LAST WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS

Southern Cross, Volume 5, Issue 31, 6 November 1897, Page 10

LAST WEDNESDAY’S SPORTS

Perfect weather favoured the I.C. and A.A. Club for their fiist race meeting of the season, postponed from the previous week, which was held in the Union Grounds. There must have been fully 1000 present during the afternoon, and as the meeting was a complimentary one for the club, all the prizes having been donated, the takings should place its finances on a very sound footing. Great interest was taken in the events, as the entries were numerous, and included a large number from new riders, several of whom came from Gore and Mataura. The track was in capital condition, and as will be seen below, some fast times were recorded. The introduction of sevei’al novelty races in the programme met with warm approval from the public and lent variety to the proceedings. The officials ot the Club, including Mr 0. Korthcote, who did Yeoman service, carried out the programme without a hitch, and got the events off with commendable punctuality. The prizes were presented at the close of the programme to the respective winners, and also the gold bangle presented by the

(Mr C. R. Edmunds) for the best ladies’ decorated bicycle, which was judged last week and •awarded to Miss Batchelor. The first item was the FANCY DRESS PARADE. Case of Cutlery presented by C .Norfchcote, Esq. 1 E. C McKenzie. A large number of entries had been received for this event, but owing to it having afterwards been placed dirst on the programme, and several intending competitors not being aware of the fact, only three characters were represented, causing considerable disappointment to the public. “A Friar of olden days,” and a gentleman of the 16th century, were the respective makes up. MILE MAIDEN. Lamp, presented by Messrs Godward and McKenzie. 1 Bkensteen, V. •■• Scratch 2 M'Kenzie, E.C. ... ... 30yds 3 Simeon, J. A. ... ... Scratch Time, 2min. 39 l-sth sec. Two others started, and after a .good race Ekensteen was pronounced to be a coming man on the cycle track. MILE CIGAR & UMBRELLA RACE Clock, presented by Thos. Thompson, Esq. 1 Marie, E. 100yds 2 Double, G-.... ... ••• 200 „ 3 Poole, W. ... ••• ••• 100,, The umbrellas had to be opened and closed, and the the cigars lighted while riding. Others who had entered did not start considering that the of smoking a cigar might interfere with their prospects in later events. Murie proved an adept at lighting a cigar while going at a high speed. 3 MILE BICYCLE, OPEN. Cup, presented by E. W- Jones, Esq. 1 Godward, E. E. ... ... 225yds 2 Stewart, J, 330 ~ 3 Poole, W, ••• ••• 225 „ Time —Smins. 1 l-sth secs. R. McKenzie (scr.), P. Muir (scr.), A. Lyons, P. J- Shanks, and R. O. McKenzie also started. It soon became evident that the scratch men would never overtake the field, and until the last lap speculation ran high as to which of the three placed men would first cross the tape. Stewart, who was riding a roadster, had not the advantage in the final spurt that Godward and Poole, on their light racers, pc ssessed, but he made a splendid effort, and was not more than a length behind at the finish, with Poole close on his back wheel. ONE MILE ROADSTER RACE. Boys 15 and under. Prize, Silver Medal. 1 McKenzie 2 Cuthbertson There were nine competitors for this event, which had to be run in heats, all of which were very interesting and the final finish close and exciting. HALT-MILE COMBINATION RACE. Wine Stand, presented by E. J B. Yule, Esq. 1 Double, G. 70 yds 2 Murie, E. ... •■■ 60 „ W. Poole also competed. In this ra?e they had to walk half a lap then ride around bottles, making a zig-zag course, for the other half, and then ride straight to the. finish. The circumnavigation of the bottles required considerable skill, but looked very pretty. 2 MILE ROADSTER BICYCLE. E.P. Ale Jug, presented by Messrs Sargood, Son, and Ewen. 1 Ekensteen, Y., ... 190yds 2 Stewart, J., ... ... ... 220 „ 3 MeKenzie, E. C., ... ... 250 „ Time —smins. 15 4-sth secs. O. Bkensteen, (240 yards) also competed, but the scratch men were evidently over-rated, and right out of it, and did not start. The first and second men ran each very closely, and finished in very close company. If they were mounted on races they should be very hard to beat on the track. 5 MTT.E BIOYOLE (Open). Fruit Stand presented by A. P. Hawke, Esq. 1 Ekensteen, V., ••• ••• 350yds 2 Poole, W., 300 „ 3 Godward, E. E., ... ... 300 „ Time, ISmins. 58 secs.

'This was one of the besP races, and was closely watched throughout. 7 others started; Simson, Stewart, and Lyon (all of Gore), and Shanks rode well and showed better form than in the shorter races, and it was not until finishing the last lap that the placed men got away. The finish was close and exciting, and V. Ekensteen, who rode a 291 h roadster, was loudly applauded. HALF-MILE EGG & SPOON RACE. Trophy presented by Massey-Harris Go. 1 Ekensleerf, V., ... ... 50yds 2 Murie, E. ... ... 6u „ The other starter, G, Double, finished first, but had dropped the egg from the spoon (which was carried in the mouth) while coming up the straight. ONE MILE ROADSTER RACE. (Married Men only.) Ist prize Sack of Flour ; 2nd prize Bag of Oatmeal presented by Messrs Fleming and Gilkison. 1 Hawke, A. P., ... ... 440yds 2 Muir, T., ... ... ... 220 „ 3 Northcote, 0., ... 440 „ Other starters —R. W. Jones (scr) R. G. Spiers (110), A. H. Stock (220) T. Thompson, E. Morton (300). This was a splendid race, and each of the riders was loudly cheered as he passed along the straight, and the winners assisted off amidst great excitement, HALF-MILE CONSOLATION. Pair Dunlop Tyres by the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co, 1 J. Stewart 2 J. A. Simson Time, Imin. 13 l-sth secs. Six started.