COMPARISON OF TIMES

Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 4

COMPARISON OF TIMES

A list has been prepared by the record steward of the fastest times over the various distances throughout the season.' Only rides from scratch are counted, and unless a scratch rider was first the times are. of course, not counted. Riders may put up fast times when they are off handicap marks, but unless the whole distance is ridden those times can hardly be taken' into account. There has been a fair amount of discussion on the matter of the speed of riders as compared with times of several years ago. and the list shows that the riders at present can compare very favourably, as far as times are concerned, with performers on the local track over the last 10 years. The best performances are: mile, R. Sivertsen, 33 l-ssec; halfmile, R. Sivertsen, Imin 6 1-Ssec; flying start half-mile, W. Chalmers and G. Homer, Imin Ssec; one mile, G. Homer, 2min 22sec; one and a-half miles, B. Sivertsen, 3min 29 4-ssec: two miles, R. Sivertsen, 4min 41 2-5 sec; three miles, G. Homer, 7min 19 2-5 sec; five miles, R. Sivertsen and G. Homer, 12min 19sec: 1,000 metres time trial, R. Sivertsen, Imin 24 2-Ssec. The only three-quarter-mile of the season was won by W. Chalmers from scratch in Imin 44 2-ssec. The writer is indebted to Mr J. C. Fogarty for the following list of his own best performances and the others compiled here, and it will be noticed that,, although the times are in general a little better over the shorter distances, the present riders’ times compare Very favourably in the longer distances:— Quarter-mile, J. Fogarty, 33sec, 1929; half-mile, J. Fogarty, Imin Ssec, 1031; C. Hansen, Imin 3 3-ssec, 1933; special paced attempt, J. Standen (N.S.W.), Imin Ssec, 1928; three-quarter mile, J. Fogarty, Imin 58sec; F. Grose, Imin 43sec, 1932; one mile, J. Fogarty, 2min 15 2-ssec, 1933; one and a-half miles, J. . Fogarty, 3*ein 89sec, 1928; Duncan Gray (N.S.W.), 3min 31sec, 1928; A. J. Hay, 3min 35sec, 1932; two miles, J. Fogarty, 4min 48sec, 1931; O. Hansen, 4ruin 47sec, 1932; three miles, J. Fogarty, 7min 20sec, 1930: Duncan Gray, 7min 25sec, 1928; T. E. O’Brien (Christchurch), 7min 20 4-ssec, 1931 (New Zealand championships at Dunedin). A special attempt over three-quar-ters of a mile by J. Fogarty and A. Hay on a tandem was done in the time of Imin 4lsec. It must be remembered, of course, that many qf these riders, such as Gray, Standen, Grose, and O’Brien, have better times to their credit on other tracks, but these were their best on the Caledonian track. M. Hegarty, who rode off the scratch mark last season, has also many good times to his credit, among them being the following:—Quarter-mile, 32 3-ssec; half-mile, Imin 4 l-ssec; three-quarter-mile, Imin 41 2-ssec. It is a pity that Hegarty, whose home is in Christchurch, did not come to Dunedin this season, as he would certainly have made more competition for the scratch men, and he was also very popular with the spectators, being one of the most colourful riders seen in Dunedin for many years. I These comparisons should at least settle the matter as to the calibre ;of our present riders.