CYCLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 16

CYCLING

EVENTS AT DOMAIN FAST TIMES RECORDED J. WHITE SECURES TWO WINS With perfect weather prevailing for the Labour Day sports at the Domain, there .was a noticeable revival of interest both in the increased entry for the four cycle events and in the public attendance.. The track offered a particularly fast surface and but for the light •wind against the riders on the finishing straight even the fast times returned would have been improved upon. Ifiders of the Lynndale and Northern Clubs were particularly prominent, and of the possible TJ plucings each club secured five, while members of the Manukau and Papuloetoe scored a placing each. A junior competitor last road season, J. White, of the Northern Club, has developed into a strong rider. He handled the grass track admirably and sprinted on his 70-inch gear with almost effortless action. He won both the mile and- three miles. He also won his heat of the mile in the line time of Jm |-5s and took 7m -i:»s for the longer race. C. It. Gooder, scratch rider or the Lynndale Club, was rather unfortunate in the half and one mile races. While'manoeuvring through the field in the half-mile final ho disabled his front wheel, but had gi\en a wonderful impression of his prowess at sprinting by winning the beat from scratch by five clear lengths in 00 y-ss. He was fast overruling the field in his mile heat when bis pedal fouled a starting block. He proved his ability as a speedy stayer in the miss-aiu.'-oul event. Owing to the fairly large field of 10 starters, the miss-and-out event ran for M. laps and the three who survived the sprints each lap were C. It. Gooder, A. W. Barnett and G. \V. Clark, three Lynndale riders. Gooder jumped into the lead down the back straight and had soon gained three lengths before Barnett made a determined chase, with Clark in low. Up the long finishing straignt Barnett rapidly overhauled bis clubmate to fail by imhes. Harnett's machine created interest, for it weighed under 151b in track trim. , . .. A. J. Vost, with UU yards start in tho half-mile race, led from the start and easily held off M. Stewart and E. D. Ivey in the sprint into the wind. In the three miles It. E. Clark was prominent throughout and with Barnett helped to make the raco so fast that the scratch men, Gooder and M. J. Green, ten miles track champion, were unable to make any impression on the field and retired alter two miles. D. M. MeGrath, lb-.year-old Manukau Club member, failed to show his usual brilliance, although he finished in each event.

The field in the three miles presented a great sight, especially when 17 riders grouped after three laps. In the consequent shuffling lor positions quite a lot of unnecessary and unsteady riding developed, and on the commencement of the final lap A. K. McEwen, F. Tredrea and E. .1. Dimmock fell, while 15. D. Ivey fell earlier when on the home bend. A few riders evidently forgot the rule which demands the wearing of a crash helmet even on a grass track, and caused slight delays in their heats before obtaining them.