CYCLING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18407, 8 March 1928, Page 3

CYCLING NOTES.

ON TRACK AND ROAD.

(Br

“WHEEL.”)

FIXTURES. March 10—St Patrick’s Sports, English Park. March 17—Blenheim Sports. March 24—English Park Sports. April 7—Waimate Sports. April 7—Maheno Sports. April o—Temuka Sports. April 9—Kowai Sports. The New Zealand cycling championships for 1927-28 were decided at Greymouth on Friday and Saturday last. Glorious weather prevailed for the two days and exceptionally fine racing was witnessed by an enthusiastic crowd. The fields were large for the championships and included all the best riders in the Dominion. Phil O'Shea, W. Mackie (the New Zealand and Australasian champion), W. R. Wilmott (the South Island track champion), S. W. M’Cann (the New Plymouth crack), J. Henderson, A. C. Ritchie, C. Austin, W. T. Weir, S. A. Jordan and others being amongst the competitors. The events were decided on the racecourse, which was in fair order considering the long spell of dry weather. On E'riday tit* track was very’ dusty in spite of the fact that the water cart was kept busy*. The track was half a mile round. The outcome of the racing was that there are no fewer than five New Zealand track champions. W. Mackie is the quarter mile champion. W. R. Willmott holds the half and one mile championships, A. Hansen the three miles, P. O'Shea the two and five miles, and J. Henderson, the ten miles. The most consistent performer throughout the meeting was P. O’Shea. In addition to winning two championships, he was runner-up in the quarter mile and the one mile championships. He also won the three miles handicap. W. Mackie also had a good run. Besides his championship win, he finished second in the half mile and the two miles championships and third in the one and three mile championships. Mackie also accounted for the two miles handicap and finished second in the three miles • handicap. W. R. Willmott, the brilliant Timaru rider, was in great form on the opening day. He won the New Zealand wheel race of one mile and a half. The first prize for this event was £6o.' Willmot t finished with a magnificent effort after a particularly’ hard ride in w-hich he had the support of A. C. Ritchie, J. Henderson and W. Mackie. Following his recent victories at Christmas time when he won two South Island championships, Willmott is now regarded as one of the speediest riders in the Dominion. Although there were no serious accidents the riders rode at great risk as too many competitors were started in the championship events, and over thirty in the two mile and the three miles handicap races. C. Austin collided with a spectator in the first race of the meeting, but fortunately was not hurt. A. J. Archer fell in the same race. A. C. Ritchie hurt his arm in the two miles handicap and a West Coast rider also came to grief. None of the riders was seriously hurt, however. :: A. Hansen, the Waimate rider, caused a sensation by winning the three miles championship. This young rider took the lead early in the race and rode flat out and secured a big lead which was sufficient to carry him to victory by a substantial margin. Hansen earned the hearty round of applause that greeted his meritorious performance. The execution proved to be too Strenuous for Hansen, and he was confined to his bed next day’ and has not yet recovered from the effects of his hard ride. :: M. F. Mills started a warm favourite in the Wheel Race. He rode a particularly good race to fill second place, just beaten by- Willmott. Mills had the assistance of R. Jamieson. H TurtilJ. A. G. Turtill and F. Poole in the final, but proved too good for these riders in the sprint. Since joining up with the cash riders Mills has done exceptionally’ well.^ The times at the meeting were not fast but were fair when the conditions are taken into consideration. Lap prizes of 5s a lap were given, with the inevitable result that a few of the riders sprinted each lap and then slowed down until the next sprint. Had the lap prizes been 2s 6d for a half-lap faster times would have resulted. A. C. Ritchie, S. A. Jordan, W. T. Weir, C. Austin and J H. Silvester did not show anything approaching their English Park form and rode in a verydisappointing manner. Ritchie’s only place-getting effort was second to O’Shea in the five miles championship. J. IT. Silvester looked like causing a sensation in the ten miles championship.

With three laps to go he shot to the front and led to within a hundred yards of the finish. In the last five hundred yards he .tired badly. His effort was appreciated by the public.

S. W. M’Cann, the well-known Taranaki road rider, showed promising track form. He finished second in the three miles championship and second in the ten miles championship. This young rider will no doubt be prominent in the big events to be decided at Easter. M Cann is staying in Christchurch for St Patrick's sports to be decided next Saturday.

J. Henderson, in addition to winning the ten miles championship, secured third place in the half-mile and the two miles championships.

Roy- Bradley-, the well-known Christchurch rider, turned up in Greymouth on Friday morning, having ridden from Christchurch on a bicycle. The journey occupied two and a half days. There is every possibility of Bradley- remaining on the Coast for a few weeks.

The find of the Grey-mouth championship meeting was R. F. Atkinson, of estport. Atkinson was disqualified on the first day for irregularities in connection with his entry form. On Saturday, however, he competed and showed splendid form. He is a young, big, powerfully’ built rider and has an amazing turn of speed. It appears that he has only- been racing for three months at Westport. Under good care there is not the slightest doubt that he will soon reach championship form.

