CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17031, 3 May 1923, Page 3

CYCLING

“Wheel”

By

ON TRACK AND ROAD. FIXTURES. May o.—Paparua Clul/s Road Race. Tlie Marshland Mairehau Club s Derby Road Race for the Canterbury championship was decided on Sal nr day afternoon, under ideal weather conditions. The roads were good and fairly fast, ■n spite of the recent rain ami good times were registered. As is usual for a derby race, this event attracted i urge entry, and about lit tv riders started, the majority being mvv ridThe scratch division comprised the following riders:—\Y. Mackie \ Leathern, R. Bradley, .1, Henderson! I' - H Dickson, J. Dyer and D. kpiers. 'I he nearest competitors to Jnese riders were <», I min, and the hmit was tinnn. This limit proved to be rather severe on the scratch men who have competed in derby races throughout the season without getting placed. Hie first five placed riders came me”' , n ‘.“ rkß between 4min and s£min. Ihe Hmsh from the point of view of closeness, was very satisfactorv to the handicappors, about half the riders taking part in the final sprint. The aiding times are ojien to critie*°l' instance: The riding time ui the winner Smith (4min handicap) was returned as 38min 15sec, and that ot Leathern (ser) fastest time, as 33niin 40«ec. According to these times, the finishing tune of Smith was 40min s<Jsce, and Leathem's 39miu -JOsec Hu. po.nt is that Leathern actualh finished Imm 22sec behind the wiuner, yet if the time* recorded were correct, Leathern would have been a winner by 35sec. Among the competitors were a lame number of new riders. The first to put in an appearance at the end of the first lap were Burnside, Craib Condon, and a bunch of twelve other riders, followed 40sec later by another bunch of twelve, while lmin 30eec iatei- came Johnson, Carey, Bolstad, Muir, and two others. Jordan follow ed 25sec later, with A. Marra, Alor■wood and A. Ritchie 95sec later . The s-cratch men were of.sec behind. D-ick-son who lost ground at the start, withdrew at this stage, having ridden an unpaced la.p in good style. At Bugg's Road, the second time round, only 30. sec separated the first two groups, and 72sec behind the second bunch ivere seventeen riders with Spicer in the lead, Ritchie. A. Marra, Xankivell and Jordan being among them. The scratch riders were still together, &Jsec behind the riders immediately in front and 2min lsec behind the leaders. There was a great finish as the first and second bunches combined a sh< rt distance from the line, and Smith won a splendid race by a length from Peak, Silvester being third. Money fourth and Radburnd fifth. Over twenty riders crossed the line in the space of a few seconds. The most interesting part >of the race was the sprint, between the backmarkeys, the previous week’s champion. A. Leathern beating AY Mackie by a length. A. C. Ritchie finished twentyfive seconds in front of Leathern. In the absence of Mr AY. J. Walter, through indisposition, the duties of starter were ably carried out bv Mr M. F. Delacour. Hie winner, F. Smith, is a, sturdylooking boy, fourteen years of age. hailing from flpreydon. This is his first race, and from the exhibition he gave on Saturday, it will not he nis only win. Hia sprin t showed excellent judg-

ON TRACK !| AND ROAD I ■

ment, and was an effort worJv of a more experienced rider. E. Peak and 1). Silvester, second and third respectively, are both keen riders who have been tried out previously without success. Their good fortune on Saturday should act as an encouragement for fresh efforts. S. .Money and L. Radburn, fourth and fifth, have also competed unsuccessfully in derby events. They are evidently training in the right direction, as their riding was the best they have shown so far. The champion and blue ribband winner, A. Leathern, proved that he can ride as good a race under favourable conditions as he did the previous week under very adverse Aveathor conditions. Speculation was rife as to whether Leathern would beat the other riders in the sprint, but “ Hill ” made no error about it, and won decisively. Very consistent form has been showu by Leathern during the latter part of this season, and if he looks after himself, he should have a. great future on both the track and road. W. Mackie, second fastest time, appears to be off colour as he has not shown to any advantage since the St Patrick’s Sports. Saturday’s performance was his best effort on the road since he won a road race a couple of months previously. The forthcoming Timaru-Christchurcli road race will no doubt sec this young rider again to the fore. Jack Henderson was expected to put up a better ride than he did. hut be was.not in his best health. Had be been at bis best, the other back-mark men would have bad to be on their mettle, to beat him, as be is a very capable sprinter with excellent judgment. Don Spiers, Roy Bradley and Jim Dyer rode very well indeed, and justified their inclusion amongst the scratch men. On their present riding, this trio of riders cannot be treated lightly. The management committee of the Marshland-Mairthau Cycling Club at a meeting on Saturday decided that the prize in the forty-mile Canterbury championship for the first club member to finish v/lio had not secured a first place in a club race this season should he handed over to C. 15. Jones. Leathern really won this medal, but consented to forgo it in favour of Jones. A price offered for the first unplaced country rider to finish (the rider residing outside a six-mile radius of the Christchurch Post Office) was also awarded to Jones. In addition to these two prizes Jones won the prize for the first unplaced rider who had competed in three or more races without securing a first place. Comparing the of Allan and Jones, the allocation of the above prizes was not encouraging to the former. (1. J. Allan < South bridge) rode a really good and practically an unpaced race off the 2min mark, hut was unfortunate in only securing seventh place, for- which he received f he small sum of £‘l 10s as his return for a hard ride. Yet the other rider, whose time was 19min 34sec slower than that of Allan, received three prizes. The prize for the competitor cutside the six-mile radius should really hnve gone to Allan. At a meeting of the management committee of th« Marshland-Mairehau Cycling Club held on Saturday, it was definitely decided to close its racing The Papanm Club will hold its final race on Saturday next, when an open load race of twenty miles will be decided. A good entry is assured. Prizes will be given for the first four placed riders, first and second fastest time, and trophies for the unplaced rider over hall the limit, and the fastest unplaced rider under eighteen The management committee of the Canterbury Foot ha 11 Association have appointed Mr AY. J. AA’alter a vicepresident. to look after the interests of the cyclists in connection with the English Park track. The hanking on the track has been practically completed, and the track wii! be in good order for the opening of next season That the public prefer cycle racing it night was demonstrated in Meloourno on Faster Saturday (says the > \ dnev “ Refeive ”). The promoters, I creed to put on a double programme owing to sanction to race on Good r rut ay being refused, raced both afternoon and evening. The afternoon attendance numbered onjy a thousand, in the evening 12,000 were present. The racing is always faster at night, li"ht« kS h€tter und * r the bright arc Items of interest to cyclists will he welcomed Tl-y should bp addressed \A heel,' care of this office.