CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 51

CYCLING NOTES.

Expectation regarding the cycle championship "meeting, to be held at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday afternoon next, has been raised to a high pitch, and so far as one can, see at the present moment the public are likely to be spectators of racing that will ne of a high-class order. "For some weeks past the Championship Committee of the Dunedin Cycling Club have been quietly, but effectively, working up the detaih of the meeting, and now everything is in order foi the day's raoing. The entries to hand are good, and comprise ihe pick of New Zealand riders— J. and A. Cornell, A. Ralston, H. Holland, A. Hueston, R. Cook, G. Standring, E. Ritchie, and W. Ritchie being among the entrants for the championship events. Their names on a sports programme are a sufficient indication of good sport eventuating. The champions will arrive in Dunedin during the week, and, as the elements have, been decidedly favourable to outdoor sports of late, we may reasonably look forward next Saturday toa sunny day and a series of contests that will be productive of some excellent racing and sterling finishes. Owing to a severe thunderstorm, the first day's racing of the Sydney Thousand Pounds meeting, fixed for 4th inst., had to be postponed till Friday, 6th inst. Three heats have now been run off. Major Taylor and Don Walker, who ran third and fourth respectively in their heats, ha\'e qualified for the semi-finals. A. C. Forbes", of New Zealand, ran second in his heat, aud therefore qualifies for the semi-finals. There's an average of 12 entries for the four championship events next Saturday. The distances are half, one, three, and five miles. To make things lively lap prizes cf 5s each lap are to be given in the championship events on Saturday. It is likely that on Saturday afternoon we may see some fine head work at the Caledonian Grounds when the riders are finessing for position, and that, taken in a good spirit, some amusement may be derived, from the tactics displayed by the different riders. Considerable amusement was afforded the onlookers at a recent race meeting in Melbourne, where four wellknown competitors (Morgan, Beauchamp, Sandberg, and A. A. Middleton) hung buck from taking the 'lead. At pistol fire all Etarted slowly, with Beauchamp on the inside. Then the others dropped back, but not liking his position, he sought to let someone else there, but none would have it. Bea-uchamp opened out widely, but the field followed behind until he was leading the bnnd at the extreme outside edge of the track. The public appreciated the finessing, laughed heartily, and watched with' eagerness the first attempts of a dash for the winning-post. Competitors for championship honours hail from tVshburton, Lawrence, Gore, Invercargill, Chrhtcliurch, Mataura, Dunedin, Palmorston Noith, Temuka, and Wellington. There Is a possibility of the Three and Five-mile Championships being paced next Saturday so as to keep the riders moving along. - — Tho Caledonian track \~, jn s t now in splendid order, and fit for records. Every effort will be made to keep the track up to its present condition, md thus give the contestants a fine surface to accomplish good times on.

Messrs Cooke. Howlison, and Co., of this city, have entered two motors for_ tho motor event at the championship meeting; Messrs M.uric and Co., of Invcreargill, arc send up two; and Messrs House and Co. (Oamaru). Porter (Ashburrtm), Connell (Ashburton), Best and Towne (Christchurch) , and Clark (Chri=tchurch) are each sending one motor for the competition. The committee in charge of the bicycle gymkhana, to be held tit Forbury Park in connection with the Floial Fete on 23rd inst. (Anniversary Day), mean to make the various events decided upon as attractive a3 possible, and they are being heartily backed up in their efforts by cyclists generally, who are looked to to enter for the events and compete therein. A great deal lepends upon the spirit in which the competitors start upon their work in the contc=t. A determination to so compete as to do the be«t for the amusement of the public and help a good cau=e would lighten the labours of the committee tnd encourage them in their work of the day. There's a good entry list for the open events next Saturday, 21 competitors entering Tor each event. Henry Boivie, of Port Chalmers, was riding a bicycle down Eattray street on Sunday about noon, and when crossing Princes street his machine skidded on the tram rails, and he was thrown heavily on to the road and stunned. Dr Stcphenson, who was passing at the time, attended to the man, who sliortlv afterwards recovered his senses, and was able to proceed on his way. — -The Motor Race next Saturday should in itself furnish a good day's sport. There are nine entries, and this will necessitate three heats and a final. Four races for motors should be worth going a distance to see.

