finish of the afternoon, scarcely a wheel separating Pickford, Woods, and Jones, who finished in that order. The others to finish were Gilchrist, Lucas, Wilkins, Kewisli, and Bloy. The withdrawals were Driscoll, M'Farlane, Templeton, Paterson, Matthews, Fletcher, Dixon, R. Flynn, Targuse. H. Robinson. Moore. Summers, Smith, J. Flynn, and Frame. THE PLACINGS. L. Wilson (In.), 70min, actual time 7h 37min 50seC ... _ ■■■ f J. Humphries (In.), Boinin, Sh smin J, l! Richards (Ch.), scr, (ih 43min , 23soc _ 3 I. J. Tavlor (Ch.), ISiniii, Oh 58min 23 l-ssoc .... .... ... 'I

C. Gread (Ch.), 15min, 7h 4min oasec 5 L. S. Radford (Ch.), 30min, 7h 20min 42sec 6 6. Homer (Dn.), 40min, 7h 39min 23sec 7 G. Heatherington (Dn.), 40min, 7h 44min lOsec 8 J. Forde (In.), COmin, 8h smin Msec 9 J. Blackie (Dn.), 40min, 7lh 45min 40sec ... 10 D. M'Callum (Dn.), scr, 7h 7min 54sec 11 A. J. Lancaster (Ch.), scr, 7h llmin 22sec 12 L. Johnson (In.), 30min, 7h 45min 29sec ... 13 G. Elliot (In.), 60min, 8h 19miu 45sec 11 R. Wilson (In.), 85min, 8h 44 min 45 l-ssec •_ v . 15 V. Flynn (In.), 50min, 8h lomin 22sco I® G. Foster (Dn.), lomin, 7h 43mm 39seo 17 V. Laws (Dn.), 50min, 8h 28min lOsec 18 W. Pickford (In.), lOmin, 7h 49ram losec 19 K. Woods (In.), 70min. 8h 49mm 15 l-ssec 20 6. Jones (In.), 70min, 8h 49mm 15 2-ssec 21 Others to finish were: C. G. Gilchrist (Du.), scr, 22; C. G. Lucas (Dn.), lOmin, 23; C. Wilkins (In.), 90mm, 24; J. Ivewish (In.), 30min, 25; L. Bloy (In.), 50min, 26. FASTEST TIMES. J. L. Richards (Ch.), 6h 43miu 23sec ... 1 I. J. Taylor (Ch.), 6h 58mm 23 l-osec _ £ C. Gread (Ch.), 7h 4mm Sosec ... 3 D. M'Callura (Dn.), 7h 7miu 54sec 4 Fastest time under 20: G. Homer (Dn.), 7h 39inln 23see. SPECIAL TROPHIES. Fastest unplaced Southland rider: L. Johnson. Fastest unplaced Dunedin nder; D. M'Callum. . Youngest rider to finish: K. Woods (In.), sixteen years of age. Oldest rider to finish: L. Wilson, J. L. Richards, and V. Flynn, all of whom are twenty-six years of age, will be required to produce their birth certificates to decide which one is entitled to this prize. . , First rider through Gore, R. Driscoll; first through Clinton, J. Humphries; first through Baiclutha. L. Wilson; first through Milton, L. Wilson. IMPRESSIONS BY THE WAY SIDELIGHTS ON THE RACE To the average person the running of such an event as the Invercargill-Dun-edin road cycle race might not appear a very difficult task, but those m a position to know the vast amount of organisation and detail work necessary will congratulate tlie promoters, the Inveicargill and Dunedin Amateur Cycling Clubs, on the complete success that has attended the efforts of the last few months. Naturally, over such a long course, the co-operation of residents at intermediate centres was necessary. There was a checking station at Gore, and at Clinton a milk station pro veil a boon to the riders. Here the officials showed considerable enterprise. As a rider came into sight over the hill the signal was given to those in charge of the milk, and pottles were handed to each of two boys, stationed some distance apart. If tbc rider happened to spill the pottle as he grasped it from the first boy, he usually managed to hold tlie next one handed to him a short distance further on. Baiclutha was the feeding station, and here as the riders swept by they collected a small bag containing oranges and chocolate blocks. One aider went through so fast that he broke the strap of tlie bag as ho made a hurried grab at it, but be was supplied with refreshments further along the road. There was a milk station at Milton, and from the official car at various stages of the journey the riders were supplied _ witli oranges handed out on a long stick as the riders flashed by. It was remarkable how adept the majority of the competitors were at securing possession of tlie various articles as they went by at a pretty fast clip. The ages of the riders varied considerably. The oldest was W. J. Templeton, thirty-four years’ old Dunedin veteran, who went well for a good portion of the journey, but bad the misfortune to experience two punctures. Templeton s performance was all the more note-

