BgSfhcYCLING iQQIf^NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 59

BgSfhcYCLING iQQIf^NOTES.

BY DEMON.

Aiv'SWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Constant Reader.— A date has not yet been fixed upon for either event you mention. The Federal Cycling Council of Australasia has fixed the months of November and December as the period m which the Austral meeting is to be run. (See Cycling Notes in Wi+ness of 11th ult.). It remains for the Melbourne Bicycle Club to fix the dates.

It is pleasing to note that the City Council are going to put the Cumberland street portion of the cycling track in good order. The Cycling Track Committee have nothing to report this week. Owing to anticipated Coronation festivities, no meeting of committee was arranged for. The ping-pongists of the Otago Cycling Club have challenged the Dunedin Club's votaries of the game to a friendly tournament. The O.C.C. men have been assiduously practising the fine shots of the ( game, and the Dunedin men, though not possessing a club table, have the reputation of being no mean playe-rs. At this time, , when ping-pong is all the rage, a tournament between the two clubs should be inte-l-e-sting to watch. 1 W. C. Jackson, a speedy Victorian 1 road rider, is in strict training for the Warri nambool to Melbourne raoe, and has I ordered \ a 2-h.p. motor cycle to put on the

fast work for track racing. The Victorian is being set up as the strongest opponent of A. Ralston, New Zealand's champion, in the big road event. — — Tho secretary of the National Cycling Association of America has intimated to the New South Wales League that the team of racing cyclists to visit Australia this season will probably consist of M'Farland, a firstclass all-round rider; W. -8. Fenn, who was second to Kramer in the American championship last season; H. Elkes, Stinson, and others.

The mueh-talked-of match, between the two millionaire*, Messrs Vanderbilt and H. de Rothschild, was to have come off, says Cycling (England), near Paris on the 14th May, but rain prevented it, and the event had to be postponed. However, as both principals were on the spot with two timekeepers, they took advantage of the occasion jto go for a few records. Nothing very striking was recorded, owing to the greasy state of the road, although Mr Vanderbilt rode a flying kilometre (1094 yds) in 32 2-ssec. This does not touch Serpollet'e famous record of 29 4-ssec on his steam car, but it is none the les!s remarkable.

W. Martin and F. Beauchamp. the well-known racing cyclists, landed at Marseilles two weeks ago. They intend making their way towards Paris, which is the hub of European cycle racing. »

Efforts are being made to get the New Zealand representative for the Warrnambool event to break his journey at Sydney and compete in the Goulburn-Sydney race, but this would entail the New Zealand rider leaving Cliristchurch in July, and it is hardly likely that he will be able to get away for fcix or seven weeks, for that is what it would inPan if the New Zealand representative wanted to compete in both events. As before stated in these columns, the Dunlop Tyre Company, with a view of making rhe Warrnambool to Melbourne road raoe of an interesting character, have decided upon a series of road races throughout Australasia to eelcct the representative riders, who will have their expenses paid to Melbourne to compete in the Warrnambool event. Arrangements have now been made for tho New South Wales event, which will almost cqnal in importance and prize money the Warmambool event itself, and will ceriar.ily be the finest road event held in the mother State. The raoe is to be known as the "Dunlop Road Race," and will be held ovor the Goulburn-Sydney course, a distance of 134 milps, on Saturday, August 9. The value of the prize list totals over £150, and is as follows : —

Ist.— Cheque £20, and sgns gold medal donated by the Red Eird and Massey-Harris biauches of Canada Cycle and Motor Co., Ld. 2nd. — Choice of Cleveland or Royal Speedwell Cycle, presented by Sydney Cycle Co. and Bennett and Wood, Ld., respectively. 3rd. — Phiz, or King of the Road cycle made to order, presented by Mr I. Phizackerley. 4th. — Sanspareil cycle (special racer), donated by W. E. Canning Proprietaiy, Ld. sth.— D.B. breech-loading gun, with leather case and fittings complete, presented by Mr T. W. Henderson.

6th. — Cheque 3j*ns, presented by Mr J. M, Maud, Cycle Works.

7ch. — Gold medal value 3gns, piesented by Messrs innes and Mills.

Fastest Time. — Royal Speedwell or Cleveland cycle, not cho3en by second man, presented by Bennett and Wood, Ld and Sydney Cycle Co., respectively

For fastest competitor receiving over 10 minute? start, not winning any other bicycle — - B. and B. cycle, No. 2, presented by Messrs Bennett and Bsrkell.

