SPORT OF CYCLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22714, 28 April 1937, Page 19

SPORT OF CYCLING

WINTER ROAD RACING

ENTHUSIASM OF JUNIORS

MANUKAU CLUB'S STRENGTH

An outstanding feature of winter road cycling this season is the great enthusiasm shown by tho junior sec-r tions of the clubs. During past years tho junior division membership has been about half that of the senior, but, with less than a month of road racing, tho number of juniors racing equals i that of the senior section. The Manukau Club, which has a pari ticularly strong junior division, had 30 riding in its five miles junior event | last Saturday. It is rarely that a beginner secures fastest time, tho prom- ' ier award in a road race, yet J. B. I Johnston in his third raco gained this i success. His time of 14m Is compares . very favourably with A. W. D. Robin* I son's 1931 record of J3m 31s. Tho scratch juniors, N. J. Aulick, 0. ' Caddy, R. Wilson and C. H. Picknell. L did not team as well ns usual, but > clocked 14m ss, Wilson was having his last ride as a junior in a club event. The seniors raced over ten laps, 25 miles, the longest race this season. * The percentages of finishers was high, as only six retired. There was little I to choose in tho finishing sprint between A. H. Vazev, winner, W. S. Downey, W. O'Shaughnessy, winner of tho opening race, and R. G. Whitley. A. G. Patrick and D. T. Riddeil, scratch, gave a fine display of mutual pacing for five laps, when Patrick went ahead, but was unfortunate to have to retire with cramp when riding within J. R. Hall's 1933 course record of 70m 4s._ Riddeil finished a close sixth to gain fastest time in 71m 10s. OUTSTANDING RIDER CLUB CHAMPION BEATEN When N. Gamblegained fastest time in tho Papatoetoe Club's opening race a fortnight ago, several enthusiasts considered that he had been fortunate to be fit so early. However, he proved fairly conclusively last week that he is undoubtedly a first-class road rider by again making the best time in riding tho 17J miles in 50m 13s, and beating C. P. Cochrane, the club champion, by over one minute. W. Bayly, a junior last year, also performed creditably with a time of 50m 41s to gain third place. The winner was G. F. Eyre, another rider who has just started to ride in the senior section. The Takapuna Club has enrolled a number of new riders. J. Potter, last week's winner of the 13} miles event, commenced racing only this month, but his time of 43m 13s indicates promise. E. A. Langridge was again fastest, and should be able to retain his junior championship title next July, although he will meet a number of new riders who have already shown brilliance. The Lvnndale Club also held a 13} miles race, but the hilly course cannot be reasonably compared with the fairly flat circuit used by the Takapuna Club. The scratch men rarely win early in the season, but S. Alderson gained this distinction in his club's event when he just outsprinted a promising rider, A. H. Silcock, off scratch. Alderson was one of the Auckland representatives in the Palmerston North to Wellington road race last October, and a member of the Lynndale team which won the road championship team titlo last year. Time honours have been well distributed in the Northern Club's races. M. P. Byrnes, who first raced in 1924, gained the award in the opening race, J. Price in the next event, and L. R. Laloli last week was fastest in the 15} miles race, which took him 45m 2s. He is a brother to I. C. Laloli, who was fastest competitor in the 1932 Palmerston North to Wellington race in 5h 41m. Another old member of the club, W. Barry, off sm, won the event.

3 i OPEN CONTEST j AUCKLAND CENTRE EVENT The Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association will start its road season next Saturday. The season makes provision for an open race on the first Saturday of each month, when all the amateur clubs hold no competitions. The friendly club rivalry and enthusiasm shown for these events is reflected in the fine entry of 110 riders. Close on 60 juniors have entered for tho 13J miles, while the senior event of 25 miles promises to be a fairly severe test. It is evident that the membership total for 1936 of 353 registered riders will be easily exceeded this year, for already 341 riders are- registered. Tho strength of the individual clubs is as follows:—Manukau, 93; Papatoetoe, 73; Northern, 38; Lynndale, 28; Beach Haven, 23; Takapuna, 18; Hamilton, 17; Manurewa, 16; Botorua, 16; Surrey, 10; Ladies, 6; and Waikato, 3. The Auckland Centre is also the strongest, and Wellington is next; with 102 riders.