worthy as he has been in the Lakes’ district during the winter, and has had no racing. The youngest rider was K. Woods, of Invercargill, who finished twentieth. He is sixteen. A fine performance was that of an Otago High School boy, R. Driscoll, seventeen years of age. This was his first appearance in a cycling event of any kind. Yet for more than 100 miles he occupied at least third place. The effort took its toll towards the finish, and he retired seven miles from home. He won the prize for the first rider to pass through Gore. The thoroughness of some of the riders in their preparations for the race was illustrated by C. G. Lucas, who, though only twenty-five years of age, is a veteran in the matter of experience. He carried a map attached to one of his water bottles, with a place, time, and distance schedule attached. . Another rider has an infinite belief m the value of sandwiches as a sustaining force. It is vouched for that in a special pocket of Ids jersey were stored no fewer than eight dozen sandwiches for use on the journey! They did not prove as helpful as usual, however, for he finished well hack. To the astonishment of some of those who followed the race, one rider was observed with a flask of whisky. But they had no cause for concern —the rider ivas merely using the liquor as a form of embrocation to loosen up his tired muscles! Useful would describe the prizes awarded to the first three riders through Milton. These were six pairs of socks, four pairs, and two pairs respectively, given by certain business men of the town. . At least two of the riders showed ingenuity in the face of misfortune. J. Blackie, of Dunedin, whose chances were favoured off the 40min mark, escaped hurt in a crash ah Mataura, but one of bis wheels was badly buckled. With as little loss of time as possible, he took his machine to a nearby cycle shop, straightened the wheel, remounted, and eventually finished in tenth place. He lost 2omin through the mishap. Another rider, G. Heatherington, also in the 40min bunch, met with mishap near Balclutha, breaking the spokes in his wheel. He managed to obtain a spare wheel in Balclutha, quickly changed his own, and finished eighth, being the second Dunedin rider home. . . , There is an expressive saying, to finish in the cart,” hut the cycling fraternity have an even more apt expression for the bus that collects the riders whose misfortune it has been not to complete the course. It is known as the “ misery wagon,” to come home in which is the ban© of all cyclists, though good and bad are likely to meet with the experience some time dm mg their career. ' ~r T , The Mayor of Invercargill (Mr John Miller) played a practical part at the start of the race. He acted as “pusher-off” for J. R* Richards, exNew Zealand 100-mile champion, who was one of the scratch men. His Worship proved a good picker, for Richards gained fastest time very comfortably. Observed at the start at Invercargill was C. M. Nicholson, an Otago amateur track champion rider lor many ■ years. Nicholson went from Dunedin to the West Coast, but is now stationed at Invercargill. . The interest taken in the race was indicated by the action of a number ox Christchurch cycling officials who left home early on Saturday morning and reached Dunedin in time to go on and see the latter stages of the big event. The party comprised Messrs T. Grose, sen. (father of F. J. Grose, the New Zealand champion and Lmpire Games representative), R. Hill (secretary of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club), C. D. Doyle, L. W. M‘Neill. and H Rodgers. They were naturally elated at the performance of the Canterbury rjders in putting up the three fastest times. AUCKLAND CHAMPIONSHIP [Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 7, The Auckland Provincial Cycling Championship over 105 miles was decided on Saturday, the winner being J. Brown, of the Manukau Amateur Club, who covered the distance in 5h 10mm 38sec. The results were as follow;— J . Brown (scr), 5h lOnrin 38sec, 1; C. A. Clarke (ISmin), 5h 12nun 57sec, 2; N. Lentfer (19min), 5h 16mm 50sec, 3.