THE INTERNATIONAL RACE MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5485, 10 February 1896, Page 1

THE INTERNATIONAL RACE MEETING.

Referee, Mr E. C. Bishop ; judges, Messrs H. Fleming, H. J. Baker and J. S. Kemp ; stewards, Messrs A. C. Duff, G. Bone and F. Taylor; clerk of the course, MrF.T. Pannell ; starter, Mr W. G-. Williams ; nonstarters' board, Mr F. M. Lisle; telegraph board, Messrs W. Wade, J. TV. Johnstone and H. Cooper; lap-scorers, Messrs C. Pannell, G. R. Rowe and H. Rossiterj timekeepers, Messrs G. Jones, T. Boyd and E. Clarkson; honorary treasurer, Mr F. T. Pannell; honorary secretary, Mr J. H. Tompkins. . ' The first day's racing of the international cycling race meeting, promoted by the Christchurch Cycling; Club, was held at Lancaster Park on Saturday afternoon. The weather was very fine, and ' public interest in the meeting was stimulated by the presence of Messrs Ai W. Harris, champion of England, W. Martin, champion of America, and H. J. Pither, the New Zealander, who has already gained a high reputation in Australia. The attendance was large, over 3000 people being present,. The Premier arrived on the ground just before the start of the New Zealand Wheel Race. He was welcomed by Mr R. C. Bishop, president of the club, and was accorded three hearty cheers by the cyclists. The Premier, in thanking the cyclists for the welcome accorded him, called for cheers for the representatives from England, America and Australia, which were heartily given. The honours of the first day's racing were carried off by H. J. Pither, who won the Five-mile Scratch Test Race, W. Martin, who .won %s'Halftnile Handicap and the One-mile Handicap, bothrfrom scratch, and P. Dunn/,'winner of bhe New Zealand Wheel Ea&e and Twomile. Handicap.^ Pithe/s "performance in bhe Test Race jwas a really excellent one, ajn old New Zealander who first learned to ride a bicycle in- Canterbury, his win was very popular. He won the event by fully ten yards from Martin and Harris, and as he also finished in front of some of the best riders in New Zealand, his performance entitles "hivy to be considered one of the best riders ever seen on a track in Australasia. In the second heat of the i Half-mile Handicap, Pither again succeeded in beating the American champion in the fastest time— lmin 1 6f seo — yet recorded in New Zealand. Pither did not start in the final heat, in which, however, the- American rode splendidly, and just gained first place by four feet from the burly Maori —H, W. TJru. In the One-mile Handicap, Martin achieved another remarkable performance, winning from scratch by ten yards, in the exceedingly good time of 2min 21|sec. The New Zealand Wheel Race furnished a capital contest' between the limit men, but had the scratch division made. the pace fast from the crack of the pistol it is quite possible one of them would have won. P. Dunn, the winner, is a young rider of great promise. He beat all the handicap riders very easily, and in the Five-mile Test Race won Messrs T. Boyd and Son's special prize for the best pacing. Harris, the English champion, got third place in the Test Race, but 'was not. at his best, and better performances may be expected from him on Thursday. The three New Zealand representatives (A. R. Barker, T. Clarkson and J. Boyd) performed very creditably against such redoubtable opponents. .Barker was the best of the three, and his second to Martin in the One-mile Handicap was a splendid peformance. Of the other visitors, A. Dey, of Dunedin, who got second in the Wheel Race and Two-mile Handicap and third in the One-mile Handicap, showed the best form. J. T. Andrews (Ashburton) and R. Hunt (Rangitikei) also rode well, but without much success. The sports were well-managed, and the events were got off very punctually.