*,* The Christchurch St Patrick’s Sports Association will hold its annual sports on Saturday- afternoon and night. The five open cycling races have attracted large entries. Amorfgst the starters will be Phii O’Shea, W. Mackie, S. W M Cann, of New Plymouth, J. HenderA - .9- Ritchie, J. A. Harcourt (Taranaki), F. Poole (Timaru), C. Bright and other prominent riders. The meeting promises to be a great success.

M t-t JJ W . T. Weir, who has been in Grey--mouth for a few weeks, has returned to Christchurch and will be racing at the remainder of this season’s meetings at English Park. A I! A sports meeting will be held at Manaia, Taranaki, on March 24. Four open cyling events are included in the programme, including the Manaia heel Race, of two miles, for £25. of which the winner will receive £l6 and the Holmes Cup, valued at ten guineas. Entries close on Saturdav, March 17. The programme for the Kowai Athletic Club’s sports, to be held at Sefton Domain on Easter Monday, has been issued. The following cycling events will be decided:—One mile handicap, £5 ss; half-mile handicap, £4 15s; two miles handicap. £8; five miles Kowai Wheel Race, £l6 and 5s lap money after first five laps; two miles Canterbury- championship, £3 13s 6d and blue riband and 5s lap prizes for championship. close on * March 26. As the Timaru riders are anxious to take part in the proposed fifty miles teams race, it is probable that the race will be arranged for a Saturday night, p.ot a Wednesday as previously intimated. It is quite on the cards that at least three South Canterbury teams will compete. TOUR DE FRANCE. 3338 MILES IN 22 STAGES. By the last Continental mail came some very interesting particulars of the Tour de France, in which Hubert Opperman (Victoria), Harry Watson (New Zealand), Ern. Bambridge (Victoria) and Percy Osborn (Victoria) will take part. This vear’s event starts from Paris on Sunday. June 17, and finishes in the same city on Sunday-, July 15. It comprises twenty-two stages, and the total distance to be covered will be about 3338 miles. The first eight stages will be run on consecutive days, the longest of these stages being from Les Sables to Bordeaux (177* miles). The last eight sections will be run without a day’s spell. The final stage from Dieppe to Paris (20o£ miles) is one of the longest of the tour. Riders will find the intermediate stages the most strenuous, as there will be a great deal of mountain climbing over the Alps and Py-renees. The riders will rest on alternate days on this part of the circuit. All told, out of twenty--eight days over which the race is spread, twenty-two days will be spent in the saddle, and the total distance to be negotiated is 3338 miles. The shortest day’s ride is sev:nty-four miles. The six mountainous sections are particularly severe, ranging from 227 miles down to 202 miles, and it is here that the race is generally won, for the strongest riders usually break away I from the weaker on the big climbs up ’ the snow-clad passes, which in places [ range from 6000 ft to SOOOft above sealevel. Time Limits Fixed. Time limits, except in the mountains, call for at least an average speed of fifteen mp h. The entrance fee is about £l. and covers refreshments at food controls on ten stages. On the other twelve sections no refreshments are provided. Chief interest in the contest centres in the teams which are subsidised byand represent the leading cy-cle manufacturers of Europe. The teams comprise European road cracks who have | been specially prepared for the world’s ! most strenuous physical test, i These teams rotate in order of start- ‘ ing each day—ten minutes separating ; the different groups, who make great . efforts to overtake the team in front, i thus ensuring fast riding. The riding

time over each stage is the method of deciding prize-winners. Unattached riders, known as “ routi ers,” start away in one big group. Each routier-—subject to his completing the first and second stages within the time limit—receives a daily allowance of 25 francs (4s) towards his expenses. Peculiar Conditions. Peculiar conditions will apply- to the contestants’ machines, which are scaled and numbered before leaving Paris. If a contestant during the race desires to change his mount, he must present his cy-cle with the seal intact. The fine is 500 francs (£4) if this condition is not complied with. In the event of an accident, a rider may borrow a part or a whole machine of another make without a penalty. Should it t>e of the same make and a racing machine, he is put back last. If the machine borrowed is of the same make, but not a racing machine, he is penalised two hours. Should a cycle be repaired, the contestant must ride it 100 kilometres (sixty-two miles) before he is allowed to borrow another. If he changes on to another machine before riding that distance, the penalty is the loss of one hour. Extensive Prize List. The prize list is an extensive one, covering special award? for each stage, while separate prizes of a lesser amount are set apart for the routiers, who may, if they are good enough, win any- of the general classification prizes. the total amount distributed is £1032, two-thirds of which is set apart for sectional prizes. The premier prize is worth £97, and is awarded to the rider establishing the fastest aggregate time over the full course. It is worthy of note that the principal prize given for the Dunlop Grand Prix held around Victoria last November. and lasting a week, was £250 and the C. B. Kellow Cup. The winner, H. Opperman, won over £4OO all told in this event. In the French event there are manytrade bonuses that materially increase the official prizes, and the successful riders are paid retainers by the leading European cycle manufacturers. The Tour de France attracts great interest throughout Europe, and is one of the national sporting events of Trance. Tts progress is watched by many- millions of spectators.