Gold Medal sgns. — For competitor, bona fide, residing in N.S.W., outside 50-mile radius from Sylncj, making fastest time, presented by Mr A. M'Neiil, Austral Cycle Agent y.

Gold Medal 3g7is. — Fol competitor, bona fide, residing m N.S.W., outside 100-mile radius fiom Sydney, making fastest time, and not winning another prize, presented by Mr H. Strelem.

The New South 'Wales competitor winning the fastest time prize will be sent to Melbourne as the State's representative, and will leceive £10 from the Dunlop Co., Sydney, towards his expenses. Competitors uiil be fed at Mo«s Vaie and C.vmphi'lltown, two points along the route, gratis, by the promoter?. No pacing 1 allowed. Great interest has been aroused in New South Wales cycle chides o\er the coining road race, and a big entry is assured. Entrance and acceptance fe <3 are nominal, being 2t> and Is respectively. Nominations close on July 22, and acceptances on July 31. Judging fTom the latest exchanges,

the interest centred in the performances of champions now p stem bled in Paris has never been greater. English followers of the sport are elated at the success of T. Linton, wlyj some years ago was practically invincible over hour riders haliin/1 pace. I

During the past few seasons, however, the records established by Lin ton have been captured by American and European riders, and though the Englishman's most intimate friends were still hopeful that he would regain his laurels, his particularly brilliant riding in the French capital came as a pleasing surprise. Matched against Bonhours (France), Robl (Germany), and Elkes (America) over £0 kilometres (49 miles 124Syds), Linton soon convinced his opponents that ho had regained his best form. The race was paced by motor cycles, and so fast was the speed set that the first three miles were ridden in 4-min 33 l-ssec, and 10 miles 13min 57 2-ssec. Robl, who held the hour record, tried hard to keep with the Britisher, but the gap increased, and at 12 miles Linton was a lap ahead. In the half-hour 21 miles 1334 yds was ridden. Shortly afterv ards Linton punctured, which not only necessitated changing machines, ..but allowed Robl to recover his lost ground and secure a lead. Some slashing riding was then witnessed. As the hour approached Linton, calling upon his pacers for more speed, passed Robl amidst great exoitement, and covered 42 miles 903 yds in the 60min, thus beating Robl's figures by 1094 yds. From this out Linton began to gain, winning by threequarters of a mile from Elkes, with Robl third and Bonhours last. Time, lhr 9min 50 l-ssec.

Jacquelin defeated La we on in the two first heats of a three-heat match. Wretched weather prevailed, which, it ia said, accounted for the American's indifferent display. Although without A. L. Reed, 'the Polytechnic Cycling Club (England) succeeded in beating the team of amateurs representing France in Paris. A. S. Ingram, the quarter-mile champion ; H. W. Payne, the 25 and 50 miles ex-champion ; A. J. Cherry, the 100 kilometres world's ex-champion ; and Rowland Janeon, who has shown such fino form during the last two years, rode for the Polytechnic, whose victory was a surprise.

The blue riband road contest of France — from Bordeaux to Paris, a distance of 370 mile6 — was this year won by Wattelier. Only single pacing was allowed in the race, which carries prize money to the value of £120. Wattelier is among the most promising French riders, and came into special prominence in May, when ho ran second to Lesna in the Roubaix to Paris race. In the cable message announcing the result, no time is stated, so it is presumed that Wattelier' s performance was not equal to Lesna' a record, last year, when he covered the journey in 21hr 53min — an average of 17 miles ar hour for 370 miles.

At the Blackheath Harriers' 6ports, held at the Crystal Palace track on May 3, G. V. Rogers attacked the five miles British motor cycle record, which stood at 9min 4- 2-ssec. At the first attempt he failed, but trying again, he reduced the record to 9min 3 4-ssec.

Motoring is connected with cycling, and serial navigation has a connection with motoring, so that the information that there was a scaffolding erected within 100 yds of the entranoe gates at Crystal Palace, from which M. Santos Dumont was to make his flights through the air in his ship, is fittingly entitled to appear in a cycling column.

