CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17014, 12 April 1923, Page 2

CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

By “

“Wheel "

FIXTURES. April 14 - Marshland-Alairehau Club’s Ladas’ Cnamp’ionsmp ami Cluu Since. April 21- -r orty-mile Chatiipionshit), Miurciiau. April 2 1—-. South brook Road Race. April 26 —Derby Championship, Maii chau. Al ay o —Paparua Club’s Road Race. 'The much-postponed road race promoted by the Ohoka and Eyre ton Sports Club was decided at Ohoka on Saturday, the course being four tunes found a five-mile block. About fortylive riders started. A fairly strong wind was blowing, blit it did not trouble the competitors. The roads were good with the exception ot a short length. The corner where the* lace started was very loose and there veto several narrow escapes from spills. The back markers had no chance right from the start, the gap of nearly two minutes being far too much to pick UPThe first riders to complete the first circuit were:—W. L. Power (bfmin), Holland ((jJbnin), ’ll. Powell (64min) and .1. \V. R. Jones (6fmin), who .took J-4 min 25sect to ride the distance. W. Martin (Omin) followed lOsec later and other riders followed in hunches at fairly regular intervals. Burnand (3 n in), M.’GoAvnn (3min) and Steele passed 2min 20sec after the leaders, Ic.licw-ed lOsec later by Wiibrnham (l;£ min), Birch G. Prebble (2£miii) and J. Dyer (lonian). The scratch men camp into view (iOsec later, the hunch comprising Saunders, Bonis, Alackie, Chamberlain, Leathern and Bearman. These riders were exactly omin behind the leaders. The vanguard of ihe secon 1 lap were •Tones. Grail), Martin and others, followed 3osec later by Fuller, Rower, Burgess and Baker. After a space of 54-sec* Scuff ell. Goodall. or wood and three others passed, followed 18see later by Burnan'd. J. I,ill and 31’Cowan. Alarm, I rebble, Dyer and "NVilbraham were 53 sec behind, and the hack markers. Saunders. Leathern and Bonis were -10 sec further hack and 4min 20sec beliind ihe leaders. Mackie dropped out pn the back road owing to a puncture. 1 *v* % A number of riders retired in the tlnrcl hip. Martin and Powell led Baker. Spicer. Fuller, Burgess and J. L. Power by 37sec. The next hunch comprising Goodnl-l. Alorwood. Af’Gowaa and LiII were 3sec behind nml Wilbrnham and Rr'ehble were .1 min 12seu further hack and Dyer on hi- own Avas a minute beliind and the scratch man Saunders. Bonis and Leathern followed IRscc later. 3min 15sec behind Poav.T and Martin. Leather-.! retired during the final round In the race home Martin put in a strong sprint and won bv live, lengths front 13. Powell. The next riders to finish were J. Paterson. L Baker and H. Burnand. The scratch men. Bonis and Saunders, were well out of the race, finishing nineteenth and twentieth respectively. IT. Burnand (3min) rode the race in the fastest time, hut the officials wrongly credited A. Bonis with the honour. A comparison of the- times for the various laps is interesting. In the first two laps Burnand lost 2sec on Bonis and in Ihe third Burnand gained 32. sec and in the final lie gained 12sec on Bonis, making a total gain of 22sec. The last race held over the samecourse at Ohoka was ridden in much faster time. P. TTill. who gained fastest time, rode the distance in o3min 19sec against Burnand’s time 55m in 9sec. AY. AFartin. the winner, is one of the best sports competing- at the present- time. He had been knocki.tg in a large number of road races this season and the reason lie lias not won

before is because of Lbe miseliish u-it lire of Ins riding. - Bill ”is „ m - of tiio.se riders who compete in a race lor the sport he <>,et.s out of it and lie has been a .scarier in practieallv ever*. open road race held this season. He is at present runiu iup lor the cup for mosr points in the IMr.rshland Ma . • eii i n Club.

