CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17455, 5 February 1925, Page 4

C YCLING

flinTfiéi‘s

BY

“WHEEL.”

'jrvrrßES. February 7- English Park Sports. February 11 English Park Sports. February 11 —Amateur Sports, English March 7 Papanui-Harewood Club's Sports. March 13 and 14 Si Patrick's Sports. March L 7 and 18 —Greymouth Sports. March 28 Derby Championship, Paparua Club. March 28 -Open Road Race. Paparua (ah. The English Park Sports Association must be congratulated on the success or last Saturday night's meeting a* tlie Stadium. There was a record crowd present and the sport was right ud to the standard shown in the past and had the large crowd on its loot at every finish. Scratch!ngs left big gaps for both back and front markers, and the chances of several likely riders were spoiled by this cause. Although the limit was extended to 100yds in the half-mile open handicap, the front markers failed to get homo. The front marker in the final was A. If. Struthers (65vds), E. Mnrra (15yds) and Maekie (25yds) being the back men. It is evident that the middle men are too close to tiie limit, and also too far in front of the back markers, which fact should be borne in mind by the liandicappers. Tlio one mile open handicap proved t) be a triumph for the back markers. <,Tily O'Shea (sort and Bright < 3oyds) tailing to qualify. Maekie did not start. In this race the limit were again hopelessly outclassed, and generally the middle markers failed to ec me into prominence. The times were good, the second heat being the fastest, and this was won by A. Leathern off 30yds in 2min S 4-ssec. In this beat O'Shea was with the bunch, and although in frcri&t two hundred yards from the finish. ho failed to hold his position, and subsequently it was ascertained that O’Shea's hack tyre had collapsed. In the final four men on 75yds were the front markers. None of the com petitors between 75 yds and 130yds failed to qualify, again proving that the limit may safely be extended and still give- the back markers a chancw. The half-mile maiden, which was decided iu two heats, had five riders added to tho race whose names did tot appear on the programme, a fact vhicli caused some adverse comment from a. section of tho crowd, especially when three of riders qualified. The scratch man. L. Humphries, had a hard task to pick up 30yds on his next man iu his heat, and 45yds in the final. Although he was with the pack with half a lap to go ho was unable to gain a place. R:. Lisle, the winner of the maiden, i . a young rider who has just taken on the sport, making his first appearance a few weeks ago. He rode with excellent judgment and thoroughly deserved his win. M. Bridges, second place, was the favourite for the but although bo put up a good performance, picking up 15vds cn the winner, he could not bend him. Bridges is o game young rider oh whom- more should l>e heard before the close of the season B. G. Xevill. third place has started on several occasions this season but without much success. His form or. Saturday night was an improvement on previous efforts. and his position should give lum the. necessary stimulus to carry on with the sport Other riders who rode well in the maiden race were: L. Humphries (scr). L. Tames (60yds'> and H. Trving (60yds). T. McGirr (50) won the half-mile in a close finish from E. Marra. He rode a splendid race, and demonstrated that be is a sprinter above the average. His form justified his competing in firstclass company. E. Marra (15 yards I finished second, beating Maekie by a narrow margin. “ Eddie ” is riding much better than he has done previously, pedalling well and getting the most out of his machine. Tie is a good rider over almost any distance and appears to have mastered the art of track riding. In their heat, Marra and Watson had the best sprint of the night, the former gaining the verdict. W. Maekie, third place, had an easy win in his heat, and rode well in the final. Mackie’s form has shown a big improvement this last few weeks, and on present form he should be a tough proposition in future scratch races. Other prominent riders in the halfmile were: D. E. Lc Fevre '80': If. G. Wood (55) : P. O'Shea (scr) : IT. W. Birch (60>; L. J. Scuffell (45); L. Humphries (701 ; H. G. Watson (20) ; C. J. Sowden (40): R. ('ant <4O). T. Henderson won the one-mile open handicap in great style, riding a welljudged race off 20 yards. He seemed to be a long time getting into his stride both in his heat and final, but once he got going, the issue was no longer in doubt. Henderson appeared to be off colour a few weeks ago, but