The latest number of the official organ of the Touring Olub do France contains a description of a new automatic puncturecloser, which is, somewhat ominously, called "The Dream." Tho principle is not a new one, "The Dream" being a liquid, which is introduced into the air tube with a view to plugging up small punctures. Its advocates claim that after a three months' trial "The Dream" exhibited three meritorious features and only one defect. Firstly, it effectually plugged up any number of small punctures, and kept the inner tube perfectly air tight so long as it was protected by tho outer cover ; secondly, it produced no effect of rotting on the rubber of the air tube ; thirdly, it did not interfere materially with the repairing of a large cut or burst. Its solitary disadvantage appears to be that it is soluble in water, and is rendered ineffective if the edges of the puncture get wet. For this reason it is advisable that cyclists j should avoid riding any length of time in J wet weather. Two other inventions 'are detailed in the same journal. These are of a puncture-preventing rather than puncturerepairing nature. The first consists of a specially prepared outer cover, in which the ordinary fabric is replaced by a special preparation of leather backed with rubber. Observations extending over one year show, it is said, that an air tube so protected hecomes absolutely puncture proof; the leather shows no tendency to shrivel, harden, or crack, and does not weigh appreciably more than an ordi- | nary cover of equal diameter. In the third device the inventor has sought to obviate tho numerous objections and imperfections of a metal hand by introducing between th-o rubber and the fabric of the cover a special ribbon of parelunent. This device does not appear to exhibit the same tendency as the motal band to pnxhice what it professes to prevent ; but it would seem to render the cover less pliant, a drawback which may, it is claimed, l>e minimised by riding with somewhat blacker tyres than ordinarily. Whoever in " of opinion that motor shows are expensive and useless luxuries stand? confounded by the figures of tho enormous business done at the great exhibition in the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington. At a moderate estimate orders were booked for £250,000 worth of motor cars, ' | and most of the British factories will be very j ! busy for a year to come. The Daimler Company's orders were over £100.000. The ' Wolselev Company booked £°0.000 worth of . orders, the Lancbester £30.000 worth, and other companies in proportion. WHAI IS AMATKURISM? The Amateur Sports Club and the Melbourne Amateur Wheelers have concurred in a decision against allowing any of their jnomlw»rs to compete in the Warin;imbool Road Rare. It would appear (say* "Fortis." in flip Australfj-ian). from the wording of an official communication addressed to the promotois of tho race from tho fhst-nanifd hotly, that their hands are bound hard imd fast br the rules which havf> been adopter], and therefore they are practically debarred from considering any new development in racing which may crop up, purely on i!<s merits. The resolution passed by the amateur olub is as follows: — "That our rules prm-idp that an amateur competing against a professional for a prize of any description lo3e=> his status, and there appears to ba nothing in this particular event to warrant our recommending an exemption." The concluding- Fenfonoe roads very much like a gratuitous slight en the big road raoe — the Austral of the road. If this evenc faits to arouee any interest in the amateur crnm"L if the real amateur fcDirit disnlayed by i

the large aiajority of the contestants doe* not appeal to it, and to the esprit de corpr which it professes to foster, there can be little else which will.

There has been no other road race in the State which has attracted so much public attention, and drawn such crowds of spectators, both along the route to witness its progress, and to the Haymarket to view the finish. Last year's race was remarkable for the enthusiasm displayed, notwithstanding the heavy and continuous rain, when between 4000 and 5000 spectators gathered at the finishing point. Would not the interest have been greater and would not amateurism have received a lift had there been an amateur section competing? The attractions of this class of riders are none too many or too strong, and if the expressions of two or three of the amateurs are any criterion, the council ha 3 given the cause a set-back, for many of the members, both in this state and throughout the Commonwealth and New Zealand generally, were in high h6pes of being able to compete this year. What is an amateur? I find this definition in Webster : "One who cultivates a study or art, without pursuing if> $>rofessionally." An instance of the amateur spirit which prevails among competitors, in this event at least, is cited. In last year's race one of the contestants rode down from an inland town, some SCO miles distant, on an old worn-out machine, which was in such a condition that few cyclists would hav^o cared to ride it at all, let alone pushing it through a 165 miles road race. He wheeled along the route to Warrnambool, started, and rode through the race in the gamest manner, despite the heavy rain and muddy roads, and -finished well, annexing on© ofthe minor prizes. On the Monday following *ie wheeled away back to his work, on ** farm not far removed from Broken EX". having ridden in all over 1000 miles in ' '••* desire to compete. If this is n^t evidence of the true amateur spirit we shall neve:have a better example. The actual wH~ r • of last year's race. Nioa. was another "-*- stance, though not so remarkable. To amateurs themselves will be the only losers : It can make little or no difference to tho Dunlop Tyre Company, the promoters of tho race, that they are excluded, but in the best interests of the sport — amateur sport, too — the company hoped that they might have participated in the one genuine road race of the year.