HUBERT OPPERMAN TO CONTEST EVENTS AT ENGLISH PARK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 13

HUBERT OPPERMAN TO CONTEST EVENTS AT ENGLISH PARK.

AUSTRALIAN CYCLIST HAS GREAT RECORD. The greatest cycling event in New Zealand for several years will take p!ace at English Park next Saturday, when the famous cyclist Hubert Opperman will appear in specially selected match races. Opperman has a wonderful record on the track and road, and he is without doubt the greatest rider the Commonwealth of Australia has produced. The performance of his career was recorded only a month ago, when he made now figures for the Sydney-to-Melbourne record, 567 miles in 39hr 42min 12sec, a phenomenal performance. This feat was accomplished without sleep. The final stages of this remarkable ride were witnessed by a cheering throng estimated at between 60,000 and 70,000, which demonstrated the popularity of this rider. Opperman’s exploits are t.oo numerous to mention, as he has been winning races, creating and breaking records ever since the age of sixteen, when he won a junior road championship in Victoria. Opperman has taken part In all branches of the sport, and he is an adept as a motor-paced rider. He pedals with a machine-like precision which has earned him the title of the “Human Motor’*. Whilst in France, In 1927, when he captained the Australasian Tour de France team, Opperman made history by his wonderful ride of 598 miles in twenty-four hours, breaking no fewer than three world’s competition records, and he also won the classic 80l d’Or (Cup of Gold), Paris. Besides winning the 80l d’Or, 24 hours’ “human-paced” contest, in which he covered 558.16 miles, “Oppy” also broke the world’s “human-paced records for twenty-four hours* continuous riding, the previous best being 585.7 miles. Not satisfied with this remarkable success, he continued riding until he had covered 1000 kilometres (about 625 miles), breaking the world’s record for this distance by about eight miles. During the past few months Opperman has been engaged at breaking records, and has been successful at every attempt. In an attempt to lower the 100-miles dirt-track record, Opperman was not only successful by lowering the Australian figures by 38min Bsec, but he also broke the world’s record by 23min. Opperman covered the 100 miles in 4hr 39min 34sec. Besides being a brilliant cyclist, Opperman has done much to popularise the sport of cycling by lecturing, and writing articles on how to train, and recounting his experiences. On Saturday night next Opperman will meet Harry Watson, the New Zealand road champion, in a tandem-paced match race over two distances of five miles, four teams of tandems being employed. Other events on the programme Include a series of elimination motor-

paced test races between four riders to decide who will have the honour to meet Hubert Opperman in a three-dis-tance match race behind the rollers on December 23. Motor-paced racing is very spectacular and thrilling. Handicap cycling and running, in which the best talent in the Dominion will participate, will make up an exceptionally line programme. The Woolston Band will render selections from 7.30 p.m., the sports commencing at eight o’clock. Arrangements have been

made by the promoters, the Victorjr Athletic and Cycling Company, to cop# with a record crowd next Saturday.