CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 22782, 18 October 1937, Page 16

CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

ROAD RACING AUCKLAND TO MentINSVILLE [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, October 17. The annual New Zealand Professional Road Cycling Championship was held on Saturday over a distance of 100 miles from Auckland to Morrinsville^ The weather was fine and warm, hilt a head Wind proved troublesome and militated against fast times. Forty-eight riders - started, but only 20 completed the journey. A few miles out from Morrinsville the cyclists encountered a rough metal patch .about a mile long* and this brought several to grief. There was a thrilling finish between the scratch men for the coveted champibnship and fastest time. H. 6. > Wat* son (Christchurch), W. Pratneyi (Auckland), E. L. Parker (New Ply* mouth), L. Lamberton (Christchurch)* and L. G. Having (Christchurch) formed the 1 scratch division. Watson entered the Morrinsville _ Speedwayj first, but, once in the straight, Pratney sprinted brilliantly to win by half a wheel from Parker, who just headed Watson, with Fleming another half* wheel away. Pratney finished remark* . ably fresh, whereas Watson was tired. Results K. Knight, Auckland (27min), rid* ing time 6h Bmin 44sec, 1; L. Barr* Auckland (29min), 6h 12min llsec, 2 J N. Healey, Auckland (27min), sb| Hmin 29sec, 3; E. C. Kingsford* Waihi (33min), 4; A. Brown, Auck* land (48min), 5; Pratney, 6 • Parker* 7: Watson, 8; Fleming, 9; R. Craig* New Plymouth (Bmin), 10. Lamber* ton was fifteenth. Pratney’s time wka 4h 45min 31sec. The Junior New Zealand Champion* ship,, from Rangiriri to Morrinsville,id distance of 50 miles, resulted as rol* lows!—D. Purdie, Waitara (scr), 2hi 25min 24sec, 1; J. Bickuell, Auckland (scr), 2h 25min 25sec, 2; A. L. Mofiatt* Waihi (9min), 3. " HOUND THE GORGES •! [Per United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, October 17. The New Zealand Amateur Cycling 100 Miles Road Championship, over the “ Round the Gorges " course, was won by E. L, G. Hughes (Auckland), who beat R. S. Triner (Auckland) in n sprint for fastest time. F. J. Grose, the Olympic representative, who holds the record for the course, and who has gained fastest time seven times, received a puncture when he had covered about, two-thirds of the journey. . . The race was won by C. W. Shilton (Rangiora) off 45min. He left ths 'field about halfway, riding the remainder of the journey gamely by himself to win. by 16min. He had ridden over the course every day for the . last 1 fortnight. K. Jones (Invercargill) was second, M. Harris (Invercargill) third, and A. Calder' (Invercargill) fourth. This was the first trial for ths Empire Games selection. Another trial will bo held over a 100-kilometrs course in North Canterbury oh Wednesday. The detailed results were as follow f —G. W. Shilton, Rangiora (45min)* 4h 'sßmin Msec, 1; K. Jones, • Invercargill (18min), 4h 47min 7sec,'-2; M. Harris, Invercargill (21min), 4h 50min 7 l-ssec, 3; A. Calder, Invercargill (31min), 5h Omin 7 3-ssec, 4;' M* Leaver, Kaiapoi (60min), 5h 29ihiq 20 2-ssec, 5; C. A. Robinson, Invercargill (26min), 4h 55min 50sec, 6. Fastest time was secured by E. L.' SHughes, 4h 37mim 17sec, with R. S* Triner, 4h 37min 17 l-ssec. second* and I. J. Taylor, 4h 37min 17 3-ssec* third. When . Robinson completed the racq he had cycled nearly 500 miles in threh days. He leftlnvercargill early on Thursday morning, and cycled through to Christchurch, a distance of 370 miles* arriving there on Friday night, WARRNAHBOOL TO MELMURNE MELBOURNE, October 17, An 18-year-old Tasmanian, Treyo< Brooks, off 24min, won the Warrhain-' bool to Melbourem Cycle: Race of 163 miles, defeating Harry Munro oil SOrain, by only two lengths'. J. Blake, 28min, was third. The fastest timi was recorded by-A. Angus, 7h 19mia 9seo, with C. Beasley, 7h 28min 55s'ec, second, and L. Thomas (New Zealand)j 7h 36min 13sec, third.