MOTOR-CYCLING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 166, 4 October 1927, Page 7

MOTOR-CYCLING

NEWS AND NOTES SPORTS MOTOR-CYCLE CLUB Quite a large crowd of interested motorists and club members assembled at Ht?nderson on Sunday to witness the club’s cross-country steeplechase. The course consisted of four laps of a track through scrub and bush in the shape of a huge figure eight, approximately two miles round. Spectators took up various vantage points round the course, a popular position being near the start, where competitors had to descend into a deep gully and had much trouble getting up the opposite slope. The severity of the course soon told on the riders of the heavier machines, who were compelled to give up early in the race from sheer exhaustion. The trouble experienced by most riders at the lower end of the course, where the track was muddy, was the absence 'of wheel grip, the result being that these machines had to be pushed. N. Person (Indian Prince), the winner, gave a tine display of riding ability and turned up at the finish smiling and comparatively fresh, averring that he had enjoyed himself. He is credited with a lap time of seven minutes. Unfortunately no official lap times were taken. K. McLaren (Harley Davidson), the second man, handled his machine well and gained two minutes in the second lap, catching his brother, A. McLaren (0.E.C.), and staging a “battle royal” for nearly three laps by riding only a few yards apart until the finish. Mr. Champtaloup complimented the winners, saying that although they had ridden for sport they would also gain a great deal of information from a trial of this nature. Miss Ellen Ford then presented the winner with a silver cup, the placed men being heartily cheered by the crowd. The machines ranged from 3i h.p. to U h.p. Several did not finish the course. There were only two American machines entered, and all the winning engines were 23 h.p. Following are particulars of placed men: —- N. Person (Indian), 32min oOsec. K. McLaren (Harley), 36min 45sec. A. McLaren (0.E.C.), 38min losec. K. Yates (Rex Acme), 41min 55sec. The club will hold a Sunday run to Beachlands on October 9, leaving Harp of Erin at 10 a.m. The monthly meeting of the club will be held at 7.30 p.m. this evening in the Chamber of Commerce. It is understood that owing to pressure of time the motor trade delegation mounted on O.E.C. machines have had to cut out their projected tour of New Zealand, and go right on to America.