RUNNING IT OFF

Southland Times, Issue 20014, 30 October 1926, Page 9

RUNNING IT OFF

A GALA STREET GALLOP. WELL-KNOWN CYCLIST DEFEATED. Last evening a paddock in Gaia street was the scene of a couple of stirring races by two athletes who will never see fifty again. One of these was he who, covered with mud and glory, rode into Christchurch a few weeks ago, the last, loneliest and loveliest of participants in the Umaru— Christchurch road race. Full of years and honour, he was Invercargill’s sole representative in the classic cycle contest, and how he upheld the southernmost city’s prestige is now a matter of history, known to every schoolboy and knight of the road. The other contestant was more or less a dark horse, and tried to camouflage his prowess by looking as green as possible. To effect this he donned running togs of emerald hue and wore on his panting breast a huge shamrock. Conditions of the race had been properly drawn up. The distance was fixed for 220 yards, the ex-cyclist was to give his opponent 20 yards start, and the winner was to collect a sovereign. At seven o’clock the pistol went and the green-clad figure maintained the lead from the scratch man, who had unwisely deemed it unnecessary to shed his ordinary garments for the lighter togs of a sprinter. When the tape was reached the scratch man was still going strong in the rear. It was then agreed to have another race, both from scratch. Despite a flying start the well-known musician-cyclist could not win, and the stakes were handed over to the winner at a social gathering in one of the hotels in the town. As in Christchurch, the loser was not left to go empty-handed, and even if the second “divvy” wasn’t, as substantial as the first, it was like money from home to the hero of many contests.