MOTOR-CYCLING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17452, 29 December 1930, Page 12

MOTOR-CYCLING

THE OPOTIKI MEETING GISBORNE RIDERS DO WELL P. 8.. TEAM'S FOUR VICTORIES .Riders from Gisborne did jvcl] at the Opotiki Motor-cycle Club's race meeting, held on Boxing Day in hot weather before a good attendance of the public. The going was very fast, and though the corners at Opotiki are tighter than on the Gisborne Park course where a motorcycle race meeting is to be held on New Year’s Day, the riders handled the course with confidence, and put up some fast times.

The Gisborne team of three riders, comprising D. Oollison, K. Graham and S. McLeod, registered four wins in the course of the programme, against heavy competition from experienced racing riders from other parts of the North Island. Graham won the Novice Handicap, with McLeod second, and also the Jack Arnott Memorial Handicap, in which Collison finished second; McLeod rode homo first in the Borough and Otara handicaps, and Collison secured minor .placings in other events. The two Gisborne winners ranked as novices in the company met at Opotiki, but their form had evidently been reported to the handicapper, for they were kept on fairly short marks. The majority of the riders who competed in Opotiki rfre to race in Gisborne on Thursday, and the performances at the Boxing Day meeting should be a fair guide to the handicapper in bringing the fields together. Several fine finishes were registered at the Opotiki meet, the duel 'between Bunning l of Whakatane, and T. Morgan of Greytown, in the North Island lightweight championship race being one of the most eX-iting seen on any course for a year or two. Bunning took the last bend all out, with his machine at a perilous angle, and managed to get round with a few yards’ advantage, which lie held to the finish. Results: —

Novice handicap, 5 miles (,12 starters) K. Graham, Gisborne, (12see.) 1; S. McLeod, Gisborne,' (6sec.) 2; A. Cuthbertson, Auckland, (ser.) 3. Time, smin. 12sec. Tradesmen’s handicap, 6 miles (14 starters). —A. Cuthbertson, Auckland, (18sec.) 1; K. Graham, Gisborne. (36sec.) 2; I). Collison, Gisborne, (18sec.) 3. Time, 6min. 32£sec. Borough handicap, 6 miles (9 starters).—S. McLeod. Gisborne, (30sec.) 1; D. Collison, Gisborne, (12see.) 2; C. W. Keane, Whakatane, (25sec.) 3. Time. 6min. 42 2-ssec. Jack Arnott Memorial handicap, 10 miles (14 starters). —K. Graham. Gisborne, (30sec.) 1; D. Collison, Gisborne, (lOsec.) 2; W. H. Big wood, Whakatane, (6sec). 3. The winner beat Collison home by a bare length. Time, 9min. lHsec.. Bay of Plenty handicap, 6 miles (12 starters). —T. Morgan, Greytown, (scr.) 1; P. Fletcher, Auckland, (lOsec.) 2; K. Yeats, Auckland, (12sec.) 3. Time, smin. 30 2-ssec.

North Island lightweight championship, 8. miles (5 starters).—A. L. Bunning, Whakatane, 1; T. Morgan, Greytown. 2; P. Fletcher, Auckland, 3. An exciting duel over the last two laps between Banning and Morgan, Bunning winning by a few yards. Morgan holds the New Zealand lightweight title l . Time. 7min. 8 3-sseo.

Otnro handicap. 5 miles (16 starters).— S. McLeod. Gisborne. (Riser) 1 ; J. T. B. Smith, Auckland, (20spc) 2; P. Fletcher. Auckland, (12see) 3. Won by 60 yards. Time, 4 min. 42 2-ssec. County handicap, 6 miles (9 slnrt"vsl. —K. Yeats, Auckland, (15sec.) 1; T. Morgan, Greytown, (scr.) 2; 1). Collison, Gisborne, (12scc.) 3. Time, smin. 26sec.

Waioeka handicap, 6 miles, 12 starters).—o. Lundius, Palmerston North, f2ssen.) 1 ; A. Cuthbertson, Auckland. (20s ec.) 2; T. Morgan, Greytown. (ser.) 3. Won my a length in an exceptionally fine finish. Time, smin. 36 4-ssee. Domnin handicap. 6 miles, (8 st.a’ters'. —A. Darker, Hastings, (50see.t 1 : T. Morgan, Grevtown. (scr.) 2; J. T. 1! ‘■Tnith, Auckland, (30sec.) 3. Time. smia. 55ser.

Farewell handicap. 5 miles, (5 starters'.—O Wickham, Whakatane, (40sec.) 1- T. Moreau. Grevtown. 2: K. Vents. Auckland. (15scc) 3. Time, 4rnin. 53 3-ssec.