THE WHEEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1188, 7 December 1894, Page 26

THE WHEEL.

W.C.C. RUNS AND RACES. December 15.—Twenty-mile Club Championship Road Race January 5. —Run to Makara January 19. —Handicap Road Race, Lower Hntt to Telephone Exchange January 26. —-Fifty-mile Club Championship Road Race February 2.—Run to Taita March 2. —Run to Seatouri March 16,—Run to Porirua March .30. —Handicap Road Race,: Taita to Telephone Exchange -

SPOKES'.

' By “ Cyclometer.”

The Wellington Cycling Club will run their first championship event of the present season on Saturday, the 15th inst., when the Twenty-mile Club Championship will take place; The course will be from the Telephone Exchange to Blackbridge and back to the starting point. The first prize is a gold medal, and the second prize a silver medal. In addition to the medals, the silver cup presented by the Quinton Cycle Company has also been allotted as a special prize for this race, the cup becoming the property of the member who wins it twice in succession. or three times at intervals. ■ As the members of the Club who intend competing in this event are in first-class form, a good race may be expected. The entries close with the secretary at the club-room to-morrow (Saturday) night. The wet weather on Saturday would not permit of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club holding their sports on the Basin Reserve, in consequence of which they were postponed until to-morrow. My choice for the cycling events remains the same as last week, viz.:—Half-mile: Hunt, Lucy, Fabian. „ Two-mile : Muir, Hunt, Lucy. Three-mile: Lucy, Muir, Hunt. It is no easy task to pick the winners, as the handicaps have, in my opinion, been very evenly adjusted in most cases. A. J. Body, the Christchurch cash amateur cyclist, who won the 24< hours' race at Dunedin recently, has received a start of 100 yards in the Austral Wheel Race. Last year he received the same start, and ran into sixth place in this event. The Palmerston North Amateur Athletic Club will hold their meeting on the 22nd January. Three bicycle events have been placed on the programs, viz.:—One-mile Handicap, Two-mile Handicap, Three-mile Handicap. Owing to the wet state of the roads and the threatening aspect of the weather last Sunday, the suburbs were not visited by many cyclists. Those who did venture out went to Porirua, the roads in that direction

being in fairly good order. The previous night’s raini had freshened things up, and the ride proved very enjoyable.

Mr D.' McPherson, of the Invercargill Cycling Club, who recently distinguished himself by bicycling from Invercargill to Auckland, has now arrived in Wellington on the return journey. He left Invercargill on the 2nd November, and reached Dunedin in two days. From Dunedin to Christchurch occupied another two days, and then on the afternoon of the 10th (Saturday) he left Christchurch, spent part of Sunday and Monday at the Otira Gorge, and arrived at Greymouth on the Monday evening. From Greymouth he rode Via Reef ton to Nelson, and came onto Wellington by steamer. He left here on the 21st and reached Napier in two days, and then, taking things somewhat leisurely and having a good look at the places of interest on the way, he arrived at Auckland via Taupo and Rotorua on the 28th. Ne&t day he travelled by steamer to New Plymouth, then rode on to Hawera, and did the journey from Hawera to Wellington in two days. It was altogether an enterprising and enjoyable trip. Mr McPherson now intends doing the east' coast of the South Island, starting from Piet on. When he reaches home he will have ridden something like two thousand four hundred miles bn his “bike.”

The Austral Wheel Meeting commenced at Melbourne last Saturday, and will be concluded to-morrow. J. Megson, of Sydney, won the Mile Australian Championship, R. W. Lewis, of Sydney, being second, it will be remembered that Megson Won the Tenmile Championship at the Goulburn Carnival on the 9th ult., Lewis being beaten by D. Walker, of Melbourne, for second place. Megson and Lewis also won their heats in the Austral Wheel Race.

H. P. Sanders, of the Balclutha Cycling Club, wbo on the 24th tilt, rode from Balclutha to Dunedin in 3hr ISmin, intends to have a dash at an official record for this ride. The present official record stands to the credit of A.. G. Melville, he having rode that distance in 3hr 29min on the 13th of last month. The Wairarapa Relief Fund Sports at Christchurch on Friday last were not a success as far as the cycling events were concerned, owing to the public encroaching on the course. Twenty-five cyclists took part in the procession to the new park at Sydenham, where the sports .were held. In the Three-mile Handicap (cash amateur) M. Gaffney came down, his fall being caused by a little girl running across the track. Gaffney’s fall caused G. Henwood to come down also, both riders being severely cut about the face, hands, logs and arms, and Gaffney’s injuries necessitated his being carried off the track. As the crowd continued to encroach on the track, the cyclists refused to race after this event. The Mile Handicap (New Zealand Alliance rules) was won by S. Wellington, 190yds, S. D. Hill, 140yds, being secondhand J. H. Edmundson, 220yds, third. The following also startedH. J. Pither, scratch; F. J. Ritchie, 50yds; J. B. Norris, 70yds; C. Hensley, 180yds; A. C. Napier, 200yds. Time, 2min 32see. The Three-mile (New Zealand Cyclists’ Union rules) resulted in a win for J. Boyd, from scratch, A. R. Parker, scratch, being second, and C. R. Wilson, scratch, third. H. A. Soanes, the other scratch man, came fourth. Time, Bmin 40 sec. • • • • The Otago Cycling Club have eight bicycle races on their programme of sports to be held on the 29 th inst. They are Mile Novice Handicap, Half-mile Dash, Three-mile Open, Mile Roadster, Mile First-class Handicap (with a limit of 100 yards), Two-mile Roadster, Five-mile Open, Three-mile Championship of Otago. . The Christchurch cyclists intend to follow the example of the Auckland wheelmen, and in future will have tandem races on their programmes. It is expected there will be six entries for the first tandem race in Christchurch. Recently 48 eminent English, French and other physicians were asked whether cycling was healthy or injurious to women. Of these 36 replied in favour of the exercise if indulged in with moderation, and 9 disapproved of it. A writer in an American journal, speaking of the custom of screwing the handlebar very low down and raising the seat as high as it will go; says:—“ This custom is a stupid one borrowed from the sporting traditions of the race ring. It causes the rider to get his head down as if he were about to take a header in front. In the meantime his back is hunched up in a manner so .grotesque as' to suggest the advisability of killing him at once to put him out of his misery.” THE AUSTRAL WHEEL RACES. Melbourne, December 2. The Austral Wheel Meeting has begun, and the preliminary heats have been run off. The Milo Australian Championship was won by Megson, of Sydney, Lewis, of Sydney, being second. The time was 3min 8 2-ssec. Both of these men won their heats in the Austral Wheel Race.