BROADSIDING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 13

BROADSIDING.

ENGLAND v. NEW ZEALAND. OVERSEAS TEAM VICTORIOUS. BURTON OUTSTANDING RIDER. In a series of brilliant races, fought out at tremendous speed amid Hying showers of cinders before a crowd or 9000 people, the English team of broadsi ders effectively demonstrated their superiority over the best riders which New Zealand could assemble for the test match. After the third race few among the crowd could have felt nnich doubt as to the ultimate result, the Englishmen, faster, steadier, and more finished in their cornering, being just that half second or so faster per lap which made all the difference in the final totalling of the P °Burton, the English captain, was outstanding in every way. -Never for more than a lap did he look ike being beaten as with wide open throttle he roaicd into the bends to level up and flash away along the straights well out in the lead. Eyeryrace in which he started he won, and his times were sufficient, if any other evidence was required to show that he is in the very front rank among broadsiders of all nationalities. Even matched as he was with the best riders m the countxy to-day, the margin of his victory was so decisive that it is very doubtful if he was ever fully extended, It can only be stated that he was in a class on his own. Apart from the interest attaching to the test match itself a good deal of attention was focussed on the meeting of Mattsou and Kilmister, the respective champions of the Auckland and Wellington tracks. On the evening’s form, Mattson was decidedly the finer rider of the two, and he was the only man in either team who was capable of pushing Burton. In the final of the Champions Scratch Race he gave a brilliant display of com ring, clinging grimly in Burton s wake for the last two laps and never allowing the Englishman to draw any further away. These two were the heroes of the meetin", but Greenwood, Bond, and Mangham also gave some great displays ot broadsiding, which frequently brought the crowd to its feet. , , . „ The weakness of the New Zealand team lay in the two Christchurch riders, Lunn and Blacklock, who were really outclassed bv the opposition, while Day also was scarcely good enough for a contest ot such a class. They lacked the speed and that steadiness on the corners which characterises the riding ox all the members of the overseas team. . , , , The fact that 18 events were included on the programme would alone have caused the meeting to be somewhat later in finishing than usual, but the diihculty which was experienced in getting the riders away in several of the races in the test match caused undue delay. the blame for this can scarcely be laid at the door of those controlling the meeting, as the fault appeared largely to lie with the riders themselves, who in their anxiety to get away to a good start, forced the starter to withhold his flag on more occasions than should have been the case. With this exception, however, the racing can 'be considered as, perhaps, the finest yet seen in Dunedin, and will be looked back upon for many a clay as a real contest of champions. The following are the results: ENGLAND v. NEW ZEALAND.

First Match.—Squib Burton (England) 1, A. Mattson (New Zealand) 2, E. Day (New Zealand) 3. Also started: G. Greenwood (England). Mattson had slightly the better of the start, but Burton roared into the bend wide out, and, swooping in, he came to the front as the riders straightened up. At the end of the first lap the order was Burton, Mattson, Greenwood, Day. This was maintained till the last lap, Burton gradually drawing away from Mattson. Opening the fourth lap Day spurted and passed Greenwood in the first straight. The result was not in doubt, and Burton finished with a lead of 60 yards from Mattson, Day being 160 yards further back. Time, 84 4-ssec.

