CYCLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 14

CYCLING

ON TRACK AND ROAD

BY *

" WHEEL "

FIXTURES. November 29—Rakaia Sports (cash). November 29—Derby Road Race, Halswell. „ December 6—Amateur Sports, Papanui. December 26—HalsWell Sports (amateur). , * December 26—Oxford Sports (cash). December 26—Doyleston Sports (cash). December 26—Temuka Sports (cash). Decerpber 27—Springfiteld Sports (amaJanuary i—Dunsandel Sports (cash). January I—Oamaru Sports (cash) January 1 and 2—Tiniaru Sports (cash and amateur). January 2—Prebbleton Sports (amateur). Rakaia Sports. The Rakaia Sports will take place next Saturday, at Rakaia. A good entry lias been received, the bulk of the •Christchurch track riders having nominated. L W. Hill and A. C. Ritchie are on the scratch mark, and other prominent backmarkers include A. E. Frandsen, L. Pither, W. T. Weir, W. .T. Lamberton, and R. S. Weir. There are four open races on the programme, and the racin ß should bte of an interesting nature. The big race, the two miles Rakaia Wheel Race, has attracted a big field and will be decided in two heats. Oxford Sports. The programme has been issued for the Oxford Sports, which are to be decided on Boxing Day, in the Domain. The following cycling events are included on the programme: One mile, boys under sixteen Fears (district), £1; one mile district handicap, £3; boys cycle race, ten years and under, trophies; one mile open handicap, £4; two miles dicap, open, £8; three miles handicap, open, £5 10s; one mile championship of Canterbury, blue ribbon and £o; halfmile ladies’ handicap, district, trophies, half-mile open handicap, £•» h>s, tricycle race, under ten years, trophies. Jottings. A meeting will be held at Sefton next Tuesday for the purpose of reviving the sports meeting which for some years had been conducted on Faster Monday by the Kowai Athletic Sports dub The convenor of the meeting is Mr J. Fi zPatrick, of Balcairn. Delegates front the North Canterbury Centre of the Ney. Zealand Athletic and Cycling union vun attend. „ During the past few week’s a rumour lias been current In the city to that the St Patrick s Sports Association did not intend to hold their annual sports this year. A prominent official of the association has given this report. his emphatic denial. This official states tint there is a possibility of the sports hell at Lancaster Park this year. Koadsidins on Saturday nights is the factor which is troubling the association this season. „ Next Saturday the Christchurch Cycling ‘and Athletic Club will hold a road “V* for boys under the age of sixteen veirs The race will be decided over a six and a half miles course starting at Ihe Hal swell Hotel at —oo p.m. The entry is free, and entries will be received up to the time of starting. Trophies will be Driven as prizes. As the race is an open on*, any boy under the age of sixteen years may ride. Sport Becoming More Popular. Cvclc racing is becoming more popular each week. In the two races which were run l>v the Lyttelton Cycling Club on Saturday afternoon no fewer than fortyfive riders faced the starter. Boys from the age of ten years and upwards took part in the races. . The race from Lyttelton to Rapnki niicl return, open to boys under the age of sixteen years, was won by W. M’Dorial d ( 4min > from H. Smithers (scr). I M’Dona Id's time was 25min 12sec, and Smithers registered 21 min 40sec.

In the senior riders’ races over a twenty-four mile course, from Lyttelton to Teddington and return, J. Hughes (Smin) won easily from N. Steel (smin). The scratch man, F. Hart, rode a great unpaced race, finishing third after puncturing. The winner’s time was lhr 19min 40sec, and Hart recorded lhr 13min 6sec. Hart registered a remarkably fine performance, stamping him as a rider above the average. Notes. On Saturday, December 6, at the Papanui Domain, the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association will hold an afternoon sports meeting. The following cycling events are included on the programme:—Halfmile handicap, one-mile handicap, two miles scratch race, half-mile under sixteen years. The entry fees are Is for each event, and the nominations close with the secretary, Mr G. L. Austin, next Saturday, at noon. The first event will be run off at 2.30 p.m. A working bee has been organised for next Saturday to put the ’ground in good order for the sports. Frank Grose, the amateur champion rider, has been invited to New Plymouth. A new ground is to be opened on Boxing Day, and Grose will appear in the cycling events. The prospects for a successful cycling club at New Brighton look very bright. A meeting held last Tuesday night to consider the formation of a club was attended by over fifty. Those present were full of enthusiasm, and the outcome should be a strong club with a big membership. The decision nut to affiliate with the New Brighton Athletic Club was a wise move, as the club should be strong in itself. The club will eventually affiliate with the ‘New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, and in th,meantime will hold races for unattached riders. Cash cyclists are taking an interest J.'i the newly-formed clubs. Phil O’Shea was present at Lyttelton on Saturday, and presented the prizes to the winners. L. W. Hill was present at the New Brighton meeting on Tuesday. Hubert Opperman, riding on the Melbourne Motordrome track, rode like a champion and defeated the Frenchman. .Jean Bidot, in two of the three heats of a motor-paced race, and took the LonOnly eighteen riders started in the "Tour de Tasmania” road race, which was decided in three stages. The first stage was from Launceston to Burnie (91 miles), Burnie to Launceston (91 miles), Launceston to Hobart (121 miles). The contestants include Jean Bidot, Josef Mauclair, 11. Opperman and O. Nicholson. Several cash riders -are reported to be taking part in unregistered road races. These riders are running the risk of disqualification. The payment of a small permit fee to the Centre would put the promoters and competitors on side.