The following are details of the various events: — One-mile Novice Eace (scratch) ; first prize 5 soys, second 2 soys, third 1 soy— H. Gee (Christchurch) 1, G. Porter (Dunedin) 2, E. J. Shaw (Christchurch) 3. J. Johnstone (Christchurch), C. Markmann (Christchurch), T. E. Hall (Christchurch) and J. Tompkins (Christchurch) also Btarted. Gee went to the front .before the first quarter had been completed, and drawing away from the others in the hist half-mile, won easily by about forty yards. Porter was ,fif ty yards in front of Shaw. Time — 2min43f-sec. Half-mile Open Handicap; first prize 4 soys, second 2 soys, third 1 sov — First heat •S. Cleaver (Ashburton) 95yds, 1 ; H. W. Uru (Christchurch) 65yds, 2j F. N. Chancy (Christchurch) 45yds, 3. A. W. Harris (England) scr, J. Boyd (Christchurch) scr, T. Clarkson (Christchurch) scr, A. J. O'Neil (Christchurch) 61yds and E. G. Land (Christchurch) 65yds also started. Cleaver was never headed, and won by three yards ; fifteen yards separated second and third. Harris, who mistook the winninc post, was fourth, two yards in front of Clarkson. Boyd was outpaced. Time — lmin 7fsec. Second heat: H. J. Pither (Australia) scr, 1 ; "W. Martin (America) scr, 2; R. C. Ledez (Auckland) 65yds, 3; P. Dunn (Christchurch) 45yds, A. J. Thome (Dunsandel) 50yds, A. Dey (Dunedin) 65yds and A. E. Hobbs (Manawatu) 65yds also started. Pither and Martin passed the limit men along the southern stretch, a hundred and twenty yards from home, and a splendid race resulted in Pither gaining first place by ten yards, Martin four yards in front of Ledez. Time —lmin 6|sec— a New Zealand record. Final : W. Martin (America) scr, 1 ; H. "W. Uru (Christchurch) 6oyds, 2 ; S. Cleaver (Ashburton) 95yds, 3. F. N. Chancy (Christchurch) 45yds and E. C. Ledez (Auckland) 70yds also started. Martin passed Uru and Cleaver ten yards from the tape and won by a few feet, half-a-wheel separating second and third Time — lmin B|sec. Two-mile Bicycle Handicap (second class) ; first prize 4 soys, second 2 soys, third 1 soy— P. Dunn (Christchurch) scr, 1; A. Dey (Dunedin) 55yds, 2; .F. N. Chancy (Christchurch) scr, 3. F. Hunt (Eangitikei) scr, A. J. Thome (Dunsandel) 20yds, A. J. O'Neil (Christchurch) 35yds, E. G. Land (Christchurch) 55yds, E. C Ledez (Auckland) 65yds, G. H. Lethaby (Christchurch) 75yds, H. Gee (Christchurch) 130 yds and G. A. Sutherland (Christchurch) 150 yds also started. Hunt punctured one of his tyres passing the stand the second time and retired. Dunn took tho lead before half the distance had been covered and won very easily by twenty yards ; half a wheel separated second and third ; Lethaby was close up foiu-th. Time — sininߣsec.

Five-mile Scratch Test Race ; first prize 10 soys, second 3 soys, third 1 soy. H J Pither (Australia) 1, W. Martin (America) 2, A. W. Harris, (England), 3. J. Boyd (Christchurch), T. Clarksoh (Christchurch) A. R. Barker (Christchurch), E. A. Hobbs (Manawafcu), P. Dunn (Christchurch) and F. N. Chancy (Christchurch) also started | Dunn at once went to the front, followed l - by Chancy, Boyd and Barker, but before half a mile had been covered Chancy rea tired and Hobbs began to tail off. None j showed any inclination to make the pace at the end of three miles, but entering the next lap Martin went ahead and put a ■>• little life into the race for nearly half a .. mile. As the last half-mile was approached \ Dunn again sprinted ahead and took the " Clarkson, Harris, Pither Boyd and Barker '• followed in the order named, but entering j the last lap Martin shot in front, and - quickly depriving Dunn of the lead, went past the grand stand four lengths in front of Clarkson, with Dunn, Pither, Harris Boyd and Barker following in the order named. The pace now became very fast. Clarkson took the lead at the