CYCLING

Southland Times, Issue 23308, 18 September 1937, Page 20

CYCLING

FIFTY MILE RACE TODAY

(By

PEDALLER)

Today.—so-mile race Otago Championship, via Rimu, Seaward Downs and Edendale. September 25.—66 mile race, via Hedgehope and Mataura. October 2.-63 mile race, South Island championship, at Dunedin. October 16.—100-mile race, Round the Gorges, at Christchurch.

The race last week drew an excellent field and the course as usual was a very hard one. " Some of the riders in their keenness to catch the leaders marred the race and their own chances as the bunches were broken up far too early in the race. K. Jones successfully defended his title and rode a very solid race. Last year he rode off the seven-minute mark to gain fastest time, but this year he pedalled from scratch. C. Robinson used great judgment over the course and his victory was a very popular one. His performances over the past two seasons have not been very impressive, but his recent decision to train more seriously produced results last week. Harold Patton, who gained second place, started with Robinson and this pair with Muir and Blackbum, gave a good display of teamwork. Patton won the Tour de Southland two years ago, but little success has come his way since. Alan Calder in gaining third place was the biggest surprise of the day. He worked well with A. Drury for about 20 miles, of the course and eventually dropped him to complete on his own. If Calder is nearing the form he produced last season he will be a hard man to head off in the big race J. Humphries gave a good display of steady solo riding. He elected to let the men go who were in his estimation making the pace too fast for the distance and his action proved correct when he passed all of them before the race ended. . A. Drury started off in good style and set a fast pace to Hedgehope, where he had gained on the scratch men, but he could not stay the distance.

B. Muir and R. Blackbum were unfortunate in having spills as each happened when they were in Patton and Robinson’s company and going well together. Muir’s fall cost him the junior championship as McConnell’s time was only nine seconds faster. . For the first time in the history of the Invercargill Club an Otago championship has been allotted to it and with 46 entries a great race is assured. The course is a circular one through Rimu, Seaward Downs, Edendale and return by way of the main road. As usual the race will start on Tay street near Lindisfarne road. The first man home is expected about 5 o’clock. Thirteen entries have been received from the Dunedin Club, of which seven are juniors and will be competing for the junior championship.