Second Match. —N. Evans (England) 1, W. Kilmister (New Zealand] 2, R. Frogley (England) 3. Also started: P. Lunn. Evans and Kilmister were into the corner almost together, but, producing an extra burst of speed, Evans managed to get to the front. Lunn’s machine never got going properly, and he withdrew, leaving Frogley last. Kilmister and Evans made a great race of it, the Englishman just maintaining hi? lead as they raced round. Coming into the last bend Kilmister opened out and drew almost level with Evans. As they straightened up it seemed anybody’s race, and together they flashed up the straight, bent low over their machines. It appeared as if a dead heat would be the result, but Evans got home by half a wheel. Frogley was about 30 yards back. Time, 86 2-ssee. Third Match.—J. Kempster (England) 1, F. Bond (England) 2, H. Maugham (New Zealand) 3. Also started: C. Blacklock (New Zealand). The crowd leaped to its feet as Mangham shot into the lead entering the first bend and came out well ahead of Kempster, with Bond and Blacklock bringing up the rear. For almost two laps Mangham held his position, but at the finish of the second Kempster challenged strongly and passed the Otago man as they came out of the south bend. Bond was by now ahead of Blacklock, and this was - the order till the last lap, when Bond put in a great burst of speed and passed Mangham. Kempster was drawing away, and he finished with a lead of 10 yards from Bond, Mangham being 20 yards further back. Time, 88 2-ssec. Fourth Match. —A. Mattson 1, R. FrogJey 2, N. Evans 3, Also started: F. Day. Mattson shot into the lead from the start, and was soon well out in front, followed by the two Englishmen, with Day last. For the first lap Frogley and Evans were together, at times riding almost shoulder to shoulder. Gradually Frogley drew away, though Evans still clung to his heels. Mattson was riding brilliantly, cornering with great sweeps. The order was never changed after the first lap, and Mattson finally ashed past the post the winner by 50 yards from Frogley. Evans w r as 20 yards further back. Time, 84 4-ssec. Fifth Match. —F. Bond 1, W. Kilmister 2. J. Kempster 3. Also started; P. Lunn. Kilmister had slightly the best of a bad start, and he was soon racing out in front from Bond and Kempster, with Lunn last; At the end of the first lap Lunn passed Kempster, and it seemed that he was going to give a good account of himself when he crashed on the south bend in the second lap. He quickly remounted, however, and continued the race. Meanwhile Bond had passed Kilmister, and Kempster was now third. This order remained unchanged, and finally, after a good race, Bond finished with a lead of 20 yards, Kempster being 60 yards further back, Time, 84sec. Sixth Match. —Squib Burton 1, u. Greenwood 2, H. Manghain 3. Also started: C. Blacklock. With a great burst Mangham took the lead, but Burton was first out of the corner, and he was soon drawing away from the others, the issue for first place never being in doubt. Mangham managed to hold second place for three, laps and a-half, and it seemed that he was going to follow Burton past the post, but on the final bend Greenwood roared out from a tremendous slide, and, pushing Mangham hard, passed him, and finished five yards ahead, Burton having won by 120 yards, Blacklock crashed in the second lap, but remounted and finished the race. Time. 83 l-ssec.

Seventh Match. —A. Mattson J, F. Bond 2, J. Kempster 3. Also started: F. Day. Although the riding in this race was of a high standard, it lacked a good deal of the interest which attached to the others, as the result never seemed in doubt. Mattson took the lead from the start, and was never headed. He was followed by Bond and Kempster, with Day last. This was the order throughout. and Mattson finished with a lead cf 100 yards, Bond managing to boat Kempster, who had challenged strongly at the last corner, by five yards. Time, 84see. Eighth Match. —Squib Burton 1, G. Greenwood 2, P. Lunn 3. Also started: W. Kilmister. Greenwood was the first to show out as the riders straightened up from the first corner. Burton, however, passed him in the straight, and, once again, he was never headed. Lunn fell out with machine trouble, but managed to get going again, fn the third lap, however, Kilmister, who was riding in third place, fell out. Burton went on to win by 80 yards, Lunn being well back. Time, 83 3-ssec. Ninth Match. —N. Evans 1, H. Maugham 2, R, Frogley 3. Also started: C. Blacklock. Maugham roared into the

