SPORT OF CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20925, 15 July 1931, Page 17

SPORT OF CYCLING.

AMATEUR ROAD CONTESTS. GOOD PERFORMANCE BY JUNIOR FOUBISTER'S FINE RECORD. Favoured by fine weather the road cycle races conducted by the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club and the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club were again well patronised last Saturday. Fiftythree cyclists participated in the three events. The Auckland Club held its second out 1 - and-home race of the season over a course of approximately 15 miles, extending from New Lynn to Swanson'and back. - i As (he greater part of the race was over concrete surfaces good times were returned. 11. M. McElroy, tho scratch rider, completed the journey in 42m ss, and secured fastest time honours. McElroy used a free-wheel sprocket and clearly demonstrated its distinct advantages over a hilly course, for liis time was 3m 6s better than E. Hall's when the latter registered time honours in the last out-and-honie race. Many road riders have experimented with free-wheel devices, but McElroy is the first of the Auckland wheelmen to gain fastest time by using one. C. Gooder scored an easy victory in the event. He was in receipt of a- liberal handicap of 12m and set too fast a pace for his co-marker, A. Johnson, whom he dropped early on the outward run and from then on, although unpaeed, he maintained a good average speed. It was his first placing on tho road. A fine performance was recorded ..in tho Manukau Club's junior race of' five miles by A. M. Keith, a comparatively new rider. Keith had raced only in two events previously, yet in tho company of far more experienced riders and riding from the 2m 30s mark lie did his share of the pacing and at the end put in a fast sprint to win by three lengths. H. V. Gordon and A. ■W. D. Robinson, tho scratch juniors, again had a keen struggle for time honours, Gordon beating his rival by inches to clock 14m lis. C. A. Clarke, who won the senior race of 15 miles from the 5m 30s mark, lias been associated with road racing since the Manukau Club commenced such activities 'in 1925. Ho has a fine reputation as a distance rider. Ho won the 1926 road championship title when ho was first and gained fastest time in the Mercer-Auckland event. He was third in tho 50 miles championship of 1927, second in the 1928 event, while last year lie scored his second victory in the annual championship. Following this ho Avon tho big annual event for the Dominion's amateur wheelmen, the Palmerston North to Wellington raco of 102 miles, by a clear five minutes when in receipt of 20 minutes' start. R. G. Foubister, scr, had another lone ride, but accounted for fastest timo in 42m 355, which is only three seconds slower than his record. Three firsts, one second, and 10 fastest times in 12 races undoubtedly prove his worth as a strong and determined road rider. J. 11. Wade's success in the Auckland Cycle Club's 25 miles race for professional riders on Saturday was a brilliant effort. Riding from scratch lie clocked fastest timo in 70m 525, reducing his previous record by 3m 275. Wade has started in 10 of the 11 races decided tin's, season and in , all seven he has finished in ho has been the fastest rider and has won two. "In two races punctures forced him to retire, while in another he had a bad fall.