Tyre Width Only Decides Issue In Ten-Mile Ride

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23177, 13 February 1950, Page 4

Tyre Width Only Decides Issue In Ten-Mile Ride

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 13. An all-out finish in which at the end of the 10 miles a British Empira Games title was won by little more than a tyre width was the most thrilling moment of the week for many or those who attended the final cycling meeting at Western Springs on Saturday night. In a photo finish the title went taj the Australian Heseltine. The sympathies of the crowd were all with the gallant New Zealand champion, Leslie Lock, who missed the title by the narrowest possible margin. However, it was a night of spectacular entertainment for the crowd os fully 25,000 spectators who saw record-breaking performances of soma of the world’s best amateur cyclists.

World Champion Beaten

The world amateur sprint cham* pion, Sydney Patterson, of Australia,, was defeated in two straight heats by the Australian champion Russell Mockridge. „ „ Another stirring contest was that between the English pursuit champion, Cyril Cartwright and Mockridge. Cartwright, in a performance of really brilliant riding, improved by ssec. on his own time earlier in the Games and improved on the old New Zealand record by lOsec. A new Empire Games record was set in the 10-mile event, both Heseltina and Lock recording 23min. 23.45ec. against the time of 24min. 44sec. oi Maxfield at Sydney in 1938. Results follow: — 4000 Metres Individual Pursuit Championship. Final: Cartwright (England), smin. 16.3 sec. beat R. Mockridge (Australia), smin. 27sec. In the race for third place L. Lock (New Zealand) smin. 26.75ec., beat J. Hamilton (Scotland) smin. 23.25ec. 1000 Metres Sprint Championship (best of three heats, times over the last furlong.)—Final: First heat, R» Mockridge (Australia) 12.3 sec. beat S. Patterson (Australia) also 12.3 sec. Second heat: Mockridge 12.8 sec. beat Patterson, also 12.8 sec. Mockridge takes the title. In the race for third place G. Avery (New Zealand) 12.8 sec. beat D. Olive (New Zealand) also 12.8 sec. Olive 12.6 sec. beat Avery also 12.6 sec. Avery 13.2 sec. beat Olive, The final placings in this event, therefore, were Mockbridge, Patterson, Avery. Ten Miles Championship.—Heseltine (Australia), after a photo, in 23min. 23.45ec. (breaks Empire Games record); L. Lock (New Zealand) same time (also breaks Empire Games record) 2; K. Caves (Australia) 3. Also Started: B. Coombs (Australia), T. Godwin (England), C. Cartwright (England), E. Bradfield (Rhodesia), L. Atkinson (Canada), E. Oland (Canada), F. Tredrea (New Zealand), P. Geldard (England), K. Bennett (Rhodesia), A. Dean (New Zealand) A. J. Millman (Canada).