Handicaps for the championship will probably bt declared 3n Thursday. — Tho South Australian League is reported to be passing through troublous times, its rooms being practically deserted, through the committee appointing to the caretakership a total stranger -hailing from Melbourne. A strong section, pi $he mem-

bers assert that the commitee overlooked the claims of many deserving applicants, A reappointment will probably be made. It has been stated that Dickentmann, the German paoe-follower, at one time held the world's record for an hour, but this is incorrect. Dickentmann, however, at present holds the two hours' record of the world, the distance being 82 miles 1566 yards, established August" 3, 1902, in a six hours' race at Berlin. This particular event was won by Robl, who covered 222 miles 1410 yards. He also secured records' for three hours (122 miles 1392 yards), four hours (156 miles 518 yards), and five hours (188 miles 188 yards). Records beyond six hours are held by Waters, the Englishman. - — Major Taylor's heat of the Half-mile Scratch Race, at Melbourne on 21st ult., was a treat to witness. The visitor had a combination against him, and 'a strong one, too. At pistol fire Thorn shot out at top speed for 150 yards, followed, of course, by Taylor, who takes no chanoes. The rest cf the field hung back, and Thorn, easing up quickly, allowed them to draw up, when A. C. Middleton came by at a great clip and sought to establish a lead and so draw out the black and leave him tired at the finish. Taylor responded and soon held Middleton at his mercy, yet at the same time watched the taotics >l those in the rear. These were Thorn, Randrup, and Shcenhan, the two first-named ; nursing Sheehan, in order to. save him for . the finishing sprint withHhe visitor. But Major Taylor seemed to divine their intentions, and, noticing Middleton to be tiring, made a jump at long range for the line, which he crossed several lengths to the good from Sheehan. He had ' a great reception, for his ' ride was a remarkable one, he having been forced to make three • distinct Sprints in the half-mile. Messr3 Lehi, Robl, and Dickentmann are now on their way back to Germany. Their trip to Australia has not been a financial success, whilst from a racing standpoint the trip fell flat owing to the fact that there were no locally paced champions capable of extending Robl. and owing to the monotony and sameness of Robl and Dickentmann racing against ©ach other. £500 is the cost of securing Major Taylor's appearance at the March carnival in Sydney. The one-mile Australasian record, flying start, now stands at lmin 28 2-ssec, to the credit of T. Robl. This fine performance was accomplished on the Sydney Cricket Ground last month. It is some 5 4-ssec better than the previous best Australian time, to the credit of A. Smyth, who, the week previous, rode 1760 yds in lmin 34 l-ssec. The world's record is held by the French rider Contenet, whose time stands at lmin 16 l-ssec.

There was considerable excitement manifested at St. Kilda when the. first test match between Major Taylor and Don Walker came on. Anyone watching the American closely (says '\Fortis," in the Australasian) can see that the man is accustomed to meeting large crowds, and to receiving either their applause or derision. He has had both, neither of which affect him in the least. Walker, having the. inside position, was easily forced to take' the lead in the first event, a half-mile, which was unpaced, and with 170 yds to go the black champion came by Walker cleanly and won a cleverly-judged race. A peculiarity about Taylor's sprint is that he gives hardly the slightest preliminary movement of his intention to jump. All that his fellow-com-petitors know is that he has sprinted. Taylor, by winning the first two test .races, was, of course, declared the winner of the £100 put, up by the promoters. The promoters of the motor-paced contests, concluded in Sydney last month, will probably lose some* £400 over the venture.

