CYCLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21793, 7 May 1934, Page 14

CYCLING

AUCKLAND CENTRE'S RACE RECORD NUMBER OF STARTERS Showory weather with a strong: westerly wind and intervals of suusliine prevailed on Saturday, when the Auckland Amateur Cycling Centre conducted the first open 1-oad race of its ]'j;U season- The course was from the Point Chevalier end of Gladstone Road to Swanson and back, a distance of 2U miles. Sixteen miles of the course were over concrete surfaces while live miles of metal had to be covered at tho Swanson end. Of the 107 entrants 90 started, a record field for auy road race in tho Auckland Province. The scratch pair, J. Brown and L. H. Dwight, of tho Manukau Club, gave away starts up to 6m from which there were four starters. The big field of riders steadily closed lip on the run out to tho Swanson turn against the strong head wind. Tho limit riders, although in the lead at tho turn, were rapidly being overhauled by ;i column of GO riders, who turned lm los after them. Among the latter number were tho placed men of whom the 2m 30s, group. White, the ultimate winner, Keith, Nicholson, Ilall, Pinfold and Wardell were pro minent. This group had taken 30m 20s to reach the halfway mnrk and proved to be tho fastest, riders over the first section. The scratch pair turned -lm 58s after tho leaders and took 31m 28s for tho half-dis-tance. . Assisted on the return by the wind, the 2ni 30s group forged its way to tlio head of the field and shared tho leading position, in a bunch of 15 riders, six miles from the finish and just before reaching the Ions: descent of the Waikumete Ilill. This was the fastest stretch oil the course, where most of the riders attained a speed of 40 miles per hour. From then on the issue was never in doubt, but J. Brown, scr, who had ridden away from L. H. Dwight, scr, just after turning for home, was riding a great unpaced race and steadily reducing the deficit. , Over tho last half-mile of tar-sealed surface the leaders commenced to string out. when White started his long finishing effort to win by three lengths from Keith with only a few lengths separating the next six to finish. Brown, scr. who was the fastest rider on the return journey, finished 2m 48s after the winner. The successful rider 9 were:—O. B. \\ Into (Papatoetoe Club), 25m, 58m 275, 1; A. M Keith (Auckland Club), 3m, 58m 58s, <■>. L M. Nicholson (Manukau Club), 2m 80s. 53m 295, 3; J. R- Hall (Manukau Club). 2m 80s, 58m 30s. 4; L. Beuth (Auckland Club), 5m 30s, 61m 315,-5. In addition to winning 0. B. White alsi gained fastest time in 58m 275. J Brown, scr, was 18s slower. L. H. Dwight. the other scratch rider, took 61m 15s.

AUCKLAND CLUB The Auckland Cycle Club held a junior and senior race on Saturday, when good fields competed. Following were the results:— _ TT , Junior Race, eight miles.—B. Harvey, lm 15s, 1; S. Salt, 2in 15s, 2; E- Redfern, 2m 30s, 3; L. Mitchell, scr, 4. Harvey gained fastest time, 24m 3s. T ' Senior Race, 21 miles.—L. J. Cooper (6m), 62m 455, 1; C. Sneller, 6m, 2; D. Fletcher, 3m 15s, 3; C. Rae, 2m 455. i. R. Craig, 30s, returned fastest time in 57m 533.

AUCKLAND LADIES' CLUB The Auckland Ladies' Amateur Cycle Club opened its road season with a fourmiles race at Mount Albert on Saturday. The result was:—Mi's. Harrison (1m 30s), 13m 19s, 1; Miss E. Swinburne (15s), 12m 225, 2; Miss M. Cnlderwood (30s), 12m -12s, 3. Fastest time: Miss E. Pile, scr. 12m 13s. RACES IN COUNTRY CENTRES The following results of cycling races held in country centres of the Auckland Province on Saturday were forwarded by correspondents of the Herald:— Hamilton.—The Hamilton Amateur Road Cycling Club held a race from Hamilton East to Bank's corner on th* Cambridge Bond, and back, a distance of 10 miles. The result was: —J. Rogers, 1. and fastest time, 49m 455. 1: H. Hawkins, 2; W. Cockliead, 3. Rotorua.—The Rotorua Amateur Cycling Club held a 12J- miles road race m showery weather. The result was:—E. Beckett, 2jm, 1; J, Montague, 2Jm. 2; B. Martin, 2jm, 3. Fastest time was recorded by L. bavage, who rode the distance from scratch in 31m 32 4-ss.

Whakatan#.—Th® Whnkatane Cycle Club held a 21 miles.road race over the borough course. Overhead conditions were ideal, but a strong head-wind slowed down the times. Eleven riders faced the starlet and fastest time, was made by R. Harland, 54m 275. .Results': P. Aberhart, 2m 15s, 1; R. Harland, scr, 2; D. Aberhart, scr, 3; A. Stewart, Im, 4. Waharoa.—The Waharoa Cycle Club held a 28 miles road race, the result being:—E, Moore, Bm, 1; A. Sheat, ljm, 2; M. Lewis, 2m, 3. Fastest time was mado by T. J. McSweeney, scratch, in Ih 9m, a course record by 2m.