CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2173, 17 October 1895, Page 35

CYCLING.

FIXTURES, December 26. — Pioneer Bicycle Club's Adbual Races. January 2, 4, 1596. — New Zealand Champ:.onabips at Christ church. NOTES BY DEMON. The Otago Cycling Club's run to Mosgiel had to be put off last Saturday owing to the extremely unfavourable weather prevailing. The wind blew very strongly from the Bouth, and to add to this discomfort there were frequent heavy rain showers, bo all thought of a c'nb run, in fact of riding at all, had to he given np and the fixture abandoned. The weathsr ntxt day was decidedly more pleasant, and a number of riders went as far as Evanedale and back. Tha pouih road was not invitipg, the stiong southerly wind blowing preventing pleasant riding.

Those who attended the sports held at tho Caledonian grounds on Labtur Day pot in a most, disagreeable time. The wind was higb, and tho loose material which w?s lying thick on the track was blown about in eveiy direction, much to the discomfort of sightseers. Thfl bicycle racing was, as it always i«, interesting, and the wins were popular. R Crow (D.C.0.) managed to win the Five mile Rice trom a fi«)d of fev*n. Ho rode in soraethiag like his old form, and from the amount of work put into the raco, 1 f«el sure that this ia one of jthe hardest races he has ever ridden. He started in the One-mile Rare, but did nob gain ft place. His machine was a Raglan racer. J. S. White (0.0.C.) managed to win the Novice Race and the Three mile Roadster. He is a most promising rider, and rode both £bese races in good style and with judgment. His spurt is good, and he shculd be Leard of again this se&f on. W. Bell (0.C.C.) como in first in tho OneBute Handicap, and had fte. Five-mile race well

in band till tho last mile, wheu Lis tyre punc tured, and although quickly rcoui>ted ou another machine, be ic-st ell ebauce of winning. He was riding bis new Huinler racer fitted with woodtn rims, and won tho Onc-milo iv goud style.

L. Barclay (0.C.C.), who took eccond honours in the Five-milo race, made a good finish for second plaoe, sod altogether rode a fine race ; while T. Maw, his fellow clubman, made a good fight for third plaoe.

A. Tunkinson (D.C.C.) was riding a good raoe iv tbe Three-milo, and showing »igos of WO! king well up at the filial, wh.6n he came a cropper &nd lost all ebauce of a plnce. The track was wry loose, end the machine burying ib&lf as it tore along the track, made quite a good-sized hole in the ground. Of tbe other rider*, Cameron (0.0.C.), Aitcheson (D C.C.), and Fleming (Palmeraton Cycling Club) rode well, the latter showing strong riding power aud finishing vrell. He is the mhkings of a good rider, and only wants proper looking af ler and some erpt-rif-ner. among go.">d riders to give him the necessary judgment to help him to win a rate.

The track, raced on for the first time since tho improvements were started, was in b»d order for racing. The surface was too loose, and the riders had very hard work to plough through the soft stuff lap after lap. Thfa banking is good, and the whole truck wa> U only plenty of ra : n and good rolling to m !cj it a very fast one. Tbo Caledonian Sockty I: ad dona all in their rower to make ifc righ"; for Wednesday'^ r«ciut'< k u^ it was uot their good fortune to have things a? well as they and the ridera could wish.

Members of the Djnedin Cycling Club are reminded that tho first club ruu of the sesson will start from tbe club room, Manee street, at half- past 2 o'clock on Saturday afteruoon. The Ot»«go Club, whose fixture for laßt Saturday aftcn.o:n hid to be abandoned, have decided to hold the Bja— to K<??g^HJ^ gatortby, 2Qth UU9J*

There appears to be bouqo ajisoonceptiou regarding the race for trophies presented to tho Dunedin Cycling Club for competition by Mr W. Melville. The r*< es aie open lo me jibers of the Otago and Dunelin Clubs who have never won a G'pt priz^, and are not confined to merabors of the Dunedin Cycling Club, as is uude stood by some ridt». I hope to soa a good number of rtdots from both clubs face the situter on Weduefday evening, 23rd iust , when the fir«t race, over adis'.anoc of one milo, takes plaoo.

