PHIL O’SHEA BEATS HUBERT OPPERMAN FOR SECOND TIME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18961, 7 January 1930, Page 4

PHIL O’SHEA BEATS HUBERT OPPERMAN FOR SECOND TIME .

Crowd Cheers Frantically As Local Rider Leads Way Home

Staged at English Park last evening, the final of the series of athletic meetings at which Hubert Opperman, the Australian cyclist appeared, was the greatest of the three. A crowd of over 5000 not only had good measure for their money, but also witnessed one of the finest athletic entertainments that has been seen in Christchurch for many years. The final match race between Opperman and P. O’Shea resulted in a triumphant victory for the Christchurch rider, Opperman being beaten in a storing race, every minute of which was intensely exciting. The veteran champion O’Shea, was never seen in better form, and he was accorded generous ap. plause when he rode home a winner in one of the greatest events of his career It was a truly outstanding performance and one that will linger long in the memory of lovers of the cycling sport. In their previous encounters Opperman and O’Shea had divided the honours and this, the third and final match, had been long awaited. For excitement it surpassed, every .other race seen at English Park. Another feature of an exceptionally fine programme was the running of D. M’Lennan, New Zealand sprint champion, who although he ran second in the final of the 120 yards handicap, registered under even time, the winner, A. F. Wright, being inches ahead of M’Lennan in 11 3-ssec M’Lennan’s effort was a remarkably fine one and stands without equal in the history of running in Christchurch. While praise must go to both O Shea and M’Lennan, the performance of Opperman must be described as brilliant. During the evening be won a five-mile motor-paced race against W. Weir (Christchurch), and another of seven miles against the same rider, and concluded the evening with a victory in a five miles invitation scratch race. Counting his match with O’Shea, he rode altogether twenty-two miles at racing speed, a feat that only a champion could perform. Results were as follow: HALF-MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. First heat—J. R- I’Anson (10yds) 1, C. Bright (20yds) 2. Time—6o 4-ssee. Second heat—H. Crofts (65yds) 1, H. Jones (70vds) 2. Time—6osec. Third he at —A. C. Ritchie (scr) 1, S. Arnst (70yds) 2. Time—6o 4-ssec. Fourth heat—C. Bearman (70yds) 1, H. G. Watson (60yds) 2. Time—sß 2-ssec. Final. T’Anson 1 Bearman 2 Ritchie •• • 3 The backmarkers got up and took the lead in the straight for the dash to the tape, I’Anson coming away in an exciting sprint to win by two lengths. Time —59 8-ssec. MOTOR-PACED MATCH RACE. H. Opperman (Australia) ▼. W. Weir (Christchurch). Weir’s pacemaker was slow getting away, and Opperman caught twenty yards at the start. The Australian rider gained steadily over the first mile, while the Christchurch man was not riding in anything like his best form. The gap between the two riders grew less as Opperman gained on his opponent with each circuit of the course. After two miles had been covered, however, Weir settled down and showed some real speed, drawing away slightly, the crowd yelling encouragement. Weir lost his pacemaker in the fourteenth lap, and the Australian again gained ground. With a mile to go Opperman was less than a hundred yards behind Weir, who had again settled down to ride in earnest, but he was obviously outclassed. Opperman rode a splendid race, clinging behind the motor with great skill to win easily. His time was 9min 19sec. SEVEN MILES MOTOR-PACED RACE. Weir had a lead of a chain after the first lap, but with a mile and a half traversed Opperman closed up, only to puncture in the fifth lap. Weir again took the lead after the re-start, but lost his pacemaker after covering nearly two miles, and Opperman shot to the front, quickly placing a quarter of a lap between himself and Weir. The Christchurch rider put himself to to the test, and was on Opperman’s rear wheel after another mile had been covered. He was again forced to drop back through poor combination with his pacemaker. With a mile to go the Christchurch rider closed up, and, although Opperman was not headed off, the finish was exciting. Time—l3min FIVE MILES TANDEM-PACED MATCH RACE, OPPERMAN v. O’SHEA. O’Shea got away smarter than Opperman, but the Australian took the lead after half a lap, the pace being at a fast clip. The positions of the riders changed twice in the fourth lap, but in the fifth O’Shea was leading by more than a length. Settling down In earnest, the riders treated the spectators to some pretty manoeuvring, O’Shea holding the lead. O’Shea slowed the pace down in the seventh lap, but Opper-

man went out to lead by two lengths. O’Shea, however, was not to be outdone, dropping his pacers and hanging on to Opperman’S rear wheel. Opperman had the lead with half the distance covered. O’Shea went up and was leading with eight laps to go. The Australian, however, had a lead of three lengths after the next circuit of the course. A brilliant sprint by O’Shea brought the pair back again on even terms with a mile and three-quarters to go. A brainy piece of riding on the inside of the track saw O’Shea once more in the lead, but Opperman closed up, making the race intensely exciting. O’Shea was in front for the last lap, and his brilliant riding brought the crowd to its feet with a roar of applause, which was sustained as O’Shea rode ahead of the Australian to win by half a length. Time—lOmin 39sec. ONE MILE OPEN HANDICAP— First heat: A. C. Ritchie (scr) 1, C. Bright (20yds) 2, ,T. R. I'Anson (20yds) 3, W. W. Crofts (56yds) 4. Time—2min 8 l-ssec. Second heat: C. Bearman (130yds) 1, W. Blackburn (160yds) 2, T. C. Prestige (160yds) 3, S. A. Jordan (50yds). Time—2min 4sec. Third heat: H. O. Watson (100yds) 1, J. W. Jordan (80yds) 2, H. Crofts (120yds) 3, H. A. Jones (130yds) 4. Time—2min 2sec. Final. Watson 1 Bearman 2 Ritchie 3 Watson rode easily over three laps, coming away in the final circuit to score a popular win by over two lengths. Time —2min 4 3-ssec. FIVE MILES INVITATION SCRATCH RACE— Opperman 1 Weir 2 O’Shea 3 Watson led a field of fourteen starters over the first lap, Opperman riding fourteenth. Fransden shot away from the field in quest of lap money and was successful for four successive laps. Pither was prominent and also picked up a lot of lap money. Opperman moved up to third position in the tenth lap, which was won by Watson. Watson headed the field in the next lap, with Opperman in second place. Jordan and Silvester were leading with a mile and a half to go, Opperman being fourth and O’Shea sixth. With three laps to go, Watson, Jordan and Oppferman were leading. The field had now dwindled down to eight. Ritchie went to the front for the last lap, and a thrilling dash to the finishing line saw Opperman win by a length from Weir, with O’Shea another length away. Time—ll min 24sec. 120TDS FLAT HANDICAP— First heat: D. M’Lennan (scr) 1, J. W. Townsend (10yds) 2. Time—l2seo. Second heat: R. S. Thomson (syds) 1, W. B. Gracie (91yds) 2. Time—ll 4-5 sec. Third heat: R. A. Drury (9yds) I, A. F. Wright (11yds) t. Time—l2 Final. Wright 1 M’Lennan 2 Thomson 3 A great battlte over the last thirty yards saw Wright beat M’Lennan by inches, the scratch man showing great speed to get into second place. T'me—--11 3-ssec. BSO YDS HANDICAP— S. W. Payne (60yds) 1 C. K. Yeatman (10yds) .... 2 T. A. Shalders (30yds) .... 3 Yeatman took the pace from Getson (scr) for over a lap. He moved up at a fast pace, almost overhauling Payne in the straight, but he then slowed down to almost a walk. Time—lmin 59 3-ssec.