CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10908, 12 November 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

CYCLING.

Acceptances for all cycling handicaps and entries for the Two-mile Championship in connection with the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club's Spring Carnival of Saturday next, close at the .Metropolitan Hotel this evening.

The International Cyclists' Association, at a meeting held at the Hotel Metropole, Vienna, 011 September 7, r.Hiliatcd the New Zealand Cyclist.' Alliance as representing amateur cycling in New Zealand, and the League of New Zealand Wheelmen as representing professional sport in this colony, At a meeting of the management committo." of the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club, held 011 Tuesday evening last, it was decided that all trophies won in competition at the club's carnivals should bo presented to the successful members at a special meeting to be held subsequent to the gathering. The object is to prevent any misappropriation of the orders for trophies, which it is alleged by the opponents of the " open-order system " (the League of Wheelmen) has from time to time occurred in various parts of the colony, though 1 am pleased to say that the Auckland club is particularly free from such abuses', .though it is alleged that even here one or two instances of the cashing of open-orders have occurred, but the club has been unable to sheet it home to the supposed culprits. The notion of the crininittee must commend itself to all lovers of pure amateur sport as one thai will allow of no loophole for the abuse of orders.

Another long Australian ride is mooted, the route more than likely being the complete circuit of the Australian coast-line. A. J. Body, the New Zealand cyclist, it is said, is returning from England idmost immediately. He docs not want to lose the good things of the season, including the Austral Wheel Race. Mr. S. Thorne George, 0110 of the vicepresidents of the Auckland A.A. and C.C., has presented a lap trophy for competition in the Two-mile Championship lo be run at the spring carnival next Saturday, the object being to encourage fast limes instead of the riding of " loafing " races, so painfully imintetciling to onlookers until tho last lap or two is entered upon. Mr. Georgo is to be thanked for his effort to improve cycle racing from a spectator's point of view, and it is hoped that (lie management of the club will back their vice-president up in this respect. The Irish Cyclists' Association recognises women racers, and has passed a rule making it compulsory for women competing in races under its rules to take out a license. '1 ho licenses and colours issued under the amateur section of the Now Zealand League of Wheelmen to dale number 42.

Neither Reynolds nor Barker rode at the Thames Cycling Club's sports, though both were entered for the various races. Tne Chriitclmrcli rider evidently had no intention of competing, as his name figures among the riders at the Wanganui Bicycle Club's races, and is not, under 1.10 circumstances, to bo commended for allowing his name to remain oil the list of those engaged in the Thames sports A. X. Jones, evidently the Honolulu champion who arrived recently, figured among tlio competitors in the One .Mile Championship run at the Thames Cycling Club's sports on Wednesday lust, in which event he [ailed to get nearer than third place (in a field of four), the winning time being 2m. 56 3-55., and the winner i?. A. Dexter.

'1 ho League of New Zealand Wheelmen has ii.vited affiliated clubs if they are in favour of the executive granting permits for the inclusion of amateur events only for amateur athletic sports meetings. The Victorian and New South Wales leagues are. not at all sweet 011 the intercolonial championships ainvemcnt, and it is expected that e(i;jnor or later iliu agreement will lie quashed by mutual consent, on account of the expense entailed in sending representatives to other colonies to race in the Australasian championships. Queensland wanted to join in. but until slio develops a few more men of Walne s tlamp tho other leagues consider tho advantage derived from having her represented at their sports will scarcely justify the oxpense it would entail. The Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club has received capital entries for tho bicycle races on its spring programme, tho events giving an average of 23 or 24 competitors, including a nnmbor of new aspirants for wheel honours and visiting riders. Tho outside districts represented include Gisborne, Thames, Mercury Bay, Hamilton, and NgaruHWahia, and altogether the competitions of this season promise to lie the most interesting and closely-contested run under the auspices of the club for years past. The entry for tho Austral Wheel Raco is expected to be a record one. Since 18?6 the Melbourne Bicycle Club have run 20 race meetings on the Melbourne cricket ground, and ono on the St. Kilda cricket ground. Tho total_j)rizo money distributed since the race was founded amounts to a total of £8263 for 219 events, and without taking into consideration the entries for the year, 6970 entries have been rccoived. The cost, of running tho meetings amounted to over £16,800. The Gratia Prix in connexion wilh the Paris Exposition of 1800 will be £1000,

Cycling gymkhanas are very popular in England just now. Tho programme comprises a groat variety of events, in which ladies or gontlomen may take part. One of ihe latest novelties was a lint-trimming event, tho competitors being required to ride' to a point, trim a lady's hat, and after placing it- on iiin head return to the post, A gentleman won this event. Ho threaded his needle like an artist, sewed a little bunch of violets on ono side, loopod up the rim gracefully with a few pink roses, attached a pair of black velvet strings, which he fastened under the chin, and r.'.cod homo, amidst a storm of applause. The French rider Lesna is coming out by the Polynesian to spend anothor season in Australia. This time it is not likely that ho will enter into competition with the scratch men on the other side, and not confine his operations to attempts at record-breaking,

