Important Cycle Race Today

Southland Times, Issue 23930, 23 September 1939, Page 16

Important Cycle Race Today

By

TYRE

Local riders have all been in strenuous training for the important South Island 50-mile championship today. As outside support for the race is quite good considering the present situation, the club has decided to adhere to the original programme. The prize money will total £3B.

The entries total 34. Nine of these are from Dunedin and four from the Papanui Club, Christchurch. There will be a bunch of eight riders on scratch and A. Drury, the local scratch man, will have a hard task to gain the honour. The course is to Edendale via Rimu and Seaward Downs and return on the main road, starting and finishing in Tay street at Lindisfarne road. The race held locally last week was for riders not making the trip to Dunedin. A small field made quite an interesting race. The course was the 25-mile Woodlands-Rakauhauka and return. H. Mitchell, a newcomer to the ranks, and having his second ride, teamed with N. Liddell and, at the finish, won comfortably by 20 yards. L. Johnson secured third place and fastest time. Southland riders were not prominent in the Otago 50-mile championship last Saturday. The course which was three times around a block with an extra two-mile block in the last round, was not efficiently flagged. On unfamiliar ground and with many misleading side roads to contend with, practically all the Southland riders went astray at some part of the race. The race was held at Mosgiel, little public interest was taken and no official cars followed the race to pick up casualties. K. Jones and O. Drury riding off Ig minutes took the wrong direction at the first turn and by the time they realized their mistake and headed in the right direction the scratch men had caught up. K. Jones rode throughout the race with the scratch men, but was dropped a few miles from home. He registered third fastest time. H. Hubber rode a steady race, being in the second bunch to finish. The more experienced riders made him lead over the last mile and when it came to the sprint for the finish he had nothing in reserve. H. Patton and N. Hazelmore both split the front rims of their cycles and T. Waddick lost a cotter pin. J. McKenzie, when going extremely well with the front bunch, was tipped off when a rider swung across in front of him.

M. Burgess completed the' list of misfortunes with a puncture. The first three riders to finish were all Dunedin front markers and on the day they did not look like being caught at any stage. Some doubt as to the placings existed in the minds of the officials and the decision given after the race was altered at the social evening and the final result was, McDonald 1, Ross 2, Webb 3.