ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 July 1928, Page 11

ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP.

TARANAKI CYCLE CONTEST. HAWERA RIDERS’ SUCCESS. . A 27-miles cycle race from Waiwakaiho River through Inglewood and back via Junction Road to New Plymouth racecourse, was also held on Saturday afternoon, the scratch riders contending, for the Taranaki amateur road championship. The placings, after the spill a few yards from the post, were: Gilbert (N.P.), 4min. 45sec 1 Stening (Hawera), scratch 2 Dykes {Hawera), scratch 3 The Hawera riders were thus first and second in the championship. Heatley and Hutchinson (New Plymouth), who also started off scratch, were not faraway, finishing in that order. Entering the racecourse Dykes was a few yards ahead of Stening (reports the “Herald”). Turning into the straight the latter challenged.- Dykes, who was on the rails, ran wide out in the straight, and in a desperate sprint over the last few yards a collision occurred, ,Stening falling and Dykes going on to finish in second place, Gilbert having finished alone about two minutes earlier. Capon, the other handicap rider, pulled l out of the race at the Meeting-of-the-Water s. Stening lodged a protest, and the committee decided to reverse the second and third placings on the ground that Stening would have won but for interference. Dykes was timed at lbr. 18mm. 45sec. for the 27 miles. The handicap winner’s time was lhr. Slmin. 26seO.