CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16903, 30 November 1922, Page 3

CYCLING

ON TRACK AND ROAD I m

, 3 By

“Wheel”

FIXTURES. November 30—Oboka- Road. Race. December 2 .Doyloston Road .Race. Deceinl.ier d— I'aparuu Cycling Cl-übN Hoad Race. December 9- Waihora Sjiorts, .Hotnka ra ra Decani Iter lb —(.'-list- Sports. December 26—Oxford Sports. December 20!—--Dartield Sports December 2d- Papa mi and Ha rewood Sports. Tlie Marslilnml-Muirebaii Cycling < lub held a thirteen luiio road ra«*;; on Thursday last, the block that has ixron the scene -of most or ihe races held by this qlub a gain coming into use. Although ot her courses have been tried tins one seems to be ihe most 7>«»puJn.r. ay it enables a large number of spectators to witness the race at an important stage of the journey. The event attracted thiriy-tivo stariors a.tid a large attemiaucc of the public, who caused trouble at. the finish by encroaching upon the course unci crowding the riders. The- method adopted by the country clubs in roping off tho road should be> adopted by this club. The limit.. 3£ minutes, proved too much for the scratch men, it ho. however, finished close up. At ih-.- cud of the first lap the race resolved itself into three large bunches with only a limited number making the pace, others sitting back waiting for the sprint. Tie finish was ver> exciting, a bunch of seventeen < r eighteen riders beinsr together three hundred yards from the finishing mark *fack Welsh, who took the lead abouthalf a- mile from the tape, finished strongly, beating A. Maria by half .*. length. L. T. Hazeldinc a length av.av third. Jack Welsh, the winner, wc-U de serves his success. He starts in ever/ race in the town and country anil tha handicappers have only just realise-*, that- he is a trier and only needed y little more start to be about at the finish. He- rode a good race and to win a sprint out ot about twentx riders was a worthy effort. ) hop.' f, Jack** will not pay dearly foi his xv i n. A. Marra, who finished second, is n brother of “ Eddie ” Marra and i° shaping well. He secured a secon.. place in a derby ’ace last season, and on Ins present showing he will make a rider of some standing. lie sprinted well at the finish and kept J. Welsh busy to beat him. Jj. T. Hazeldine started off the tw i minute mark, having taken a long time to catch tho handicapper's eye. His

capable of ca-rr.viug on Sv liimseli. ati 1 was caught again. It is a long time ' since Wilbrohairt v/a-s placed in a road race aud a more bbern.l handicap could well given him. A> ivus anticipated the Derby race i run under the auspices of the Marsh-Sand-Al a irehau Cycling Club, proved most into vest ing. A field of t'orty- ; four riders started, with AY. .Mackie. ;A. Leathern nnd J. Hencjcisu/i >n 1 cratch, a, very good tenm. The limit v.as far too big for (he back men. their • only cllanc-c of sccuviug a prize being t<- try for fastest time. It is acknowledged that a Derby race is ha.)d to handicap, ah the riders in most- caees are new Jo ’-oud racing, but consideration should be given to the large number of hoys who compete week after week and do not secure a place. R. Bradley. A. A Morwood aud G. H. Johnflton, w ho filled the places, led from th«* -tart, aud worked .well together. thoroughly deserving their -u:cess. About two and a. half miles from the start the sera fob men were j 34see behind the next bunch, hut they i made the pace warm and a< the end ’of the first lap —six and a half miles | they hud caught up. p very good per i forma nee. A Leathern, the scratch | man, finished Ituin 63sec behind th*' inner and had th*'* limit been 3min ; instead of -smm. a good race would j have resulted. R. Bradley, the winner. ?. sturdy j nnd lad. finished strongf ly. heating A. A. Morwood by about ; seven lengths, with G. TV. -John.-ton 1 one length back third. A. Leathern. AY. A Lick to and AY. R. Dickson had a j sprint for the line. Leathern again ! proving his superiority. Mackie being j next to him. J. Henderson was again i unfortunate in this race, a puncture | putting him out .just at- the finish. R. Bradley has just recovered from a broken collarbone, having had n spid some weeks ago during training opera tions on the Papauui track. He had a bit left for the sprint, which he made full use of. A. A. Morwood has been a trier in several vaces during the past and tbiseason. but has not met witli a great deal of success, a second place in a ; Papanui Club race being his chief per fortnanoe. He co.mi>eted in the last Timaru to Christchurch road race. (L H. Johnstone, third Place, has ridden in several Derby races, his only placed race being in the Canterbury Derby championship held last year, when he had a fair handicap. He is a very likely rider and should continue training. H. G. Woods, who finished ‘fourth, 1 secured his first success last winter ;n