The two Victorian oyclists, Messrs Burttou and Hunter, who Are jaab wow m&Uing a tour of New Zealand on thtit bicycles, arrived at Dnnedin on Friday and left next Dicnrinj, facing the strong southerly wind, aud no d-jubfc catching florae of the raio showers ou their w»y to the Lakes, via Lawrence. Since their arrival at Auokland on Eeptembtr 15 they have ridden ou an average aboat 70 mile* a day, and their usual stay is one night io each reeling place. Mr Burcfou fcalingover 14sfc, rides a Humfaer machine fitted with Nlw Rapid wheels, and weighing £9ib. Lost Taeeelay A. J. Body, the winner of the 24 l.ourb' race held in Dunedio, attempted to 1 wer the Wu cli< s!*r to Tiinara record (44inin 57;>eo) held by J. Whelm. Boily put up a £oad performance, but did not break the record, hie time being 49raiu 3seo. — — A meeting of the committee of the Otsgo Cycling C ! ub was held ou the 8 h ius>t., a»d attended by Meeerfl A. Thornton (prc+id< nb), M'Doiiald, Jay, Muuro, Osborne, Begjj, Mo'Ser, Hagon, Wn.ttp, and Hart (qeoreUry). A letter was received from the Invtroaryill Cyoling Club agreeing to the date (November 30) of the t<jom race of 25 miles, «x men a-s'tde. A motion wa» psssed that in all attempts at roooid-breakiug, whetJif r on tha h«ok or *< ad, nicmbota of the O CO. aud D O.C. be a-k"d to officiate. Meas-ra M 'Donald, Je-y, aud Hart were aj-poiuted a sub OJUiroibtee to confer with a subcommittee if the D.C O. re racing and Blliauce matters. It w»s decided to hold & club championship (distance five miles) at the end of the season, to qualify for which members must uttond two-thirds of tho club runt. Fourtesu ntw tnoenbers were elected. Tl c annual general meeting of the North O;ajo Cj cling Club was held at Ihe Globe Hotel, Oamwru, on the Bkb. iusfc. There w&s » large attendance of members and the balance sheet showed a credit of £9 Is 6d, the receipts for the year (including £10 0a 93, amount, in hand t>t the beginning of tho year) being £90 13s 93, and the c-xpetdUare £81 12s 3d. The following ofiioe-bearera were eUo^d : Patron, Mr John KTLean ; president, Mr W. Bee ; vice-presiilonts— Me»?r» O. B. Wise, R. D(ivid«>u, J. Familb n, W. Waddell, J. B. Grave, T. Forrester, and W. Lawson ; captain, Mr A. J. Grave ; sub captain, Mr J. Bapson ; bugler, Mr D. Johnston ; lion, treasurer, Mr W. Lawson ; hoo. secretary, Mr A. Famitfcon ; auditor, Mr R. M'DoweJl ; committee — Mebsra J. M'Liren, W. Matbeaon. 0. Clu-cb, W. Wylie, W. A'exwder, p. Miller, J. Bee, and E. .Stafford. The opening run U fixed for the 24-fch iaefc. Tfce Gore Cycling Club hold a road race to Cbarlt-cn and baok ou Nuvembnr 6. An impromptu 10-mile bicjclc race was run under the aufpioes of the InvercarKiU Cycling Club on tho Union grounds '>v Tuesday afternoon. Thero were seven comjx ;t >torß, ai)d all started from scratch. 11. M'Kctz'e, who rectnMy unf-noceßßfully endeavoured to break the record between Punt din and Invercargill, chowed better form tlian the othe.