CYCLE SMASH ON CHRISTCHURCH TRACKS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6536, 18 February 1928, Page 10

CYCLE SMASH ON CHRISTCHURCH TRACKS

Grose’s Severe Injuries (Notes by “Sprinter.”) All the amateur athletic fans throughout New Zealand will regret very much to hear of F. J. Grose's accident on the 14th February at English Park. J. Standen (Australian champion) was the first to fall. Mackie (New Zealand professional champion) who was riding on the former’s wheel shot up the bank but failed to clear Standen’s front wheel and also fell. Grose (New Zealand amateur track champion) who was on Mackie’s wheel, in trying to avoid Mackie, crashed into the fence from which he rebounded in time to bring Doug. Gray, Australian champion (milo) down. Grose fared the worst sustaining a broken thigh besides several other injuries which necessitated his immediate removal to hospital where bo is likely to be for the next sis weeks or so. Mackie came off best, getting oft with the loss of a good deal of skin on one side and elbow, while Standen and Gray are being treated as out-patients at the Christchurch Hospital. The accident is all the more regrettable as Grose was considered by many as the only one in New Zealand who would be able to extend the Australian champions and on top of that his chance of going .with the New Zealand Olympic team seems to be ruined. F. Grose has only been cycle racing just over two years and won the New Zealand three miles Amateur Championship when only sixteen years. TuO same year he won the New Zealand 50, 40 and 25-mile .road championships and when only 17 years had won seven Blue Ribbands and seven track championships. Ho only turned 18 years last November.

This season bad luck seems to have been following Grose around. He was taken with ’flu at the time of tho Canterbury road 50-mile championship and had to retire. In tho big 100-mllo road race (Palmerston North to Wellington) when lying second 40 miles from homo he picked up a'puncture and his mate Lnkey went on and won by seven minutes. At Mastcrton he fell and was injured but good sport as he is carried on rather than' disappoint the public. And now comes this accident which will put him out of commission for the rest of the track season. I am sure we all wish him a speedy recovery for there is not a more popular rider in Now Zealand to-day.