• "I 1 orty-seven next birthday" is a period in a cyclist's lifetime when recordbreaking usually has no further attraction, but not, so with the Sydney amateur crack, Arthur Smyth, who will this month celebrate his forty-seventh birthday. Considering Smyth's years and the fact that he weighs over 16st, his recent performances on the Sydney Cricket Ground are both unique and remarkable. Smyth has put up new amateur world's records from a quarter to 10 miles. The following is a list of his new figures:— Flying start, quarter mile, 23sec; half-mile, 46 2-ssec; three-quarters, lmin ll«eo; one mile, lmin 34- l-ssec; five miles, Bmin 55=ec. Standing start records: Quarter in 34sec, half in 57 4-ssec, threequarters in lmin 21 l-ssec, one mile in lmm 45 l-sseo, ten miles in 19min 23sec. Robl, the motor-paced champion, has hopes of visiting Australia next year, and bringing the Danish crack Ellegaard with him. Ellegaard lias beaten Major Taylor more often than any racing cyclist living. ■ Robl and Diokentmann, two crjick pace followers, have caused a decided improvement in the Australasian records, the first-named havine no fewer than four to his credit. The list is as follows: — h. m. sec. \ mile flying .. .. J. Megson 0 0 21 3-5 h mile flying .. ..A. Smyth 0 0 46 2-5 I mile flying .. .. T. Robl 0 1 28 2-5 1 mile standing .. Walker.. 0 1 45 3 mile standing .. Dick'tmsn 0 4 59 5 mile standing . . T. Robl 0 7 40 1-5 10 mile standing . T. Robl 016 38 1-5 15 mile standing .. T. Rob! 026 13 4-5 50 mile standing . Beauc'mp 146 56 100 mile standing . Beauc'mp 340 58 Hit 31mls 1425 yds .. W. Martin Major Taylor is known as the ''coloured wonder " He has met and defeated nearly every rider of note in the «orld, and on account of his gentlemanly oonduct on and off the track counts them nearly all on his list of personal friends. Tt is his proud boast that he had never protested against a race, rider, 01 decision during his racing career, notwithstanding the fact that considerable sums of money are usually at stake. Taylor, unlike many professional athletes, is of a thrifty disposition, and Dwns a handsome home in Worcester, besides having a snug bank account laid away for a rainy day. When the coloured champion took part in tho N.C.A. meet at Ottawa las summer, his American-built mount did not reach him in time for the first races, and an international event would lose much of its interest without him. Rather than disappoint the management a:id the- crowd, he borrowed the Massev-Harris racer ridden by W. Morton, the Canadian champion, and won the Quarter-mile National Circuit Championship from the Amoriean cracks, giving Kramer, of Buffalo, his first defeat of the season. He was so pleased with the mount that he was soon in communication with the manufacturers, and arranged to ride one just like it in the Australasian series. According to the French paper, Le Velo, the following cyclists were the biggest ..wmoers on tag racing track .of Europe and

America during .the 1902 season: — Major: Taylor holds premier position with £1862* won in 60 races. T. Robl, the Germanf rider, recently in Australia, comes second with £1460, won from 20 races, whilst the' Danish sprinter, Ellegaard, is third, • with: £1362, from 48 races. Other big winners are:— Bouhours (France), £1184; Michael (Wales), £1129; Linton (Wales), £1006 ;j Kramer (America), £855; Meyers (Holland), £850 ; and Dickentmann (Holland), £808. The majority of the above cracks are in receipt of big appearance money from the sports promoters, which, coupled with machine and tyre retaining fees, makes the life of a successful cyclist a pleasant and profitable one while it 'lasts.

C>cle racing promises to be particularly interesting during the coming season in Paris, and, for the matter of that, Jill over France and Germany," but the majority of the visiting stars will be' headquartered; in the "gay city." Already the Buffalo ■management have announced their intention of opening the first Sunday in March, having contracted with' several well-known international pace-followers for the opening meets to meet Contenet, the world's hour record holder. The Paro des' Princes management will leave no stone unturned to wipe out their rivals, and so matters should be very lively all round. Perhaps the most notable feature of the- approaching" season is. the number of American, •cracks signedon to race in , Paris.' -Major : Taylor, 1 , the coloured rack now touring. inVAustralia, is "due to arrive in May. " J~. Nelson, a very fast pace-follower, and 'George - Leahder, the winner of the recent six-day race at New York, have . been_e.ngaged to open at Buffalo';' and ' Harry ;Elkea' and Jimmy Michael, will return " early in the season. Among,tha' sprinting division 1 Eddie - Bald, Iver Lawson, Owen Kimblc, Frank , Collett, and a negro named Woodie Hedspefh are all fixing uj to visit Paris, so that very few star cracks will be left. in. , America. Now that professionalism -has somewhat revived, in England, the Old Country will be better represented, and "Tommy" Hall, the holder of the world's kilometre record, a very promising crack, has, it is understood, already been retained by a wcllki.own French 'firm, who' will supply 'him with up-to-date pacing, so that he, can endeavour to be the first rider to cover 50 miles in the hour. Tom Linton has now recovered from his bad smash at Leipzig, and he, too, has designs oh the hour ' re;ord early in the season. As to sprinters, new blood is somswhat soarce. but perhaps a new champion will be forthcoming when least expected. The world's championships will' be decided at Copenhagen under the auspices of the Union do Danske Cycle Clubber, the dates fixed being August- 16, 20, and 23. The road-racing season open's on April 12 with the Paris-Roubaix contest.