A copy of the programme of the Wanganui and West Coast Cycling Club's annual race meeting to be held on Monday, December 26 (Boxing Day), has reached me through Mr. H. R. Woon, the club's hon. sec. The gathering will be purely a eyoling one, and the sum of £120 has bodi distributed ovor 12 events, tho principal race of tho day being the Open Handicap of three miles, with first money £10, second £5, and third £2. Entries for all events close on Monday, December 5. A. R. Downer has offered to concede T. Keanc, of America, the winnor of the recent Sheffield Handicap, ;2yds start inside 200. The race to take place on or before Saturday, October 22. It will be recollected (says the Sporting Life) that in the Sheffield Handicap referred to Keane ran 120iyds in 11 2-is., and Downer 122Jyds in llis., both phonomonal performances, so a race between two such flyers should excite more than ordinary interest.

Writing to an English paper, (J. \V, Orton, tlio Canadian athlete, who won the steeplechase at the last English championships, and is now pursuing his studies in Germany, ha much of interest to tell as to sport in that country. On the matter of athletes he says that the Germans are still backward, though they are developing some very fair sprinters. Their best is Dial)old, who holds the Gorman record for lis. for 100 metros, while F. Hofman lias ran 100 yards in 10 l-ss, For 200 metros the record is 235. Dorry holds the bo:t time for 400 motres at 55 l-55., although Ilofman has ran the quarter in 52 3-ss, The 800 metre record is 2m. 8 3-55., by Sohultz, whilt Rungo holds the 1500 metro record at 4m. 32 l-ss. Swait, of London, holds the mile (1609 metro) record, with 4m. 34 3-ss. The best time for a German mile (4.65 English miles) is 26m. 6 2-Ss. Their record for the 110 metre hurdles is 17 2-55., by Calder. In the broad and high jumps, the records are not firstclass. Their manner of starting racos is primitive, and their knowledge of training methods vory limited. The tracks are poor, being generally of grass or " kies "—a kind of sandygravel path, and this has to be allowed for in gauging the real value of their records. At present track athletes are not looked uppn very highly, and many of the runners compote under assumed names, which is allowed under the amateur rules in force there. The sport is not practised at all in the universities, and a gymnasium pupil is not allowed to take part. Still thore are evidences of advancement to be found, and Orton speaks hopefully of its prospects,

At the Dublin Police Sports, held at Ballsbridge on September 17, J. Mnngan, of Wexford, won the 561b slinging event (no follow) with 27 feet—a world's record.

Charles Rogers, who, the other day, won the 100 yds professional championship of New

South Wales. is .22 years of age, si.and s 5 feet ?i inches in height, and in condition weigns L2St " TO COKE LOAFING. Lacy Hillier, tile well-known English authority on cycling matters, has, since m traduction by the National CjcUst i umon sxpressed his contempt for the time » system as applied to championship eve:nts. tii " recent issue of London Sporting Lue. ne ;ame out with a proposal f which The foljuine will abolish loafing for ever. The to owing is an extract from the article. m. i" time be feed for, say., the first quart*ir-m. ind for the half, and in the lent of a wait jive the judge power to ring the bell a > , ifter the time has been exceeded for last; lar Thus the men start m a mile 1 ace, tllie oar or time is 405.. they fail to get inside it , the iudge can then and there ling the j_ aw . 'hey finish at tile post next time. The draw lack is that the men don ride a mile , hen if they raited a mile it would take now ng out of them, whilst, on the othe hand, .he possibility of the bell going would keep hem on the qui rive ior P o3 .^°" _ a"d going or position means faster riding. Ini a nile race there would be a half-mile sitan a , ind ouo for every half-pile t-hereaf, a.n . :otirse, coaching would be almost lmpo.. • Phis scheme. I presume needs a union iu e, jut promoters of scratch races might J "J > ind it would materially shorten the timo ,aken to run off the programme, anl ould ■liable the olSciala to practically stop wait ng when it ran to extremes nitnout-as tne ime limit does—forcing amateurs to dcsei' he first principles of amateurism; I fancj ill practical officials will recognise the value if the scheme, which will most certainlj st 1 indue waiting, and use finessing for position is a means of accelerating the pace. ince it is understood by the racing men, _ fill add materially to the interest of racing. Commenting on the idea " Lancelot wiltes .s follows in Bicycling News I have thought »ut the scheme to the host of my power, ana :an onlv come to one conclusion that n is veil worth a trial. Unless the pace he verj a«t, neither the men nor the spectators can ae sure at the termination of the first. lap that the bell will not ring, and consequent, at the expiration of every circuit or mill-nine, as the ease may be, the former wll be bound to be prepared for eventualities, lhe consequence will be that all will be on the qui uve, the pace, as Mr. Hillier says, will increaso. and the interest in the contest will be mmiensely added to. It would thus seem that air. Hillier has at last realised the fact that something must be done to interest the spectators.