SPORT OF CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19859, 1 February 1928, Page 16

SPORT OF CYCLING.

CHAMPIONS AT HAMILTON. M. P. BYRNES DEFEATS GROSE. AUCKLANDER'S FINE FINISH. M. P- Byrnes had to ride very fast in the five miles Auckland provincial championship on Saturday at. Hamilton to beat F. Grose, the New Zealand champion. The pace was on right through the raca, and when the boll rang Grose went out with one of his long sprints with Byrnes on his wheel. Going down the back straight Grose had a lead of two lengths, but Byrnes had caught him entering the finishing straight.. As the two ' carno round the home turn it appeared to bo anyone's race. Byrnes then asserted himself and, finishing with a great burst of speed, flashed past the New Zealand champion in the last ten yards, winning by half a length. It was a splendid ride by both Byrnes and Grose, but the Aucklander was too good for the Christ-church boy on the day. The rest of the field were several lengths away. The half-mile championship was also won by M. P. Byrnes (Auckland), the holder, who defeated J. H. Wade (Auckland) and F. Henwood, who dead-heated for second place, by three lengths, F. Groso did not start in the final of this event owing to an injury received in a fall at the conclusion of the first heat. F. Grose, the New Zealand champion, is not meeting with much success on his northern tour. At Mastorton he met T. Oakley, the local champion, and was defeated in all events. Grose has been in solid training now for almost twelve months, competing in road and track races during tho seasons. It is probable he has gone stale. Wade Not ia Form. Wade was right out- of form at Hamilton. He did not look a likely winner, having to struggle to beat inferior riders. In both tho half-mile and the five miles Auckland provincial championships lie finished a tired rider. In the youths' race under 18 years of age, he ran second, but. lie bad to struggle hard to gain that place. j Tho Hamilton Amateur Athletic Club I did not meet with much success in its j efforts to induce the Hamilton public to attend its annual fixture on Saturday. The few hundred that did put in an appearance were well catered for during the afternoon, as the various events were very keenly contested. The finish of the five miles Auckland championship will long be remembered. The star handicap rider was A. W. Pinker (Auckland), who won the one mile and the three miles open events. In the one mile, off 75yds., he covered the distance in 2m 2Cs, while in the three miles, off 190 yds, his time was 7m 45 l-ss. Pinker is riding well at present and in handicap events will be a very hard lider to beat. Unsatisfactory Starting. Starting cycle races with a whistle is unsatisfactory and last week's meeting at the Domain, controlled by the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club and Manukau Amateur Cycling Club, was , not a success through no gun or pistol being used. There were glaring cases of riders "beating the gun," yet no action was taken by the officials in charge. If an example was made of a I rider attempting to "beat the gun" the practice would soon be discontinued. A very easy win was registered by W. Dwight in the quarter-mile open handicap event. With tho liberal allowance of 30yds., he won his heat in the fastest time registered during the evening, beating M. P.Bvrnes, scr., easily by five lengths in 335, while in tho final he won more easily, beating his brother by six lengths in 33 2-ss. H. Dwight also showed that he can race a good quarter-mile. In his heat he beat a weak field of limit riders, but in the final he met a very solid field. Last Saturday was a perfect day for racing. The Auckland Athletic -and Cycling Club's two races ■at Blandford Park were easilv accounted for by the back riders. The limit competitors failed to show any speed over the early stages, with the xesult that the back markers were with the field when half the distance had been covered in each race. S. Hayes, Auckland's crack rider, and J. Harcourt, Hamilton's young sprinter, then fought out the.finishes. The former was too good for the Hamilton boy and beat him in both races by narrow margins. Hayes outgeneralled the speeidv Harcourt on the corners, raced him down the straight, and just lasted long enough to beat him to the line. Next Saturday's Events. Next Saturday the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club will hold a one-mile and a two-mile open handicap at Blandford Park. There will also be an "old timers' " race of two laps, several riders having signified their intention of competing. The Paeroa Athletic Club's meeting to be held next Saturday ranks as the best cash meeting in the North Island this season. The entry constitutes not only a record ore in numbers, but also in the number of champions competing, as is proved by the following:—W. Mnckie (New Zealand champion), S. McCann, C. Tippins (New Plymouth). J. Harcourt (Hamilton), S. Hayes (Auckland).