DUNEDIN CYCLING CLUB'S SPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7541, 19 April 1886, Page 4

DUNEDIN CYCLING CLUB'S SPORTS.

President, Mr George Feuwicl;; vice-presidents. Professor Brown and Mr D. M. Stuart; starter,'Mr W. Mills; handicapper, Mr IV. H. Cutteu; judges, Messrs P. Fulton and J. J. Mallard; referee, Mr 11. Fulton; lion, secretary, Mr J. M. Henry; committee —Messrs F. A. Cutten, J. A. Burnsiae, A. G. Melville, A. C. Collier, J. Brown, S. Kerr, E. Murley, W. Brent, and J. M. Henry. " .

The fourth race meeting held by the Dunedin Cycling Club took place on the Caledonian grounds on Saturday afternoon. The weather was fine excepting a stiff easterly breeze, but the attendance was poor, and it was a generally expressed opinion that the meeting was left over till too late in the season. Had it been held before the commencement of the football season, the probability is that the attendance would have been doubled. The Highland Rifles Band were in attendance during the afternoon, and played at the head of a procession of cyclists leading to the grounds at 2 o'clock. A number of short races had been included in the programme, and proved rather interesting. Attention was, however, directed principally to the 10-mile race for the championship of New Zealand, which was won by Webb after a very interesting contest. During the afternoon Hobson, of Invercargill, gave an exhibition of fancy riding, most of his feats being gracefully performed. Following are the results of the various events:—•

Maide.n- Mace.—One mile. 13 A Hurley (scratch) ... .1 0 A Low (50yds) .. •> E Boot (-10 yds) ... ... "." 3 C. Ziele (scratch), H. Macintosh (30yds), B. Boot (40yds), and V. Baldwin (a juvenile competitor, who was allowed 150 yds) also raced. Murley soon overhauled the limit man, and won without distressing himself iv 3min 28|sec. TiniEE-QUAKTISR-MILK HANDICAP. F A Cutten (scratch) .. 1 S Kerr (15yds) ... "' 5 J M Henry (50yds) ... ;", 3 Ross also started on a roadster, but retired after going two rounds. A good race home resulted in a win for Cutten a few yards in front of Kerr, who came with a good spurt at the finish. Time, 2min 19isec. Roadster Race (Handicap).—Two miles. E A Murley (] 00yds) ... 1 J Hobson (100 yds) ... . '" o H Macintosh (150 yds) ... "' 3 Macintosh gave up early in the race, but the two others stuck together the whole way, Hobson giving in only in the last few yards arid allowing Murley to come in first. Time, 7min 53scc. Boys' Race.—Three rounds. II Macintosh (scratch) .. 1 FHay ... ... ... ;;; 2 V Baldwin ... ... '" y Won, with a bit in hand, by a yard. Time 2min 23sec. Tex-mile Race fob the Championship of New Zealand. FWebb(Dnnedin)... ... x C Keece (Christchurch) . " o F A Cutten (Dunedin) ... "" 3 S Kerr (Dunedin) ... ... "' 4

All the men were well mounted on racing machines. Recce, of Christchurch, was the only outside representative. At the start Kerr went off with the lead; Webb, Cutten, and Recce following in the order mentioned. Reeee spurted in the third round and took up the running, with Cutteu second, close at his heels. At the end of the first miJe—which was completed in 3min 48sec—the order was : Recce 1, Cutten 2, Kerr 3, and Webb 4. Cutten then immediately took first place, and Kerr, spurting in the straight, wheeled into second position at the back of the course, and afterwards took the lead from Cutten. The third mile was rattled off at a very lively pace, but on entering the fourth mile the positions remained unaltered. There was then a little spurting on the part of Webb, Kerr, and Cutten, but they soon settled down to a steady pace, and half the distance was reached after 18tnin 3sec riding. So far it was anybody's race; but Webb, who for most of the time had kept discreetly in the background, appeared likely to prove the winner. He pedalled along in an easy, unconcerned style, and it was evident that his rigorous training had left him in the pink of condition. Cutten was also going well within himself, and Kerr rode with his characteristic gameness; while Recce, though he looked more fatigued than any of the others, seemed good for another five miles. Cutten was now allowed to make the pace for a considerable time, and two more miles were wheeled off without anything of much interest taking place. The result was still shrouded in uncertainty, but the critics thought the best man would be the one who could spurt fastest in the last mile. Webb seemed the most likely to distinguish himself under these circumstances, and just after the seventh mile was entered upon he put out a feeler, and, taking the lead with a dashing spurt, showed that he was made of good stuff. Kerr, however, responded pluckily and stuck to his little wheel with a persistency that gained him the lead after a couple of laps had been rattled off. Cutten then ran into second place, Recce lying last. Two more miles were dashed off at a merry pace, but without any further alteration in the state of affairs; but just after the ninth mile was entered upon Webb gave t ne com p an y another taste of his quality, and ran clean away from the field. Kerr spurted him up the straight; but Cutteu.. working hard at the back of the course, got between Webb and Kerr. The pace now became very fast, and entering tbo fourth lap Cutten challenged Webb, while Recce got in front of Kerr. Webb, however, had still a good deal of wind to spare, and sailed away from the others in fine style. Entering on the last lap Cutteu had still second place, but Reeco came with a splendid spurt at the finish and ran into second position. These were the positions in which the men passed the tape, Webb winning a grand race in 3Gmin 56Jsec— very fair time, all circumstances considered.

