CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17567, 18 June 1925, Page 4

CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

BY

“WHEEL."

FIXTURES. June 20.—Mairehau Sports'Club’s road June 27.—Maiden road race (Maircliau). Tho weather conditions were far from satisfactory for the Paparua Cycling Club’s road race on Saturday atternoon. Although it did not rain during the. progress of the race, a strong wind and intensely cckl southerly caused the riders much discomfort, a largo number of early retirements resulting. The roads were in fair order, despite tho rough .weather during the morning and on tho proceeding day, but tho wind militated against fast times. Owing to the scratching of C. Bell and W. Mackie. Cyril Sowden, who had been handicapped on scratch, was put on the thirty seconds’ mark with Lange and Muir. The limit as handicapped was lire minutes. Owing to the. largo number of scratehings, a mistake was made in the starting and consequently tho scratch men got away one minute early, making their mark ono and a. half minutes and reducing the limit to three and a half minutes. The outcome of this was that the back men got up early and this, combined with the rough weather, caused tho limit men to fall out. The race started at tho Islington Hotel, and a block of five miles was traversed three times. Tho leaders completed the first f.vc miles in Idm m 40eec. Weir, Hurdler and throe other riders followed Imin os go later, ami Muir, Sowden and Lange passed 49sec later. At the end of tho second round (ten miles) Muir Fidler and Port passed at 31tnin JO sec, the first-named having ridden the

five miles in 1-tmin olscc. Seventeen seconds later Vaughan put in an appearance and at 32min 16scc or 4(5 sec behind tho leader Lange, Sowden, Muir and Flanagan passed and were followed by Boskoll lOsec later Weir was the first to put in an appearance at tho finish, and lie crossed the line riding strongly forty-one seconds in front of Muir, who just beat Lange, with Sowden close up. L. E. Porter finished forty-three seconds later, with Fidler a second behind. Tho only other rider to finished was Flanagan, who crossed the line twenty seconds later. The race resulted as follows : W. T. Weir (2m in), time—42min oOsee . . . . . .1 W. A. Muir (lAinin), time —43min Tv. Lange (IJmin), time —-I.3min 1 1-osec . . . . 3 C. J. Sowden (Hmiu), time- IJmin -L. V. Porter (omin), time--Uinin losec o F J. Fidler (4min), time -10 min 16 F. Flanagan (3min), time - Umin 36sec . . • • - • ” IV. T. Weir, the winner, has had a remarkable rise to fame during the past two months. He registered his best performance on Saturday, when he not only won the race, but put up the fastest time, a performance all the more meritorious when it is taken into consideration that tried* riders such as Muir, Lange and Sowden were in the race. On his showing on Saturday, Weir has carved his right to start off scratch and it will be interesting to note how he will shape on that mark. Weir’s win was popular with the spectators, who gave him a great reception, as he is a. local boy. lie is employed as a cadet at the Christchurch Railway Station. Paced or unpaced, he is able to hold his own with the best of riders. W. A. Muir, finished second, and also gained second fastest time. lie rides a good race either on road or track. 11 is performances on the road this season have been very consistent, and he now ranks as one of the foremost of road riders. Like the winner, Muir is still very young, and promises to have a useful career as a racing cyclist. K. Lange, third place, is now showing excellent form, after an off track season, and has been well to the fore on the last two Saturdays. lie has more

than his share of punctures and spiils, thus losing chances of winning. All being well, Lange should be prominent in the big road championships, to be decided in the. near future. C. J. Sowden, fourth place and winner of the prize for fastest unplaced rider, does not show thC same dash on the road as he docs on the track. Although he has been tried out on the scratch mark, he. has not yet gained fastest time, and his next start will probably find him on an easier mark. Riders are reminded that nominations for the thirteen-mile road-race to be held at Mairehau on Saturday, close with Mr P. C. Lucas to-morrow night. A good entry is anticipated by the Mairehau Sports Club for the maiden road race to be decided on June 27. The conditions are that riders who have not gained first or second place in a race this year, or won over £3 will be allowed to start. Riders who have not competed previously will be eligible to compete. Several riders have commented on the fact that the Mairehau Club is only allotting small money for road races. The reason for this is that road races arc a losing proposition, and in order to keep the racing going, the committee has found it necessary to reduce the prize-money. For instance, in two road races held recently, the Mairehau Sports Club lost £O. and about £4O was dropped through the fifty-mile championship. By giving small money the club will be able to hold races right through to the Timaru to Christchurch race. Jt simply amounts to small money and more racing. ON DIT. That the spectators at Saturday’s road race suffered with cold feet

whilst waiting for the riders to show upThat “Jack” Henderson will be a starter in the road race on Saturday next, having decided To have a spell from football. That Ernie Binsted was badly knocked about last week, when a runaway horse and cart crashed into him. That TV. Coman is training hard for the Timaru, and the possibilities are that he will be a back-marker in the race. That George and . Henry Prebble have not done any road racing this season. That If. Opperman, the Australian road champion, has been written to, asking him to compete ip this year's Timaru. That Ilarrv Watson has purchased a farm. lie should be a fit man in the big road race. | That the maiden road race to be held j on June 27 should bring out the young riders. That TV. Craib-and O. G. Oakley intend competing in future road races, training for the Timaru being the inducement. That several competitors have not yet received special prizes from country clubs, in connection with sports held sonic months ago. That a recent road race, held in Victoria (Australia) over a distance of fifteen miles attracted a field of 156 riders. That a meeting of the Papanui Sports Club will be held next week, when arrangements will be made to hold a road race. That a complaint has tyren made to the local centre-about non-competitors intermingling with competitors during the course of road races. That the controlling body of cycling in Australia lias been written to requesting that a representative be sent to New Zealand to compete in the Timaru races. That delegates at the last meeting of the local centre talked round the table for forty minutes without doing any business, speakers being ruled out of order by the chairman every few minutes. That the definite date of the Timaru meeting will be announced in the course of a few days* That Mr W. J. Walters, president of the local cent-c, received the congratulations of the delegates on his appointment to the chairmanship of the Lyttelton Harbour Board.