The value of the cycle in war timo was not depreciated by 'the experience - gained during the South African campaign, and since that time a great deal has been done for the cause of military 'cycling in - England. In a lecture given in .January to the rank and file of the Royal- Warwick Regiment, the lecturer, among other things, ■ made mention of the employment' of cyclists for particular duties, such as seizing • outlying posts, advance and rear guards, "more particularly the latter'; for purposes of bringing up ammunition ajid tools ' while in action, and for v - ambulance work. The cultivation of shooting, and an eye for country' and judging' distances, map reading and making, a knowledge of the rudiments of time and space occupied by ■ tactical units, and other matters were gone into more or less in detail. Also the points to be observed in drafting reconnaisance reports, and some peculiar difficulties, in dealing with large numbers of cyclists on the march. The lecturer also described their functions in detail, laying particular em- . phasis on their employment as a substitute for mounted infantry for purposes of home defence, the organisation of the militaryforees being as deficient in that respect as they are in transport and field artillery. According to the latest English files the list of acceptances for the race for the i Gordon-Bennett Cup, the world's blue riband motor <3vent, are now complete, and four countries will be represented in tha oontest — viz. t England, France, Germany, and America. As each country -an be represented by three cars, it may be expected that 12 of the most powerful motor oars in the world will take part in the race. There is only one thine more to ensure success, and that is for the race to take place in the United Kingdom, which is at present the holder of the cup. through S. F. Edge's win last year. In the event' of th*> contest not being held in the United Kingdom, it must, under the rules, be held in Fiance. The French are more, than anxious that the race should not take place in the United Kingdom, as they; fear that, . if Great Britain has the advantage of ' ihe stimulus of the industry which France alone has onjoyed hitherto, the United Kingdom'may become a serious rival in the struggle for the supremacy of the motor industry, which - France undoubtedly at preseri holds. . In this connection the Automobile Club has. decided that, a course having been found in Ireland, it will not take steps to induce the Government to pass a bill authorising the holding of the race over the course. If thf* Government fail to assent to such a procedure the Automobile Club will be compelled to ro«nmunicate the fact to the French authorities, and arranjements will be left in their hands to again hold the race on tho Continent.

The well-known. French cliaffeur, M. Fournier, rereiitlr covered a measured mile _ on the road on a 4£ hcrse-pnwer motor binyclo in tho a^ounrlinj; Hmo of 65sec. Tito ride was officially clocked. Fonrnicr's rid* works out at a pac of over 55 miles an hour. .LFAGCJE Ol< WHEELMEN. A meotincf of Hie Council of Hip I>3_friiP of Now Zna'ard Wheelman was hold in thn Clnr^mlon Hotal on Wednoclay 25th ult. A lettei was received from a rcwly-formpd club at Palmerston North, anplyinjc fov affiliation, and itatins that it intended to hold » sports m^etinc- on March 4. Tnfi . secretary reported having referred the matter to the Waneanni Committee, and that p.reply had yet been received. Mr Asciuith. ropr'esentativo foi Nelson, having resienei! his position, thp secretary was instructed to communicate with the contro regarding the appointment of another delegate. A report wa« received from the secretary of the Auckland Centre stating that cycle-racing in thafc district was exceedingly dulL . Sporte slitherings had been poorly patronised, and meetings Df the Centre had lapsed for want of a quorum. The secretary added thafc the openorder system )f prizes had reduced amateurism to a farce, and he was stronptljr against it. In a later communication th<> Centre stated that it had been decided tV

recommend for reinstatement as amateurs JR. J. Davis, J. Irving, and S. Draffin. The tnairman stated that the three had all raced for- years for cash prizes, and to reinstate them would be an absurdity. It was . decided to apply for further particulars. In ireply to the Otago Centre, which asked on Jbehalf of the Otago Sports Club, it was decided that an official handicapper could, nrhen two meetings were to be held at near dates, make "provision for penalising the /winners at the firat, meeting for events to be "decided at the second, provided competitors jwere given notice to that effect before entering; also, that in extending the date of receiving entries beyond the date originally jadvertised, a sports promo rer must accept all risks and disputes. The late secretary of Ahe" Westland Centre, Mr E. J. Doreen, {wrote stating that he had resigned from the Position as he intended leaving shortly for fiouth Africa. He added that the Hokitika, /Club was considering the advisableness or otherwise of remaining affiliated with the ileague, in view of the fact that all other foodies in the district were holding unregistered meetings. It was decided to thank Mr Doreen for the splendid work he had Idone for the League in the past.. It was \decided to mak« arrangements for keeping 'the new rules in type in the meantime. A 'statement having been made that the Christjchurch Cycling Club intended to apniy for {permission to hold the New Zealand Ama- * vitouf" Championships on Good Friday, it was decided to ask the North Canterbury Centre te give" the matter early consideration.