PILLION TRIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18821, 9 March 1931, Page 5

PILLION TRIAL.

MOTOR CYCLE CLUB COMPETITION. K. VINCENT GAINS FIRST PLACE. The pillion trial of the South Canterbury Motor Cycle Club was held yesterday over a course 22£ miles in length. Twenty-one riders faced the starter out of an entry of twenty-two. The route, which consisted of a mixture of grass and gravel roads, was ideal for the purpose, the competitors being set a task that called for undivided attention and close cooperation between rider and passenger. The competitors were required to average a speed of twenty miles per hour over the entire route without the aid of their speedometers, which were sealed before the start. Secret time checks were instituted and certain sections were observed by the officials and marks deducted for footing or complete failure to negotiate that particular piece From the start at Sharpe’s corner, on the Kakhu road, the* first part of the journey led through the Hilton district to a difficult hill thickly covered with shingle, and stiffened by the addition of a hair-pin bend which was an observed portion. Of the twenty-one riders, only three were successful in making a perfectly clean climb without once footing, competitors were, J. Howden (Ariel), K. Vincent .A.J.S.), and F. Keen (8.5. A.). The remainder of the riders, footed, foundered, or skidded round the hair-pin or just simply fell down with the machine on top of them. Next the riders were treated to several miles of metal road over which they had 'the opportunity of making up any time lost. The next obstacle was a secret check and observed watersplash combined, the majority of competitors finding this fairly easy after the shingle hill. The route then traversed a further stretch of metalled road until a sharp left-hand turn was taken on to a greasy, rutted grass track. This wended its way for several miles over the hills behind Hilton, until the riders were finally deposited on the main Gapes Valley-Fairlie highway, and from there an easy run was made down to Speechly’s Bridge. Turning left up the Te Mona road, the riders took the first right-hand turn, which brought them to the Te Mona river. The crossing of this stream was the hardest portion of the whole trial, due not so much to the depth of water, as to the presence of large and slippery boulders in mid-stream. Not one rider succeeded in making a feet-up crossing. The competitors now debouched on to the Pleasant Valley road and a short distance up a turn to the right was made on to a clay and grass cutting .which gave several of the riders a minute’s thought as they skidded first from one side to the other. Down the farther side another right-hand turn was taken up a steep, bumpy, grass incline, and a grass road was followed until the main GeraldineHilton road was reached. The finishing point was then only a short distance away at the five cross roads in the main north highway. Highest marks were gained by K. Vincent (A.J.S.), who had R. Ashwell as his passenger. The total number of marks for the trial was 500. and Vincent scored 475. Second place was taken by J. Howden (Ariel), with 465, and third place by F. Keen (8.5. A.) with 460. At the conclusion of the trial an adjournment was made for lunch, the full results being announced to the competitors during this interval. The officials controlling the trial were:—Messrs R. S. Thompson, N. Brehaut. T. McPherson, E. Rillstone, R. E. Smith and F. Triggs. The following are the official results: K. Vincent (A.J.S.) 475 pts., ... 1 J. Howden (Ariel) 465 pts 2 F. Keen (8.5. A.) 460 pts 3 C. Ireland (Harley) and T. Stoddart (A.J.S.) 450 (equal) ... 4 R. Lawn (New Hudson) and N. E. Preddy (Matchless) 445, (equal) 5 A. H. Morton (8.5. A.) 435, 6 L. Blunden (A.J.S.) 430 7 J. B Rogers (8.5. A.) and T. King (S’beam) 425 (equal) 8 N. J. Young (Harley) 420 9 J. C. Thompson (8.5. A.) 415, 10 C. Moore (Panther) 410 11 J. C. Boys (Matchless) 275, 12