CYCLING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14981, 29 April 1909, Page 8

CYCLING.

CHRISTCHURCH TO TIMARU. A NEW RECORD. J. ARNST'S SUCCESS. [From v Ocii Correspondent.] TIMARU. April 28. Since J. Arnst established new records between Christchurch and Dunedin sonije days ago he has been anxious to ' further reduce the time he established between Christchurch and Timaru, and it was his intention to attempt a new record on Tuesday, but he was prevented from doing so as he was unable to return from Akaroa, where he has been for the last few days looking alter the Shipping of his brother's beat to Wanganui. He returned by the Cygnet on Tuesday night, after a very rough passage, and made up his mind at-a minute's notice yesterday to try to beat his. previous best time from Cln'istchuroh to Timaru, which stood as tho record. As the weather from the Christchurch end looked most favour-i able, after a hurried consultation with supporters and pacers, arrangements were completed within an hour and a half for the trial. Arnst left the Christchurch Post Office at 12.10 p.m. He had as pacemakers Messrs W. Hendry and P. Braggin, whilst Messrs J. Bell and E. H. James accompanied the rider in Messrs Bell Bros.' motor-car to look after tho wants of the inner man. Needless to say, the car was amply provided with all the necessaries required for such an undertaking. A goodly crowd 'had gathered at the time of starting. The pacemakers were sent away half a minute ahead, to avoid traffic interference, and they picked up the rider at the Hospital. No sooner had he trailed his pacemakers than they made the pace a "cracker," as the time show, and the ride was completed in 4 hours 50 minutes. The story of, the ride needs telling to make it sufficiently graphic for one to realise tho performance at its true value. To sit in a car, touch a lever for fast or slow, as the occasion warranted, and watch a human form pedalling along at express speed in front of one who was enjoying tho full luxury of up-to-date trave'lin.K, beggars description. Milo mile the recordbreaker raced along, sometimes following his pacers-as if glued to them, and where the roads were not suitable for following pace he sped along "en his own" qmte clear of pacemakers, as the risk of falls over the rutty, unformed road was too great. The time to Ashburton is phenomenal, as can be realised when it is known that an average pace of over 24j miles an hour was maintained, and this in spite of having to cross some fifty odd water-races, where the pace had to be slackened and picked up again, a river-bed such as the Sel-wyn,-and a railway bridge such as spans the Rakaia River. Such checks

mean a great cutting down of the averago.

Arnst was tiinfid over certain portions of tho road, and was riding at the rate of over thirty miles an hour. The roads generally were in nothing like as good a condition as when he established his fine Duncdin ride, as the clay surface between Rolleston and Dunsandel was very much cut up with cart ruts, which had baked hard, and similar or worse conditions were met with between the Hinds and Rangitata. i Sheep had been travelling over this portion whilst the roads were in a soft condition. Fair winds were met with up to Hinds. Here one of the pacers punctured a tyre, and from Hinds on the wind was more against than with the record-breaker'. A fair number of Timaru residents had gathered to welcome the rider, and he received a hearty cheer as he crossed the line 21 minutes ahead cf his previous best ride, and 65 minutes ahead of the time established by any other rider. Arnst had no misfortunes on the road whatever. He dismounted at Rangitata for six minutes to look after his craving appetite and to prepare for his final burst over the last thirty-three miles. He rode a Bell cycle, fitted with road-rao-ing Dunlop tyres, which were untouched over the whole journey, v Arnst's average for the whole course works out at 23-j miles an hour, which his friends consider highly satisfactory. The following is a record of his times on the road:— Place. , Time. / p.m. Christchurch . . .. 12.10 Riecarton, 4 miles . , . 12.19 Hornby, 7 miles .... 12.26 Templeton, 9 miles . . . 12.32 Bolleaton, 14 miles . . . 12.44 Dunsandel, 25 miles . . . 1.11 Banlcside. 31 miles . . . 1.27 Rakaia, 36 miles . . . 1.37 Aehbur'ton, 53 miles . . . 2.19 Eaugita-ta., 79 miles . . . 3.30 ' Geraldine, 89 miles . . 4.3 Temuka. 100 miles . . . 4.30 ' Timaru, 112 mi'.es . . .6.0