NORMANBY CYCLIST’S WIN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 27 September 1926, Page 5

NORMANBY CYCLIST’S WIN.

102 MILES ROAD RACE,

FIRST AND FASTEST TIME,

From a field of 40 contestants in the gruel ling cycle road race from Palmerston North to Wellington on Saturday, V. Tippett, a nineteen-year-old rider from Normahby, who is a member of the Hawera Amateur Athletic. Club, secured first place and also registered fastest time. He was one of the middle markers and his splendid performance is an example of the results of determined training. Previously he had won only one cycle racc on e mile track event at one of the evening meetings at Hawera 1 ast year. In the road race. held a t Hawera on August ;4 this year he rode into seventh place from 94 minutes handicap. Consequently he was not regarded as a particularly brilliant rider though, on account of his rigorous training for Saturday’s event and his remarkable staying powers, he was expected to ride well over the long distance. (BY TELEGBAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 25.

The biggest cycling race ever promoted by an amateur body in New Zealand took place on Saturday, under the auspices-' of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Association, over a course of .102 miles between Palmerston and W ellington. The annual professional contest from Timaru to Christchurch. is over a distance of 112 miles, but in this event the level contour of the country, makes the tax on the endurance powers of a rider much smaller than on those who competed on Saturday. In fact, today’s race is a more severe test than any other held in Australia or New Zealand. Forty riders faced the starter, the limit men being 60 minutes. ’ These were despatched at 8.3 a.m.

On the journey to Foxton the competitors struck an exceptionally heavy head win'd, and this accounted for the fact that when passing through Levin and Otaki the cyclists were behind schedule time. Good recoveries were made over the latter sitages of the journey, although there were mishaps all along the route, though fortunately none were serious. • ' EARLY LEADERS. Tho first report - from Levin was 'to the effect that Webber was leader, followed by Casey (Palmerston North), Semi Martin (Foxton), and Ghammin. Of the scratch men Algie, Griffin and Carswell were the first through Levin, I about- four minutes ahead of P--N. Robinson, Bright and Casey, with Flett following three minutes later. MeFoderies, Tate, and Pedley were reported to be going well about ten minutes behind the leader, Webber, while Scarfe and Ericsson also- appeared to- be favourably placed and making good progress. Up to the.-time: of reaching Levin the leading scratch men had picked up 25 minutes. The leaders through Otaki were Webber, Casey (Palmerston North), Serai, Holden an-d Beattie. The last-named had -made-- exceedingly good progress. Passing through Te Horo the order wa® Premdergast, Serai, Tate, and Chammin, while the ultimate winner was ever three-quarters of a mile be hind the leading division. The remaining sections of the journey provided plenty of difficulties and plenty of incident.' TIPPETT’S BID. By the time Paekakariki was reached, several of the competitors weie definitely out of the running. Among them were Bright (who was seized with cramp), Flett through punctures, -and Ca'sey, who had a wheel ibuckled. It was during the subsequent stage of the journey that Tippett came to light as a prospective winner. He cleared Paekakariki Hill in fast time, and at Pa'hautanui was well in the, lead.

Mr J. O’Sullivan, hon. secretary of tho Wellington Amateur Athletic Centre, who was at the start of the race, overtook the competitors on the journey and arrived in time to give a progress report, in which tho chances of Tippett were very favourable. As anticipated, Tippett was the first competitor to appear, and he received a rousing reception from the crowds on the streets and in the xdserve, where he finished in good style. Those who followed at intervals were also loudly Cheered, the first scratch-man to appear (Robinson), receiving'' a, particularly enthusiastic reception. There were incidents along the route and the finishing point had its share. Algie and Carswell both came down at the entrance to the Basin, but were able to remount their machines and finished well. Pedley was unfortunate in having a collision with a car after being in second ’ place at Johnsonville. Alt-bough the competitors to complete the journey reached the Basin Reserve at intervals, t-lic finishing efforts were not without thrills. Webber and Chaminin provided a great race fox third place, the former winning with a fast

sprint over .the last 220 yards. In one or two other instances also there were keen tussles for places. V .-> >»- The plaeings, with the actual time of - ' the competitors, were as follow: \ V. Tippett (Normanby, 35min), Ghr , , ; 29mm 30sec . V*... jU h A. Beattie (Wellington, 30nain), Ghr 42min 27sec ...... ... .2 H. S. Webber (Wellington, 40min), Ghr 54min 2-ssec J. - G. R. Ohammin (Wellington, 40min), Ghr 54min 3-ssee 4"' W. G. Pccllcy (Palmerston North, 25 V >• min), 6hr 41min 52sec M. Ganc (Wellington, lomin), Ghr 33min 27soc “ 6 The first scratch man to finish was P. N. Robinson (Wellington), -whose time Was 61ir S.lmin 2see. He Was tenth, and secured-second fastest time.. The:,”." ; sixth to finish. (Ganc) registered third fastest tinic. C. H. Griffin, of Hawera, was the : fourth scratch man. to finish. His. time - • was 71ir I7xuin 52sec. The winner rode a Royal Horse cycle supplied by Mr L. Marter, of Hawera. y -

KAPONGA ROAD RACE. „ .. PASTE-ST TIME TO BLACKWELL.. . The fifth event in the second series of six cycle road races under the auspices of ’tlie Kaponga 'Cycle Cliib was ridden on Saturday last over the Manaia, Main South, Ota-keho- and El- y; tliam roads —a distance of 30 miles. Only 15 competitors faced the starter. Very good times were recorded, though the riders had to contend --- against a strong head; wind for a con-, sulerable part of the journey. The fe* suit of the race was: — J. Payne (admin) 7-Gmin. Usee • 1 G. Payne (stmin) 7Gmin 171-see .. -2 W. Br.oadley (-smin) 7-7 min 45se,c L. Gargan (smin) 77min 45see .... t J. Blackwell (scr) 73min 53se-e .. 5 t Dead-heat. Fastest time, J. Blackwell, 73min o3s gc * * , . Points scored in the series to date v are: L. Williamson 6, J. Blackwell, J. Payne, D. Curran, R. Hosie, E. Stockman, L. Gargan, 4; G. Williams, G. Payne, 'E. Lines, ' R. Vickers, 2; C. Pitcher, "W. Leppard, W. - Broadley, 1.