TIMARU-CH.CH. ROAD RACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1927, Page 11

TIMARU-CH.CH. ROAD RACE

A CLOSE FINISH. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 10. One hundred and three riders started from Timaru this morning on the long road ride to Christchurch. The roads were good, but on the early part of the journey greasy patches gave the riders a spattering of mud. A light north-easterly breeze was blowing against the riders. There were few falls, but a. fair number of punctures. The winner proved, by a narrow margin, to be A. A. Morwood, of Papanui, Christchurch. He started off th’e 16 minutes mark. He had a puncture at Temuka, and lost six minutes, but he joined the 10 minute handicap bunch, and led them along. At the finish, nine men entered the show ground together, and there was a desperate sprint over the track for the finish line. This ended in Norwood gaining a lead by half a length. The result was: — A. A. Morwood (Papanui) 16 min., 1. E. A. McKaskell (Chrjstchurch), 43 min., 2.

L. W. Hill (New Brighton), 10 min., K. Lange (Yaldhurst), 20 min., 4. J. W. Parsons (Ashburton), 44 min., 5. A. F. Putt (New Plymouth) 33 min., 6. E. G. Fuller (Mairehau), 38 min., 7. W. L. Power (Kaiapoi), 3Vmin., 8. R. V. Brookland (Timaru), 25 min, 9. R. G. Watson (Christchurch), 44 min., 10. J. F. O’Reilly (Rakaia), 44 min., 11. S. Arnst (Christchurch), 20 min., 12. R. McGrath (Islington), 20 min., 13. A. Mackie (Christchurch), 50 min., 14. L. C. Hill (Papanui), 40 min., 15. S. A. Jordan (Christchurch), 25 min., 16. R. H. Orton (Timaru), 30 min., 17. G. Croat (Leeston), 50 min., 18. H. G. Watson (Marshlands), scr., 19. J. W. Jordan (Christchurch) 10 min., 20. The winner’s time was 6 hours 14 min. 15 sec. The fastest time was that of H. G. Watson (scr), of 5 hours 55 min. 30 sec. The second fastest time was that of L. W. Hill, off the 10 minutes mark, viz., 5 hours 58 min., 18 sec.

WINNER INTERVIEWED. (Special to “Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 10. Rushed by pressmen and photographers immediately after the race, Morrie Morwood wiped a grimy hand across his perspiring brow, threw his» arm round the neck of his trainer, Bert Blackler, and said: “Just give a man a couple of seconds to himself, then do what you like with me.” He came through the gruelling race with a smile. A minute after he left the saddle, he was drinking a cup of steaming coffee down in the basement of the stand -where thousands were calling his name. “It was a great business,” he said, between mouthfuls. “I enjoyed every minute of it. It was ride, ride, hard all the way. It was Bert Blackler who won the race for me. Without him I would not have got where I did. He’s a brick. I tell you he’s the man to turn out winners. No, I didn’t have any spills. I was lucky in that respect. 1 struck a puncture. That cost me six minutes. I knew I had to make it up, or get nowhere. I set out to make it up or bust. I didn’t bust. I found the roads good. Nothing troubled me at all except that puncture. I didn’t allow that to get me bustled. I joined the ten minute bunch and kept at the head of them. I have been riding for a few years, but have never done anything worth while before. I once got fourth in the Timaru to Christchurch race. I’ve won a couple of races this season but they were only small things. I knew I could win this race if I went out after it. I did hard training and tlie good man at the back of me carried me through. Don’t make a noise about my part in it. Give “Bert” a pat on the back.” Morwood', who is twenty-one years of age, has been riding for four seasons. He lives at 122, Garden Road, Papanui. He was quite fresh after a hard ride, spattered with mud, but happy at the result. H. G. Watson stated that he had an exceptionally hard race. As scratch man he received little assistance. He rode the latter part of the journey alone. One of the backmarkers punctured near Timaru, this putting him out of the running. Watson had one spill, coming down on Austin after the lattei- had fallen. “The roads were good,” stated Watson. “He’s a good boy and he’ll go a long way.” That is what Bert Blackler, the trainer of Morwood said after the race. “Is he going to Australia for the big race?” “Now, that’s hard to say. We haven’t decided yet, but I think he will. He’s the makings of a champion, but just needs a bit more weight. He’ll get that easy. Though he’s ony a boy yet, you know he rode like a Briton. I knew he’d come through near the top. No, lam not surprised he won. I knew the stuff that I .was handling.” Blackler has trained three winners of the Timaru to Christchurch race in succession now. He trained Clarrie Bright, -who won in 1925, and Dick Lasky, who carried off the honours last year. J. N. M. Lindop (Westport), (20 mins) was 21st, and A. Henry, Greymouth, (37mins), 32nd, were the first West Coasters to finish.

50 MILES CHAMPIONSHIP. AUCKLAND, September 11. The fifty miles amateur cycling road race championship of New Zealand was decided yesterday afternoon. A feature of the race was the success of the Auckland riders, who filled the first six places, and secured the fastest time. The winner J. H. Wade, off 4 minutes had matters his own way at the finish, crossing the line with a good deal in hand. He also secured fastest time. He is a promising rider, and is only 16£ years old. C. G. Galbraith, who won second fastest time, was on the same mark as Wade, finishing 22 seconds after him. The scratch division did not meet with success, McFedries and Carswell, both of Wellington being the only two to finish. Lukey (Canterbury), punctured twice. M. P. Byrnes (Auckland) retired with cramp; while H. J. Morris (Wellington) and C. Ericsson (Wanganui-Tara-naki) met with mishaps, which necessitated Hospital treatment. Conditions for the race were uni favourable, cold wind and heavy

showers having their effect upon the contestants. Results: — J. H. Wade (4min), 2 hours 26 min. 27secs., 1. N. Fisher (12min), 2 hours 34 min. 46sec., 2. L. Wilson (Bmin), 2 hours 30 min. 47sec., * 3. Second fastest time —C. G. Galbraith, 2 hours 26min. 29sec. The Auckland professional 25 miles championship was also decided. Resujt; —F. Prior first, A. White second; J. Harcourt (Hamilton) third.