-s, and won comfortably, with Phil Muir, who is jirfc a lad, a very good second. Tho time (Mnvn 20* ec), considering the liigh wind blowing throughout the r«cp, fs very creditable. The North Canterbury Bicycle Club' shows a credit balance of £3 on tho year's transactions. Tae following are t&« «fßea-b.-arers for this season :— Pation, Mr D. Buddo, M.H.R. ; president, Mr J. Saneom; vioepiesidents—the Very Rev. Father O'Connor, Meflsro H. Boyd, M. Scot*, and H. C. J. Barley ; captaiu, Mr A. C. Wilmot ; subcaptain, Mr H. Martin ; seoratafjr and treasurer, Mr D. Bake ; couv.uitt«e — Mersrs 11. C. Wilson, W. Bluckett, R. Cook, J. Thompson, and G. Jonea ; consul and delegate to the Rangiora Athletic Association, Mr A. 0. "VVilmot. The world's champion, Arthur Augustus Zimmerman, interviewed at Albany soon after his arrival, faid in tbe course of the interview that ho intend.* ptajing at Adelaide for sotce moutLs for btiict training, in orrler to get ic<.o racing form. He will theo visit Mc'b^uno and Sulnoy. He has mw3o no engagements, neither will he issue immediately a oballenge, but he is prepared to race anybody or everybody who likes lo eng«gd -in a contesb with him. He intends to give cycling up professionally after bis toar in these ooloiros. Ho will vibit "\Vo=tern Australia at Caristma? if pcs3iblo, to biiog tho londiug Australian cyclists over fca* the r&oes at P.fbh. The Premier of Victoria (Mr Turner) ha? taken to a bicycle. Judge Hamilton, Mr Leon, a lending barrister, and Dr Maudeley are also credited with having tak^n to riding the iron wheel. Tbe Wellington Cyoling Clab formally opened tho cycling season in Wellington on Saturday, sth intt. Over 40 oyclitta assembled and rode from the club room through the city to the Basin Reserve. At Johannesburg on July 20 a race took placa at the Wanderers' rink, three miles, bicycle agaicst roller skates. Three skaters did one mih each against tho same eycl'st, who won easily. General Bcoth has decided (fays Bicycling News) iv favour of Sunday oyclinfl, and his two eldest granddaughters, aged only 10 aud 12, aud their mother ride to and fro between Hadley Wood and High Baraet for the Salvation Army meeting* on Sundays. The terms arranged by Uie syndicate which brought Zimmerman to Australia are exceedingly liberal. On srrival he was to receive £1000, acd in addition to this amount ho \s guaraLtc:d one-half of what tho first prizo may lo ia evf ry raco in which ho competes should he lose, and, of coarse, the full amount should he wiu. He also receives 25 per oent. of the net; gate reoeipts at all meetings where ho ride.'. In addition to this, travelling expenees and hotel bills, with inoidentals, are allowed him for bis wjlfe and himself from the time he reaches Australia until he lands again in America after the trip. He b bound by agreement to s'art :n not lean than, three racea each week ; unke3 iUnesa prevents him bo doing, He h^e. wqq during his career

