CYCLING

Southland Times, Issue 21832, 8 October 1932, Page 9

CYCLING

(By ‘

“Plugger”)

INVERCARGILL AMATEUR CLUB. Fixtures. To-day.—lo-mile race to Kennington and return; final of Avon Cup series. October 15.—Wyndham-Invercargill road race, sealed handicap. 27 miles. October 29.—56-mile road race to Hedgehope through to Winton and back to town, Southland Championship. The race on October 29 will conclude the road season for the present year and the committee is leaving no stone unturned to make it a successful finale with a dance to follow in the evening. A gale was experienced in last week’s race and riders had to be very fit to last the race out. It was done in very fast time. The presence of Frame, Forde and Kirby, of Wyndham, and D. Moore, of Winton, brought the field up to 16 starters.

D. Moore rode into first place and was only beaten by Johnson for fastest time by 1 l-ssec. He made his first start a fortnight ago and improved on his form shown. He should go well in to-day’s race. M. Wilson was unfortunate in having a puncture at Kennington after riding a solid race. He had the race pretty well won, and was riding well for fastest time. Together with Moore and A. Jackson he jumped away from the field at Rakauhauka and dropped Jackson at Rostyn Bush. When Kennington was reached Moore was difficulties, but Wilson met with a puncture and Moore made up the leeway. These two had time honours well in hand, but over the last five miles they slowed up considerably and Moore rode in 50yds ahead of Wilson. A. Jackson, who rode exceptionally well, finished third about 20sec. later. The scratch men lost ground until they got the assistance of a back wind at Roslyn Bush and Johnson, who was riding a big-geared machine, clapped on the uace and with Bloy, soon caught and dropped the front-markers with the exception of Robinson, who rode very well and surprised the crowd which watched the finish by defeating Johnson in the sprint home. To-day the final race of the series will be held, a 10-mile race to Kennington and back. This will be about the hardest race of the series as the pace will be solid all the time and riders will get no spell whatever. The points for the Avon Cup are: A. Jackson 4, N. Shaw 3, M. Wilson 3, E. Summers 2, L. Johnson 2, W. Bailey 1, J. Robinson 1. It is very difficult to pick the winner of this race, but Johnson on scratch should be very hard as the limit is only Imin. 45sec. Entries for to-day’s race are smaller than usual. The chief reason for this is that riders who have not gained places or points for the Avon Cup, will not be starting as no other trophy will be given. Trophies go to the first four riders with most points for the three races.

Of the 16 starters last week only two failed to complete the course and they both threw in the sponge at Kennington on the way out. Some riders have the idea that if they are unplaced or do not finish they will be let up in future races, but they must first prove that they are giving their best in an endeavour to win a race. Next week the club will hold a race from Wyndham to town, under new conditions to riders down this way. The race will take the form of a sealed handicap. Riders will leave at Imin. intervals and will ride their own race at a pace to suit themselves. No lapping will be allowed and when a competitor catches another he must either ride to the side of him or pass him. The scratch men will leave first, and the others in flotation until the last limit man leaves. This will make the race harder and will avoid riders combining together during the race. Each rider will be timed when he finishes at Mary street, and his handicap will be deducted from his actual time. First and second trophies will be given by the club and a trophy for fastest time will be donated by the Wyndham Club. The race will start at Wyndham at 2.30 p.m. Riders from town will be going out by cars leaving at 1 p.m. Those who intend competing are requested to get in touch with the secretary immediately. Three weeks from to-day will see the close .of the road season with the 56-mile Southland championship This will be the biggest and longest cycling event to be held in Southland for many years, and great interest is being taken in it. It is doubtful if any northern riders will be down for this race as it is a little late and the track season has already commenced up north. However, keen competition is forthcoming from local boys’, as well as the country town riders. The track season is already beginning to attract attention and three meetings are being held this month. The first will be at Winton on Wednesday, the 19 th, and two or three events will probably be on the -togramme.

The City Cycling Club (professional) is holding an afternoon meeting at Rugby Park on Saturday, the 22nd, and is including two events, 1 mile and 1J miles, for amateurs.

The Otautau Athletic Society holds its annual sports on Labour Day and two cycle events are on the programme for amateur riders.

Last Sunday a club run was to have been held round the 56 mile block, but the weather conditions did not look promising and the six riders who turned up, decided to call it off. This run will be held to-morrow and it is hoped that the response will be better. Any riders, not necessarily members, are invited to make the trip, as it will be a good day’s outing and the pace will not be fast. The riders will leave Mary street at 10.30 a.m.

After leaving his co-markers at Hinds, A. E. (Dad) Porter (on 90min.) who has just celebrated his 52nd birthday, rode practically half the journey on his own and created a surprise by riding into Addington Showgrounds five minutes before a bunch of a dozen riders, to win the Waimate-Christ-church road race in 7hrs 26min 15sec, last Saturday. At the end of this sensational performance for a man of his age, he said he felt none the worse for his ride, but owed his success to the solid pace set up by his co-markers over the early stages of the race. They started off at a furious pace of 30 miles an hour and gradually petered out and were not doing 15 miles an hour when Porter left them and kept a steady pace for the last 70 miles.

Second place went to L. Thomas, a mere boy of 16 years, the youngest rider in the race. He put up a wonderful performance and finished strongly to beat A. Brown, of Dunedin, by half a wheel. Brown is the rider who met with a puncture in the Riverton-Inver-cargill race a month ago, but changed his wheel and rode into fourth place. W. J. Lamberton qualified for fastest time, defeating H. G. Watson by a length with H. J. Crofts a few yards back. Watson entered a protest against Lamberton for boring in the straight and he was successful, being awarded fastest time, which was 6hrs 46min 58 1-5 sec.

The following is an., account of the sprint between the scratch men copied from the Christchurch Sun. “As he rode on to the grass track Lamberton swerved out. On the bend leading into the straight he left the pole line and Watson tried to come through on the inside. Lamberton cut down on the pole line again and beat Watson home. Watson rode past the post with his arm

upraised as a signal that he was entering a protest. The sprint between these two men was marked with a demonstration of hooting and cheering from the large crowd which gathered on tiie grounds.”