SPORT OF CYCLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23094, 20 July 1938, Page 23

SPORT OF CYCLING

HOPE GIBBONS SHIELD

INTER-CLUB COMPETITION KEEN RIVALRY IN EVIDENCE Besides tho usual weekly club road races the second of tho series of three contests for the Hope Gibbons Challenge Shield was decided on Saturday. Tho latter competition, in which the Northern, Papatoetoo and Lvnndale Clubs are participating, has now reached a most interesting stage and .a margin of only lm. 345. separates the three teams. Tho Northern Club's team, G. Webb. J. Price, F. D. O'Gorman, J. W. Partridge, S. A. Windsor, A. M. «T. Keith and L. R. Laloli, has proved the most consistent over tho first 50 miles of tho competition with a collective time of Bh. 42in. 435. Tho Papntoetoe Club's team met with unfortunate mishaps when two members, W. Ferguson and R. A. Beehre, were delayed with unshipped chains. Tho Lvnndale team, E. L. G. Hughes, A. IL Silcoek, W. A. Barnett, H. F. Hawke, and H. R. Baldwin furnished a complete surprise bv being the fastest on this occasion in 4h. 15m. 465. In tho first contest the team did not have tho support of Hughes, tho present national 100 miles champion, and was then tho slowest in 4h. 28m. 15s. With the contest as it now stands an exciting finish is confidently anticipated.

j A feature of the Manukau Club's 20 | miles senior racn was the opening oi : ilie competition for the Avon Button. As the lap time was flocked from .a 1 standing start, only tho first lap of the I eight-lap race Mas taken into consideri a:ion. Several of tho riders started off at what eventually proved too fast a pace, notably J. H. Citibanks, sprint | and unpaced provinical track champion. I who clocked a lap in 6111. 255. and then | slowed, and was one of tho last to finish i the 20 miles. Triner, scr., made a bold j attempt to ride away from E. A. Langi ridge, but the effort sapped his energy. When Langridgo overhauled him after two miles Triner was unable to accompany His rival who won the button with a time of 6m. 225. The race ended with W. W. Gallagher, 7m., gaining one of the most, popular wins of the season. For consistency Gallagher lias few equals. Ho has ridden in every club race for the past three years with only throe minor placings to his credit. Partnered throughout by F. P. Murphy, ho lapped monotonously at an average of over 20 miles per hour and tho pair had a commanding lead over the last ten miles. As well as gaining tho fastest lap, Langridge added the and 10 miles records to his already formidable list of ten for this season. J. Brown, second fastest, outpaced M. T. Gamble for tho placing, while V. D. Thomas displayed fine stamina. PROMISING RIDERS J. GUPPY AND S. BEESLEY FASTEST TIME TO CUNNINGHAM

Mutually pacing, J. Guppy and S. H. Beesley, of the Northern Club, off Bm., dominated their club's 20 miles event. Guppy has made a very promising entry into the sport. Beesley, too, rodo with more confidence, while G. H. Cunningham and J. B. Johnston provided interest among the back division riders for time" honours. Cunningham, olf 2m., eventually prevailed by 13 seconds over Johnston, scr. Although not of .the robust build associated with tho stronger types of road riders, Cunningham has great stamina. J. White, of the Lynndale Club, is one of the few riders who have won two races this season. He has quickly adapted himself to road racing and is quite capable of achieving further successes before becoming a senior next May. The Beach Haven Club's 24 miles race was so strenuous that only four. A. Elia, D. J. H. Patten, J. Marris and*B. Elia, finished. One of Auckland's strongest road riders over hilly routes, A. Elia, in addition to winning, also made the best time, 7m. 295. Although so few finished, llie final sprint gave the event an exciting conclusion. . D. Hayes continues to be tho best of the Papakura riders and was again fastest in their 20 miles event. He is steadily gaining experience, which will help to bring him to the fore in open competition. Only a short three-lap race of 111 miles was held by the Takapuna Club. •T. Pritchard, a junior last season, has mado steady improvement and his win was a genuine reward. One of the club's oldest members, D. Lawrence, was fastest, but his time of 29m. 50s. was well outside the course record.

J. E. Ludlam's win in the Papatoetoe Club's 17 miles race was a just reward for perseverance. He rode one of the best races of his career and was only five seconds slower than D. E. Knight, scr., who was fastest in 48m. 15s.