CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14237, 7 December 1909, Page 8

CYCLING.

With only one point separating them in their scores for championship honours, A. J. Clark and Frank Kramer were to compete -in the last race of the season ut Newark, and a victory to either msant a claim to the title of professional champion of America. The distance had been set and duly advertised, for five miles, to be run in one heat, as other five-mile championship races had been decided for the past , six years. Just before the time of starting, Kramer brought before the notice of the referee the reading of the rule, which provided that championship races " shall, when' possible," be run in trial and semi-final heats, four riders to qualify for the final heat. .Then followed' well tan, argument as had never before been witnessed on a race-track in America or elsewhere, and, before 10,000 spectators, who * had paid to see the Australian, Clark, race America's fastest rider, Kramer; ami when the people found out that the referee upheld Kramer's technicality there was a deal of trouble. No fewer than seven first-class riders refused to start, these including Clark, Pve, and Hehir, of Victoria. The race was a wretched fiasco. Kramer, of course, won, and in so doing, has annexed the championship honours for nine years in succession. The American papers have ironically declared hint the " technical " champion of America for 1909. The first djy's racing of the Austral meeting will take place on the Melbourne Cricket Ground to-day. The M.B.C. is not depending entirely on cycle racing; but. as In the past few years, will introduce other attractions in the intervals, and, perhaps, at other period* of the programme. The road-racing season being practically over, the riders, or a fair proportion of them, are turning their attention to the track, and, although there may not be much quality available, compared with previous year*, there should be a sufficiently large entry to ensure an attractive programme.' The prize for the Austral Wheel Race is 10 per cent, of the gross takings, with a minimum of £100. divided among the, placed men.