r B. Powell (second place) is a Sefton J rider who rode remarkably well in the ! road race at Bel’ton on the previous j Saturday, ftninshing fifth after leading most of the way. He is a young rider I who is improving fast and by r.-l'.ig i with more experienced riders he nil! I soon gain the necessary expsiience. .J. Paterson (third place) also from Sefton, is one of the best riders from the Kowai district. A recent open mad race was won I v this promising rider anil his performances oii the j track on Easter .Monday were particularly good. More will he heard of this ; rider during the next season. ! If. Burnand caused a surprise hy re- * gisteripg the fastest time. He was not j well for the first two laps and his per- ' forma-nee was all the more creditable 1 on that account. “ Hector” has had a I very good season for the commencement of his racing career, having won a wheel race at Motukura-ra, and also a wheel race at Temuka. This was his first performance of note on the road. S. 1,. Wilbraham rode well and it was thought that he had secured the iastest time prise. Owing to a mistake AVilbraham started off at 4min instead of 4min 4osec. He rode an excellent race and is showing a vast improvement on his form from last A. Lealhom was disappointing after his great riding at the Papanui sports and a decided improvement will have to be shown if he is to again repeat his performance of last season by winning the Derby championship on his own. “ Bill’s ” riding of late lias been rather patchy and ft is to be hoped that April 23 will be a day on for him. Ti. G. Seuffell appeared to be riding well, but could not get further up than seventh place. Scuffel is making satisfactory progress this season and is j showing good form, both on road and track. R. Chamberlain did not ride so weii as he has done recently anil was with the hack markers at the completion of the first round, they having picked lip nearly two minutes on him. G. W. Prehble has not ridden with much success since the New Year. He l now getting on fair marks and should lead the field home at an early date. P. Saunders did not do as well as was 'expected and made practically no attempt at sprinting ’ The probable reason for this was that Saunders had given the last lap and had ridden himself out. Arthur Bonis stiil rides considerably better than hi.s tomlger opponents and continues to staprise his many friends who have watched his career for over twenty years. lie states that Sainday’s ride was cue of the easiest rates lie has ridden in for some time. A very successful ladies’ road race was decided lasl Saturday afternoon hy the Paparua Cycling; Club. The cour-e was from the Islington bo-i.d-ing-liouse. via the Alain .South Road, through Hornbv. past the Orange Hal!, returning to the starting point along Factory Road, a distance of two and 4hvee-fjuarter miles. Aliss AT. Clegg Avon rather ea-fi- v from Afiss G. Deipenlieim. who finished two lengths in front of Miss Barwr.xJ. avlio Avas closelv followed by Miss J *. D-eipenlieim, who secured the fastest unplaced time prize. A crowd of about three hundred people gathered to witness the start and finish of the race, and ail along the route the race was watched with keenest interest. A notable feature of this race was that the competitors Avcre not followed by motorists or cyclists as thee were in a recent ladies’ race held bv the MarshlandAtairchau Club. The road Avas very loose and three competitors, Mrs Aluir, Airs Pearce and Aliss BhaAV, came down. After the race the competitors and committee Avere entertained at alter noon tea hy Airs Francis, of the Islington boarding-house. Air J Leslie, works manager at Islington, presented the prizes, after which three cheers were given for Mrs Francis, Air Leslie, and the officials. The officials desire to thank Airs Francis for her hospitality and also for placing a dressing-room at the disposal of the competitors. A. C. Tin till, who wa* a successful competitor for the Maireliau Club about four years ago. A\*ns prominent at the recent sports held in Greymouth. Ho Avon the Wheel Race, ay*as second in the mile, second in the ha’fmile./hnd first in the Coasters’ race of one mile. T» addition to these peiformarices ho finished third in a five mile motor-cycle race. G. F. Goodall a prominent racing cyclist, has decided to make his resilience in Temuka. “ George ’* lias been racing continuously for a long period with varving success, and his happy smile will he missed at roail races and sports meeting bv his numerous friend'. The writer wishes II George ” the best of good luck in his new, surroundings. P. O’Rhen and C. Bell who were inyjured in a «pi!l at the Temuka sports on Easter Mondnv are making satisfactory progress and will probably be competitors in the iortv mile championship. The newly formed dub a t South brook has decided tv- hold a district '• road race at Southbrook on April 2S. it is a pity that this fixture clashes with the Alars h land-Alai reha u Club’s championship. The English Park track is nearing completion. The question of cvcling costumes has been referred to bv a correspondent to a local paper, anil the Avriter is- of opinion that matters u:e not nearly as bad as th» correspondent states. The rule relative to the costume worn by a competitor reads : “Competitors must wear complete clothing from the shoulders to the knee—i.e.. sleeved jersey and loose drawers.’’ Now that

there are a large number of clubs heading cycling races in the Dominion it would be well for clubs to adopt a universal costume for riders. A distinctive jersey at sports meetings would help to do away with th e medley of colours now so prominent on the racing track. T. J. Carey, who Avon the forty mile South Island championship last season has returned to Christchurch after -ju absence of several months. He will >i competitor in the road race on Saturday. AI. F. Delaeour, one of the bestknown riders who have been competng in road and track races for over twenty years, and who has been taking thing* quietly lately, will be a competitor in the forty-mile championship. In connection with the New Headlord Cup, which was competed for bv competitors at the St Patrick’s sports, the conditions are that the cup is to *»e held by the competitor gaining most points in cash cycling events. Several riders having commented on the fact that the ten mile Australasian championship counted for points this year, and that championship events did not count last year, it should be mentioned that conditions were altered at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Athletic- and Cycling Union held last September in the direction ot including championship events. Items of interest to cvclists will b* welcomed. They should be addressed “A\heel,” care of this office.