PROFESSIONAL CYCLING

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1932, Page 4

PROFESSIONAL CYCLING

TARANAKI ACTIVITIES REVIEWED

PROMINENT RIDERS’ ACCIDENTS.

(By ‘-Wheel” for the News.) T) Coleman, Eltham, a racing Relist well known to New Plymouth cnthusiqcts had an accident through a tall from his bicycle last week, which neeee-x-it-ited his staying in hospital a few days The accident occurred through a luisadjustment to his handles. He is recovering well. Coleman has had success on the°track in the past two seasons, but he is now riding from au awkward handicap murk, being next to scratch. He has not been too well treated by the handicappers lately, and it would be pleasing to see him -‘let out” a little more in the handicaps, as a win for him would not be out of turn. The sprint races to have been run by the New Plymouth League Cycle Club at Avenue Road on Saturday were postponed owing to the Inglewood sports. The club’s races will be run to-morrow at Avenue Road. A and B grade handicaps will be run over i and -J miles. It is possible A. C. Ritchie (Christchurch) and C. Parker will be competitors.

The New Plymouth Club’s annual meeting will be held early in May, and then tne season’s activities will be arranged. It is possible that messenger boys’ races will be arranged for lads under 14 years of age, with roadster cycles only. The Auckland professional cycle club’s road season opened last Saturday with a IG-mile road race. Jack Cooney, Waitara, was handicapped on Imin., with W. Pratney, J. Whitton, S. Hayes, S. Litchfield on scratch, and a 9m hi. limit. Cooney did not face the starter and the race resulted: IL Watson,' imin., Ij M. ! Hibburt, 4min., 2; H. Clay, 2Amin., 3; K. Mathieson, Imin., 4. Mathicson made fastest time, 46min. 19sec. The Inglewood sports on Saturday resulted in a triumph for C. Parker, the Taranaki cyclist, who won three races and gained one second in four starts. Parker certainly showed to better advantage on the day than did the New Zealand champion A. Ritchie. Parker is probably riding better than ever and should be in great trim for Taranaki’s final sports meetings this month. There was one Inglewood cyclist at the Inglewood sports who could have done better for himself by working a little harder. Referees could exercise their powers a. lot more than has been done in the past, both in cycling, and running, and the sooner the better for the game. The Waitara Cycle and Athletic Club is holding its second sports meeting at the end of this month. The cycling events, half, two and three miles handicaps, are worth over £2O in cash. C. Parker has influenza and probably will not be a competitor for a week or two.

Roy Sole had a spill while contesting one of the cycle races at the recent Midhirst sports, which kept him off the geene for a short while. He is well again.

NEW PLYMOUTH SPRINT RACES.

HANDICAPS FOR TO-MORROW.

The following handicaps have been declared by the New Plymouth League Cycle Club handicapper (Mr. L. E. Smith) for to-morrow’s races to be held at Avenue Road at 2.30 p.m. The races are the second afternoon of a series of three and will be run in heats, to be arranged on the day. A o-rade quarter and half-mile events: R. Dt Sole 15yds and 40yds, T. Hookham 20 and 50, W. Lowe 30 and 60, G. Sole 25 and 60, H. Eva 30 and 60, E. Gilbert 35 and 60, 9. Rodgers 40 and 80, J. AVigg 40 and SO, G. Tuffery 35 and 70.

B grade, quarter and half-mile events: L. Lander and H. Toms scr and scr, B. Berryman syds and 10yds, C. Fox 10 and 15, W. Jury 20 and 40, W. Martin 30 and 50, L- Pelham 40 and 60, N. Knight 50 and 100, D- Stafford 60 and 120, —• Reeves 40 and 60,

The points so far for the series are:— A grade: G. Sole 4, R. R. Sole 3, S. Rodgers 3, W. Lowe 2. B grade: N. Knight 5, D. Stafford 3, W. Martin 2, Berryman 1, Toms 1. Season’s aggregate: Lowe 23, Martin 20, Wigg 16.