quarter-mile post, with Martin, Pither and Harris in purj suit Pithergothiswheelinfrontthreehun- • dred yards from home, and Martin, Harris and Barker took second, third and fourth ' positions, respectively, a few yards farther on. Pither, Harris, Barker and Martin were close together along the southern stretoh, but the first-named held his advantage and won after an exciting finish by a wheeL from Martin, who passed Harris and Barker in the straight; a similar distance separated second and third.. Barker was five yards farther away fourth, Boyd fifth. , The others did not finish. Time — 13min 15sec. Two-mile New Zealand Wheel Race Handicap ; first prize 20 soys second 6 soys, third 2 soys— P. Dunn (Christchurch) 110 yds, 1; A. Dey (Donedin) 165 yds, 2; J. T. Andrews (Ashburton) 210 yds, 3. A. W. Harris (England) scr, W.Martin (America) scr, H. J. Pither (Australia) scr, J. Boyd (Christchurch) scr, T. Clarkson (Christchurch) ecr, A. R. Barker (Christchurch) scr, F. N. Chancy (Christchurch) 110 yds, F. Hunt (Rangitikei) 110 yds, A. J. Thome (Duhsandel) 110 yds, A. J. O'Neil (Christchurch) 145 yds, E. G. Land (Christchurch) 165 yds, R. C. Ledez (Auckland) 190 yds, H. W Uru (Christchurch) 190 yds and G. Henwood (Christchurch) -250 yds also started. The scratch men made up very little ground in the first mile, and allowed the riders in front of. them to practically decide the result of . the race. Henwood made the pace for a mile, when he was passed by Andrews, Dunn, Dey and Hunt. Before the next half-mile had been covered Dunn had ridden into first place, Hunt, Andrews, Dey and Henwood following dose together^ in the order named. At this stag^ the scratch men, with the exception of Boyd, who missed his pedal at the start and' retired, were about eighty yards behind the leaders. Dunn was first into I the straight approaching the final circuit, but was passed by Andrews two hundred and fifty yards from home. Dunn, however, came very fast in the straight, and passed Andrews in the last thirty yards, winning by ten yards ; fifteen yards separated second and -third. Hunt was close up fourth, Barker fifth, Henwood sixth, Harris seventh and Pither eighth. Time — 4min 56sec. pne-mile Bicycle Handicap (boys) ; first prize 2 soys, second 1 soy, third 10a— V Ritchie 90yds, 1; H. Ritchie 110 yds, 2; Fleck 7oyds, 3. W. Clarkson scr, Jacobsen TOyds and M'Cormack 210 yds also started. Won by ten yards ; thirty yards between second and third. Time — 2min 44sec. One-mile Bicycle Handicap (open) ; first prize 5 soys, second 2 soys, third 1 sov — W. Martin (America) scr, 1; A. R. Barker (Christchurch) scr, 2; A. Dey (Dunedin) 100 yds, 3. A. W. Harris (England) scr, A. J. Thome .(Dunsandel) 75yds, A. J O'Neil (Christchurch) 85yds, E; G. Land (Christchurch) 100 yds, A. E. Hobbs (Manawatu) 100 yds, H. W. TJru (Christchurch) 100 yds, J. T. Andrews (Ashburton) 120 yds and G. Henwood (Christchurch) 140 yds also started. The limit men made the pice fast from the start. Henwood led for half a mile, -when he was passed by Uru Andrews.- and Hobbs, the scratch men being about eighty yards behind the leaders. Entering the last lap, Dey shot to the front, but Martin, who had been riding splendidly, passed him a furlong from home. Barker then challenged the American, and passed him in the last one hundred yards. He was unable, however, to sustain the pace,_ and half-way down the straight, Martin, by a splendid effort, again took first place, and won by eight yards ; Barker was fifteen yards front of Dey. Time 2min2lisec. At the conclusion of the sports, H. J. Pither made an attempt to lower J. W. Jones's New Zealand record of 4min 46§ sec for two miles. He was .paced on' a tandem by F. N. Chancy and A. J. O'Neil, and by J. Boyd on a safety, but failed to beat the record by £sec.