first bend and raced out with a slight lead, but Evans came with a burst and passed him as they flashed up the straight', Frogley was riding behind Maugham. Blacklock was last. These positions were never changed. Mangham put in a great spurt at the last, but Evans was not to be beaten, and lie finished with a lead or five yards. Frogley was 50 yards further back Time, 86 l-ssec. „„ „ b The final points were: England 36, Few Zealand 18. CHAMPIONS’ SCRATCH RACE. First Heat.—Squib Burton 1, G. Greenwood 2, F. Bond 3. These were the only starters. Burton was never headed Horn the start of the race. Greenwood was following him, and Bond was last. Tins order remained unchanged. Burton gia b' allv increasing his lead. I'rom the thud lap on Bond was experiencing engine trouble, and Burton finally finished 70 yards ahead of Greenwood, with Bond well back. Time, 81 4-ssee. Second Heat.—A. Mattson 1, H. Mangham 2 P. Lunn 3. These were the only starters. There was never any doubt about the result. Mattson shot to the front, Mangham being next, and Lunn last. Mattson rode a brilliant lace, gradually drawing away from Mangham. Lunn’s machine was giving him trouble at the start, but he soon got going again The Auckland rider finally, finished 100 vards to the good, Lunn being 120 yards further back. Time, 83 2-ssec. Final.

Burton ' Mattson 2 Greenwood " These were the only starters. The race was fought at tremendous pace throughout. Burton, as usual, was first out from the corner, with Mattson close behind him. and Greenwood bringing up the rear. For the first two laps Burton increased his lead, but from then on Mattson held his own. The three roared up the straight at a terrific pace, swoopin<r round the corners amidst great showers of cinders. Burton, however, was too good for the Auckland man, finishing 50 vards ahead. Greenwood was scarcely Mattson’s class, and he passed the post CO yards further back. Time, 81 4-ssec. CONSOLATION RACE. First Heat.—N. Evans 1, J. Kempster 2. These were the only starters. Evans took the lead from the start and rode away from Kempster, never looking like being beaten. After four laps of good broadsiding Evans raced home the winner by 100 yards. Time, 85 l-ssec Second Heat.—C. Blacklock 1. Also started: F. Day. This was one of the most exciting races of the evening. Hie two men were together as they came out of the first bend, but Blacklock took the lead in the straight. For the next two laps they fought out the issue at a great pace, although Blacklock was generally in the lead. In the final lap Blacklock was well out in front when Day crashed heavily on the last bend, leaving the Christchurch man to finish alone. Time, 88 4-ssec. Final. C. Evans £ C. Kempster 2 Also started: Blacklock. Kempster ivas the first to show out, and he held his lead from Evans until the second lap, when the latter put in a great burst and nassed him as they raced up the straight.. Blacklock, who was ruling last, crashed in the third lap, leaving Evans to finish 10 yards ahead of Kempster. Time, 86 3-ssec. , TEST MATCH HANDICAP. First Heat. —B. Unwin, scr., 1; J. Young, 2sec, 2. Also started: A. Anderson 4sec, J. Nesbit 4sec. Young was first out in front, and he kept his position until the end of the third lap, when Unwin passed him. Anderson came off in the first lap, but remounted and continued, while Nesbit rolled a tyre and fell out. Unwin finished 60_ yards to the good from Young. Time, 95 2-ssec. Second Heat. —P. Lyders, 4sec, 1; W. Blair, 3sec, 2, Also started; R. Ranby Isec, A. Rait 3sec. Lyders made good use of his handicap, and was soon well in the lead. Rait and Blair were staging a desperate duel behind him, with Ranby last. In the fourth lap Rait drew away from Blair, and was hard after Lyders, who, however, had a substantial lead, when he crashed on the last bend. Ranby had also come off, and Blair was left to ride home 100 yards behind Lyders. Time, 96 4-sscc. Final. Lyders 1 Unwin .. •. 2 Blair 3 Also started: Young. Young crashed in the first lap. Lyders was never headed throughout the race. Unwin passed Blair in the second lap, and this order remained unchanged, Lyders finishing with a lead of 30 yards from Unwin, who was 20 yards ahead of Blair. Time, 97 2-ssee.