Webb, who is only a recent arrival in Dunedin, hails from England. He is evidently a very fair man on the racing path. With an easy style of going he combines good staying powers and fine faculty for spurting. The following are the times in which the various miles were ran : —

First ... ... ... 3min4Ssee Second ... ... ... 3 „ -17 ~ Thud ... ... ... 3 „ 37 „ Fourth ... ... ... 3 „ 43 Fifth ... ... ... 3 ~ 38 „ Sixtli ... ... ... 3 „ 52 „ Seventh... ... ... 3 45 Eighth ... ... ... 3 „ 42 Ninth ... ... ... 3 ~ 37 Tenth ... ... ... 3 „ 27i „ Half-mils Hack (hands oil). J M Henry ... ... 1 . WII Cutten ... ... 1 2 J Hobson ... ... ~, 3 Henry led from start to finish, and won by about five yards from Cutten, who also rode in fine style. Time, lmiu 53sec. One-mile Handicap. F Webb (60yds) ... ... ... 1 J 51 Henry (60yds)... ... ..2 SKorr (20yds) ... ... ... .3 J. Hobson, Invercargill (100 yds), O. Ziclo (100 yds), and E. Boot (150 yds) also started. Wobb won by two or three lengths from Henry, who unfortunately missed his pedal once or twice. Ziele and Kerr ran well for third place, and both wheels were on the tapo just about the same time, the judges giving Kcrr the benefit of the doubt. The time was 3miu 17 4-ssee. Half-jule Haxdicap. W H Cutleu (10yds) ... ... 1 0 Keece (scratch) ... .. '■' 2 JM Henry (30yds)... ... Z 3 This was a good race; but Cutten proved more than a match for the other men, and won comfortably by five yards in lmin 30 2-ssec. Five-milk Hoadstkh Haxujcav. Vj A Murley UOOyds) ... .. 1 J Hobsou (loOvds) .. ' o V AYebb (scratch) ... .'.'. '".3 Kcrr (50yds) also started, but retired at the half-distance. The effects of the Championship race also told on Webb. Murley had a start of a lap and a-quartor. Webb caught up on him and finished in front with a big spurt, but was 1

of course a lap to the bad. Hurley rode strongly all through, and showed that on a good racing machine lie might do very fair work. The time for this race was lTruia ftlsec. Quarter-milk Race. FACutten . i C Kecce ... ... "' '" - 2 JM Henry ~'. ~'. \ 3 Webb also started. This contest was a spurt from start to finish. F. A. Cutten came with a splendid dash at the finish, winning a good race in 4o"Asec. lOOvds Slow Race. FA Cutten ... 1 W H Cutten ... ... \\\ 2 J. Hobson and ]?. Webb also rode. W. H. Cutten rode slowest, and must have won had he not come to earth, thus necessitating his going in front of all the other competitors. Hobson, who is a trick rider, gained time by riding his machine backwards, but was rightly disqualified in consequence. ¥. A. Cutten, who won, kept his machine under thorough control all the time. COXSOIATIOX RACE. C. lteece... ... 1 CZiele ... ... "„ \" m 2 3 Hobson ... ... ... 3 C. A. Low also started. Recce rode well all through, and won as he liked.