EXCITING SPORT

Southland Times, Issue 21605, 18 January 1932, Page 3

EXCITING SPORT

MOTOR CYCLE RACES CROWD AT ORETI BEACH. As a means of providing thrills the motor cycle races held periodically by the Southland Motor Cycle Club have not abated in popularity and this was borne out on Saturday, when a large crowd was present at Oreti Beach for the second beach meeting of the season. The weather during the afternoon was perfect and this was no doubt in a measure responsible for the large attendance. Exciting sport and keen finishes were witnessed and the efforts of the riders met with appreciation. The sum of £4O was taken at the gate. The most successful riders of the afternoon were H. P. Bailey and G. J. Winton, who won three each of the six events. Bailey won the four miles open handicap, the two miles open scratch race and the six miles open championship, while Winton was victorious in the four miles 350 c.c. championship, six miles open handicap and ten miles open handicap. Other riders who met with success were W. J. Tattersfield and J. McPherson. Bailey w.on £8 8/- in prize money, while Winton annexed £9 9/-.

Good racing was witnessed in all the events, but the outstanding feature of the afternoon was the finish in the last event, the ten miles open handicap. Tattersfield took the lead early and retained it, till near the finish when he was challenged by Winton. In the run home they raced neck and neck and it was only a few yards from the post that Winton managed to draw ahead to win by half-a-wheel. For this event Bailey was rehandicappcd and he was too far back to gain a place among the fast few competitors. W. A. Cameron was present with his 996 0.E.C., J.A.P., which is reputed to have a speed of 124 miles an hour, but mechanical trouble debarred him from taking part to advantage. For the expeditious manner in which the events were got off the officials of the clubs are deserving of credit; the meeting was over by four o'clock. The officials responsible for the meeting were as follows: Secretary, Mr M. M. Maedonald; starter and timekeeper, Mr A. Hobbs; handicapper, Mr L. A. Tattersfield; lap-scorers, Messrs J. M. Bart, S. G. Dunne, R. Aitken and J. F. Dundas; stewards, Messrs E. Checketts and R. H. Woodfield. The detailed results of the various events are as follows:— FOUR MILES OPEN HANDICAP, two laps. First. prize £2 2/-, second £1 1/-. Thirteen starters. H. P. Bailey, 490 o.h.c. Norton (Bsec.) 1 R. H. Dixon, 498 o.h.c. A.J.S. (Ssec.) 2 G. J. Winton, 349 o.h.c. Velocette (Bsec.) 3 During the race the competitors kept close together all the way. The winner kept a favourable position all the time. The finish was exciting, all the riders being bunched. Actual time of winner, 3min. 41 2-ssec. FOUR MILES 350 c.c. CHAMPIONSHIP, ’two laps. First prize £2 2/-, second £1 1/-. Five starters. G. J. Winton, 349 o.h.c. Velocette 1 W. J. Tattersfield, 349 o.h.c. Velocette 2 S. G. Sutherland, 346 Sunbeam 3 Winton took command early and at the end of the first lap he was still in the lead. His lead was not very great, but he retained it without a great deal of trouble. He passed the finishing post two seconds ahead of Tattersfield, who in turn was nine seconds ahead of Sutherland. Actual time of winner, 3min. 57sec. . TWO MILES OPEN SCRATCH RACE, one lap. First prize £2 2/-, second £1 1/-. Nine starters.

H. P. Bailey, 490 o.h.c. Norton 1 H. J. Munro, 596 s.v. Indian 2 J. McPherson, 998 s.v. Indian 3

The race was a stirring one in the early stages. Bailey, after a good start, assumed the lead and he did not appear to have any difficulty in winning. The second and third placed competitors were close behind him while the others were bunched a little further back. Actual time of winner, Imin. 45 3-ssec. SIX MILES OPEN HANDICAP, three laps. First prize £3 3/-, second £1 1/-. Thirteen entries. G. J. Winton, 349 o.h.c. Velocette (15sec.) 1 W. J. Tatfersfield, 349 o.h.c. Velocette (24sec.) 2 J. Hayes, Otago, 496 Cotton-J.A.P. (9sec.) 3 At the end of the first lap A. H. Currie was in the lead, closely followed by S. Stephenson (Gore) and A. G. Sutherland. J. Hayes missed at the turn and lost time and J. McPherson also fell back. Winton was leading when the second lap was entered followed by Tattersfield, H. J. Munro, W. Ritchie and A. 11. Currie. In the final run home Hayes crept into third place in a finish with good distances separating the placed competitors. Actual time of winner, smin. 41 2-ssec. SIX MILES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, three laps. First prize £4 4/-, second £2 2/-, third £1 1/-. Six starters. 11. P. Bailey, 490 o.h.c. Norton 1 J. McPherson, 998 s.v. Indian 2 G. J. Winton, 349 o.h.c. Velocette 3 Just after the commencement of the race W. A. Cameron, who had burnt out the clutch and lost the .screw on the crankcase of his 996 0.E.C.-J.A.P., was forced to withdraw. Bailey was in (he lead at the end of the first lap, closely followed by McPherson, H. J. Munro, Winton and J. Hayes. At the next turning Bailey still kept in front, McPherson was still second, while Winton had moved into third place. When the competitors were on the next run the sea came right up to the finishing post, which had to be hurriedly shifted. Several of the riders had difficulty in turning on the wet sand. Bailey and McPherson fought out the finish in a thrilling manner, the former winning narrowly, while Winton was a good way behind in third place. Actual time of winner, sinin. 30sec. TEN MILES OPEN HANDICAP, five laps. First prize £3 3/-, second £2 2/-, third £1 1/-. Eleven starters. G. J. Winton, 349 o.h.c. Velocette (lOsce.) 1 W. J. Tattersfield, 349 o.h.c. Velocette (40sec.) 2 J. McPherson, 998 s.v. Indian (lOsec.) 3 H. W. Henderson (Gore) took the lead after a short distance had been covered and he was in command at the end of the first lap. A. H. Currie and L. Tinnock (Gore) followed in that order, while the rest of the competitors were closely bunched. At the end of the next lap Henderson had increased his lead, but shortly afterwards he was overhauled by Tinnock and dropped back. Tattersfield was close behind Tinnock with Currie next followed by Winton, H. J. Munro and McPherson in a bunch. Entering the next lap Tattersfield had assumed the lead with Winton and Henderson, who had moved up, close behind. Tattersfield still retained his lead entering the next lap, but it was evident he was going to receive a serious challenge from Winton. McPherson had moved into third place while Henderson was fourth. At this stage Tinnock withdrew. In a fast run home Tattersfield and Winton fought it out and in the most exciting finish of the day Winton drew ahead to win by half-a-wheel with McPherson a good distance back third. Actual time of winner, 9min. 48sec.