lis now riding as well as ever, and is i not tar short of championship form. A match between Henderson and A. Leathern would be an interesting event, as both arc now riding well. A. Leathern continues to improve, and has recently put up some creditable performances. In the final, he picked up his gap early, gaining on Henderson in the meantime. Leathern [is anxious to have a lacc with Phil [O'Shea over two miles (unpaced), the riders to start on opposite sides of the track. A race of this nature would be watched with interest, as Leathern ’ *arries with him a great reputation as an unpaced rider. R_ Cant, third place, looked a likely winner at the entrance to the straight, but was unable, to withstand the strong challenge of Leathern and Henderson, Cant is a likely rider, who cannot be treated lightly in track events, having plenty of pace, staying power and a good sprint. C. J. Sowden (70), Bright £3O), W. R. Blackburn (7.V>. L. Humphries (130', G. F. Gooclall 1100'. F. Holmes (70), George <6o>. and E. Marra (30) rode well in the final. H. J. Savage won his heat in the onemile. but did not have a chance in the final, his strenuous work pacing Mackie .n the match race being too much for him. G. \V. Prebble <120) had a hard ride in the one-mile, his nearest man being Sow den (75'. Prebble made a plucky effort to maintain his lead, being only caught late in the race. Scuffell and Sowden were considered to stand a chance in the final of the half-mile, but owing to a slight mix-tip at the beginning of the last lap both riders ran wide and lost any chance they had of getting places. Watson and Birch both rode well, but neither succeeded in getting placed. Both riders have good reputations as track riders, and hate not produced the form shown prior to their illnegs. They appear, however, to be coming into their own again. The match between Phil O'Shea and W. Mackie was no doubt responsible for the very large attendance at the Stadium, and the two events were followed with great interest. In the quarter-mile the riders started off slowly, each waiting for the jump. O’Shea, led into the straight, with Mackie on liis wheel, and the issue was never in doubt, in spite of a strong i challenge by Mackie. The three-mile paced race was very interesting. The riders started on op- 1 posite sides of the track, and were paced by four pace-makers, and the pace was right on from the gun. The race started sensationally. Mackie having a substantial load over the first three laps, but after that O’Shea gained ground, and then the riders rode fairly evenly, but over the last few laps O’Shea gained materially, and won by 6 2-oseo. The general opinion was that O'Shea would win, but the game fight put up by Mackie was popular with the spectators. The winner’s pace-makers ap pea red to be better organised, and picked up much more smartly than some of Mackie’s. and this gained ground for O’Shea. The time for the race, 6min 30 t-osec. was very fast, averaging nearly thirty miles an hour, and the two riders concerned are to be congratulated on their splendid performance. More matches of this na ture would lend additional interest to tlio sport. By his racing at English Park last night. AV. Mackie proved that ho is one? of the best of our track riders, and that he is benefiting from experience gained. The one-mile scratch race was very keenly contested, the lap prizes of os for the riders first past the post i doing 34sec or better being an inducement to the riders. | The scratch race was again won by J P. O'Shea, with Mackie second and A. | Leathern third. At the hell Savage led i Bright, with Mackie on his wheel and { O’Shea in fourth position. O’Shea made a hid with half a lap tft go. and I led into the straight, where Bright was ! replaced by Mackie, who ran trie | champion very close, with Leathern on j his wheel. The other riders were some | distance back. Mackie. who won tiie 1 second heat, registered the fastest tinq\. 2inin 11 3-osec. In the second heat. Bright ran , O'Shea very close, the latter winning by a very narrow margin in 2min losec. The half-mile open handicap was again won by the middle markers. Roy Bradley (oOvds) having a comfortable win from Sowden (4ovds), with E. Marra (12vds) a close third. The heats provided good races, the third, won by Bradley (50yds) being the fastest, viz., 60 3-osec. In the fourth heat. Bright j (20yds) made a great race, being just beaten on the mark by Nankivel! j (70vds) in 61 see. I A good performance was also put up by E. Marra (12vds). who won the first heat in 62sec and finished third in the final. The three-quarter-mile handicap did not appear to be so keenly contested as some of the other events, and the third heat had to bo called off and re-run.

Very few limit men entered for tli is event. but- the fields bunched early and then were inclined to ease up , considerablyH. J. Savage showed exceptionally good form, winning his heat and the final. If he continues to improve as he has done of late, he will have to be seriously considered by the cracks Watson 1 (3th (Is"), Blackburn (50yds), Cowdeu (60yds), Bow (60yds), M’Girr (45yds), George (55yds), and M. PLeathern (70yds) all put up good performances in this event. Jn the half mile amateur race the riding of C- Rhodes (25yds) was particularly noticeable. He is a young rider with a big heart, and ho used excellent judgment in his sprint. K. G. Lamb (30yds) and X- Gray (30yds) finished second and third respectively* T J . I'. Saunders, who has been a constant competitor at English Park this season did not make an appearance last night. He will go into the hospital shortly to undergo an operation. .\ good deal of comment lias been caused through the action of O'Shea in refusing to shake hands with Maclcie after their match race at English Park on Saturday last. Tn a case of this nature it. is only good grace and an act of sportsmanship for the winner to receive the congratulations of the loser, and it also sets a good example to the younger riders. F. J. Carey and FI. Burnand, formerly of Christchurch have been racing in Melbourne lately, and on Saturday last they were team mates in a 10(J kilometre race (62$ miles). The race was won by Harris Hordev and J\ B. Henry (N.S.W.). Carey and Burnand finished ninth. Some of the well known competitors in the race were: Horace Holder. W. Spencer (TJ.S.A.); J . Fitzgerald (Victoria), J. Nagal (France) : W. Bailey (England), L. Fnucheux (France), and otner well known Australian riders. Carey is leaving Melbourne this week for New Zealand, and Burnand is also expected to bo returning shortly. Their reappearance in local racing will be welcome. All interested in cycling are looking forward to the coming to churrh of the well-known rider, Willie Spencer. This famous American track cyclist won the world’s cycling Derby last year, and recently won the naif mile Australian track cliampd jnship. Spencer will be competing at Christchurch under the management of the English Park Sports Association, and is due to appear on February 28, March 5. and 7. After leaving Christchurch Spencer will go to Auckland, where he is due to compete on March 16. The date of the Mapvhiu Cycling Club’s meeting which was arranged for February 28 has been altered io February 21. The change of date was authorised by «lie executive of the North Canterbury Centr< last night.