CYCIING

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1910, Page 1

CYCIING

A RECORD, ATTACKED

"' '. ~i.-. V^f:--.^ -■■■ ■ -•- AN tJNSIfCQESSFUL ATTEMPT

I^IDER INJURED

The Press of^te^nd hak the foli lowing in regard/ to the attempt to: break the • cyclriifg record between I Christchurch and, Dunedin : — Yesterday morning at two minutes ! past five A. Birch, a prominent Ghristichurch cyclist* and; the winner. 1 of several' important "events, sec *ut for DunedSn witK thie intention of lowering the "cydlijig record between the "tfwo cities. ??He was accompanied by Messrs W. /Bkmdell and G. B. Brown.', mounted-' ; on Triumph: motor cycles, who act^d^as pacemakers, and, followed by a motor car containing, with" others, an official of the League j of Wheelmen, under whose auspices the trial was held. r The present official record stands a-^tSvhours 20 minutes, put up by A. Calder on March 2nd, 1899,, but since tn^n other riders have reduced the time considerably, and the best performance, though not an official one, now stands to the credit "of J. Arnst, - whose time was 12 hours 21 minutes. The roads yesterday were reported to be in rather a hard condition,, and several falls on the part- of Bircn and his pacers took place during the earlier «tagea of the trip. Birch also, when only seven miles out had the misfor. tune to puncture a tyre, and that involved' a few minutes' delay. Not>withstandiing the difficulties," however. Birch made good time, and at Timaru he was eight minutes in advance of Arnst's time to tihat town, covering the 112 miles from Christchurch to Timaru in 5 hours 3 minutes. Birch reached Oamaru . at 12.45 p.m., having covered the 166 miles ' from Qhristchurch- in 7 hours 43 minutes, as against 8 hours 'taken by Arnst. Ber tween Oamaru and Hampden a. stretch of nine miles was in a very rough state, which^ made the going most difficult, iut Birch plugged along steadily and passed through. ■' Hslmpden all 2.2 p.m. He passed through Palmerston at 2.59 p.m., and left Waikouaiti at 3.31. On the Kilmog Hill, however, his front wheel collapsed, and the riden. was thrown on, Ms head, and sustained concussion of the brain. The accident happened at 4.15 p.m., and it put on end to the trial 1 . Birch was taken to Dunedan in an unconscious condition, and. jnedical assistance: was procured. At the .time of .the accident Birch was withdn fourteen miles of Dunedin, and would have reached that city in less than the twelve hours. It is probable that he will make another attempt directly he recovers from the effects of yesterday's accident. Progress reports were as follows:— Pvollestbn, 14 miles, 5.45- a.m. Dunsandel, 25 miles, 6.12 a.m. Rakaia, 36 miles, 6.45 a.m. - Chertsey, 41 miles., 7.7 a.m. Ashburton, 53 miles, 7.35 a.m Rangitata, 78 miles, 8.40 a.m. Geralddne, 89 miles, 9.9 a.m. , Timaru, 112 miles, 10.5 a.m. \ Oamaru, 116 miles, 12.45 p.m. Hampden, 186 miles, 2.2 p.m. Palmerston, 189 miles, 2.59 p.m. ' Waikouaiti, 199 miles, 3.31 p.m.