no less than 375 races, representing £12,000 in prizes. He aho holds 160 medals, 30 of whioh arc champion medals. A triplet of French manufacture, which is to be used to pace the world's ch&mpiou when necessary during his Australian tour, has been landed in Melbourne. The World's Championship meeting, held at Cologne on August 18, wtva not a gi eat success. The results of the r^cii.g arc as follows :— Onc-milo Professional Championship of the World, R. Pro.on ; time, 2min 3Lbic (this race has to be re-run in P*ris owing to somo comptirartons). Amateur Te^m Raco (Country v. Coun'j)— HolUodl, with 9 poiutß ; England and Belgium ?,, with 11 points ; Go-many 3, with 14 point* ; and Denma'k 4, with 15 points. One Milo f.>r Amateurs— Jaak Eden (Holland) ; time, Smio. 383 ssec. One H'mdred Ki'ometres for Pr«.ftß<>ioQaW — J. Michael (England); time, 2hr 24m<n EB4-5u i c. Oue Hundrrd Ktlomotres for -An ufcours — M. Cordang (Hull Aid) ; tima, 2hr 33mm 45 4 5-.00. Mr and Mi*d B. A Maddock, who recoutly rodofrom Sydnty to Brisbaoe and bick — about 1600 miles,— lvwo been iateivirwed at various norlboru towns. Mrs Maidook told one rtportor that she cau rido 72 miles a day over fair roads without feeling fatigued. She attributes lior ability to do such a long dibfcanco to the faot that she thoroughly understands how to potitioa the body. Deportment, Bbc admits, is not c^uspiauous among colonial cyclif-tj, and uhfortunatoly it is a neglooted part of cultivation generally. Mrs Maridock says tho mistake most if our oyolists make is that they learn to ride first aud think about depurtaient afterwards. She hai no doubb tbtvt tiie ltidy oycliut has come to stay ; their co-turae, she considers, is much more modest than tha modern ballroom dre»s, whioh no one takea exoeptioti to nowadays. It is merely the novelty of the thing that ha 3 cui:s;d Damo Prudery to start up startled. Cycling, she M»cr g, is a harmless, useful, and healthful accomplishment for women when properly and intelligently indu'ged in. At the AdeUido Cricket Association's bicycle rporto the Half - mile luternaticnal Bor*t«h Kaee resulted as follows : — Paraona fVictori)*) 1, Lewis (Sydney) 2, Megaoo (Sjdoey) 3. Time, lmin 19iseo. Ten-mile International Scratch Race : Parsons (Vi tori*) 1, Pither (N«w Zealand) 2, Lswis (Sydney) 3. Won by half a mile. Time, 25min 53deo. Among the articles in that well-got-up Sublioation, " Badminton Magoziue," of which lessrs Ptictvr aud Ormsby have scut us a copy, h ona by Lord Onslow on ** The We»t Bud on Wiieola," in whioh bo say* :— "Never did a fleh look more thotoaghly out of water th*n dwß a powdered Eix-foot-bigh footman as he stande solemnly holding up his umtrees's biojele while she pins down her skirts preparatory to the start. Of members of Parliament aud peers thero are no lack ; some of them have been long enough in her Majeaty's service to att*iu to tho rank oS Privy Councillor, judges of tho High Court, or officers conim«.oau,g crack oivilry regiments ; while in many ca:cs I am bound to oay thst the wivis of these dibtiuguished gentlemen are the apter riders of • the two. There is a charming Hpob adjoining the County Council refreshment kiosk, kaown as tho Lako Houß2, wLecc, screened by a weabh of m«y and blossonuu^ uhestnut from tho giz»> of tho passing cyclist*, the breakfast table m-vy ba spread ou tho sborea of ths ornamental wator, with 1.0 other outlook tbau that afforded by numerous leafy islands, having the lake dotted with swans and wild fowl in the foreground— a spot which, bat for th"j occasional gllropse of passing carriages through the boughs at tho back, might be in any geutleraan'tf park 100 miles from London. Th<sr« a forme? cUeco* at the Royal Aquarium can at ahorfc notice provide a breakfast amply satisfying to the keen appotite e.ngendereti by the rido. In the main avenue Mr Cameron ha 9 canvassed off a t mall slice of his kiosk, and on the lawn adjacent the mfiCDb.-ra of White's Club provide breakf asb and fctctwbft\rk'B and cieam for themoflves aud their friend*. Upon occasion this litlle plot of grass ia as crowded as the Royal Enclosure at AScot, and with f o.cea not le»s pretty nor dresses less smart." You never realise how many men there are whodoa't ou'ty a repairing outfit with them until jou puncture by tho way, Hud you've loft youc own outfit at home, and longingly inquire of o»ch passing wheelman whether he con lend you one. Mr Speed, writing in Lippincolt'u Magazine, maintains that tho bicycle is the speediest mode of locomotion excepting a first-dags locomotive, A mau on a bioycle has covered a mile in nearly half & minute les* tima than either a pacer or a trotter, and his record for a milo is one-tenth of a second les3 than that of the great running horse Sa'vator, the fastest thcroughb:cd to fax produced. In distance racing, whether on tbo read or the track, the bicycle rider ha* greatly the advantage of the horse, and oan beat that animal at any di^tanoe, tho farther the di-tauee th« greater the advantage in favour of the bicyclist. F*.r instance, last year ou New Jt-rsey roads 25 miles were covered in lbr suiin. 50 miles in 2ar 30min, 100mile3 in shr 35aiin, 200 inilea io 12ir 44min. Ono of-the meet a3*>nisiDg period! iv a oyclist's life 18 when he ha« ruehed over a broken bottle, or has folt a " bump " on the rim, and for five seconJs can't dooide whether its a puncture or not !