AUCKLAND CYCLING CLUB'S OPENING RUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12399, 12 October 1903, Page 3

AUCKLAND CYCLING CLUB'S OPENING RUN.

4S> ; ■ _ j The Auckland Cycling' Club held its open--1 ing run of the season on Saturday tor- i ; noon, when, despite the somewhat unfavour- ' : able conditions of weather, a largo number, .of votaries .of the-wheel ■ turned' out With* ; j their machines and participated in an enI joyable run and water excursion to that fai vourite, seaside resort, St. Heliers Bay. j Rain, which fortunately never came, was I threatening all the afternoon, and this dei terred many cyclists, especially the lady ! riders, from turning out; otherwise the < gathering would have been very much I larger. The riders taking part assembled at ; the Ponsonby Reservoir at two o'clock, and ! a procession having been formed, Mr. Cro- ; zici, captain of the club, led the way along ■ Karangahape Road and down Queen-street jto the Dovonport ferry tee, where, with j numerous friends, they embarked on the p.s. ! Eagle for St. Heliers Bay. The comical cosI tume of two of the riders who competed for j a prize in this section caused much amusej ment to the large number of spectators who ; watched the- start of the run, a? well as to : those who witnessed the procession en route |to the wharf. The decorated motor trailer, : which took the prize for the best decorated ; lady's machine, also created considerable m- • terest, and with the grotesque costumes of ; the two riders already referred to, contributed a conspicuous feature to . the proces- | sion. After a pleasant run to the jetty at ! St. Heliers the riders and their friends asj sembled at the foot of St. ■ Heliers Hill, I where a hill-climbing contest and free-wheel j contest took place after the party had been photographed in a group. There was a large number of entries for both events, and keen interest was taken in f iie contest, i especially in the hill-climbing, which supj plied a good tost of the capabilities of both I riders and machines. Mr. H. ,T, Fielder

acted as handicapper and starter, the judges being Mrs. Crozier (for decorated bicycles) and Messrs.- Crozier, Badley and Clarkson. No entries were received for the prize offered for the most originally decorated bicycle. The following are the results of the various events: — Most Comical Costume: T. Sparrow ("Irish Lady") and A. Trcmaine (••Chinaman"), of the Howie Club, divided tho prize. Best Decorated Ladies' Bicycle S. H. Howie's motor trailer, 1. There were three entries. Hill-climbing Contest: First heat— Bond, 20yds, 1; P. Hunt, 22yds, 2; R. trice, 25yds, 3. Time, 635. Second heat: W. Tierney, scratch, 1; S. Galbraith, 20yds, 2: T. Sparrow, 22yds, 3. Time, 555. Third heat Ewen, 15yds, 1; V. Sutherland, 22yds, 2; A. Bach, 22yds, 3. Time, b3s. Final Sutherland 1, Bond 2. Time, sos Tho winner is a member of the Howie Touring Club, and he was accorded an ovation by bin clubmates, who carried both rider and machine in triumph to the startingpoint after the conclusion; of the event. Rudge-Wlutworth Free-wheel Contest: There were 21 entries for this event, which was open to allcomers. The winner was A. Bach, of the ■, Rudge-Whitworth Club, A. Bond being' second. ; The return journey to town by the boat was made ir> good time. A largo number ol the cyclists rode home, and thus concluded » very pleasant afternoon's outing.