CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 173, 23 July 1931, Page 14

CYCLING ON TRACK AND ROAD

mrußßs. July 25 Christchurch Club’s road race, Hllswell. July 25—Papanul Club’a road race. July 23—Unregistered road race, Kiccaiton. August I—Mairehau Club's road race. September U—Southbridge road race. September 26— ** Hound the Gorges ” road race. October 3—Walmata to Chrlatnharch 1 road race. I>ytt«ltozx Clah’s R&c*. The Lyttelton Cash Cycling Club’s first open road race, held on Saturday afternoon. was a success. The course was a difficult one, being an out and home trip over hilly roads, the bends rot being too good owing to loose metal. Several of the prominent back-markers were out early, Ritchie, starting from tho lmin mark, puncturing. R. S. Weir, and W. J. I .am barton also retired. Hiding off me limit, W. Butcher (Lyttelton) rode vf*:i to finish fast in front «rf L. E. Pcuison. Butcher, whose brother recently won a race at Mairehau. was evidently at home or. the course. Ho rode well to keep in the lead from start to finish.

L. It. Poulsen, second place, comes from Heathcote Valley. He has not raced for nearly two years, when he met with little success on the road. Poulsen intends to get fit again for the Waimate to Christchurch event and will His brother is also taking up the sport. H. J. Crofts, third place and fastest time, continues to ride in splendid form and can r.ow be regarded as a scratch man in the coming big road races. On his present form, Crofts is outstanding and is one of the best road riders at present competing in the Dominion. Good Performances. Good performances wore put up by the unregistered riders in the twenty-five-mile road race last Saturday. One of the limit riders, S. Kelly, starting off the Timin mark, led throughout to win comfortably. Kelly has had several starts this season, riding off a big mark, without much success. He proved his worth in no uncertain manner by riding C\ M’Oregor, second place, has also gained valuable experience by riding in the unregistered riders’ races. TJp to the present he has been fairly success-

ful, having finished well up on more than one occasion. • G. GlUbb, third place, has had numerous starts in unregistered races, and lias met with a fair share of success. This sturdy competitor rides a good hard race from start to finish. S. North, who finished fifth and secured fastest time, has shown improved form over the past three weeks, having gained fastest time honours on two successive occasidns. A few weeks a£to North was riding from a middle mark, but his splendid showing has brought him back to the scratch mark. The time recorded by North for the twentyfive miles was fast, 65min 43sec. Many Retirements. The Halswell Club’s road race on Saturday afternoon was again conducted by the Papanul officials. The high wind and the block course were responsible for a large number of retirements, and as each of the live laps was completed the field gradually decreased. Only eight out of the thirty-two riders completed the full course. W. Sparks, tho winner, has been a consistent, trier this season, having started in several amateur road races without securing a win. He proved his worth on Saturday, in spite of the weather conditions, and it will not be surprising to see him figuring prominently in future races.

J. IT. Kiernan, second place, has gradually worked out to the front, starting in the race on the 9min mark. He made full use of his handicap and was unlucky in meeting Sparks in the final sprint. G. It. Giles, third place and fastest time, is keeping up to his reputation as a good road rider. He has ridden particularly well so far this season, having gained fastest time honours on a previous occasion. Although he finishes his races with great dash, his chief fault lies in the fact that when out in the front he only gives a short lap. W. G. Hughey, the big amateur rider, whose recent performance earned him the right to go on the scratch mark, did not ride as well as anticipated and was dropped by his co-markers in the first six miles. F. J. Grose started in the race and showed a great improvement on his previous form, completing the full course and finishing less than a second behind Giles, who gained fastest time. The table below gives an interesting comparison of the riding times as registered by tho winner, W. Sparks (smm) and that recorded by G. R. Giles (scr), who secured fastest time. The race was held over a thirty-one-mile course, a block of approximately six miles being negotiated five times. First lap 17 14 15 Second lap 38 14 J < ~ J Third lap ........ 17 35? It 16 Fourth lap IS 2l* 17 -9 Fifth lap 19 11 1 * b

Total time .. 90 46 S 5 45 Sparks rode the last two laps unpaced. STotes. The annual “ Round the Gorges ” road race, which will again be conducted bv the Papanui Amateur Sports Club, will be held on September 25. M. F. Pearl, A. L. Stevens and S. Campbell, who were disqualified for four weeks, will be free to race again next Saturday, their term of suspension having expired. The amateur race next Saturday will again be conducted by the Papanui Amateur Sports Club. The event will start at Papanui. the course being to Woodend, Ftangiora and back to Papanui, a total distance of thirty-five miles. Clarrie Bright, the well known track and road rider, is getting ready for the road again and will be a starter in road races shortly. Bright rode well in the Timaru to Christchurch race in 1925, when he dead heated with A. C. Walker for first place. Miss Lily Ford, a well-known cycling supporter, is. to attempt to create a Christchurch to Timaru record on October 2. the day before the Waiinate to Christchurch race. :: :: Tj. (Gordon) Lttkey, who joined the cash ranks last season, has not yet com menced training. Early last season, Lukoy was a prominent scratch man in longdistance amateur events. He intends to take part in the 'Waimate to Christchurch road race. The unregistered riders* road race next Saturday will start at Church Corner. Hlccarton, tho course being to Rolleston and return. The adjourned public meeting of those interested in the Waimate to Christchurch race will be held on August 5. The dance which is being organised by Mr P.. Stillwell, in aid of the Waimate to Christchurch race, will be held in the Ferry Hoad Hall next Wednesday. The Christchurch Cycling and Athletic Cluo will hold a twenty-five miles road race next Saturday afternoon at Halswell. The race will start at the .Timction Hotel, Halswell, at 2.45. The registered numbers provided bv the centre will be used in this race. Entries have been extended until to-night. At the last meeting of the North Canterbury Centre, it was decided to

again adopt the system of registered numbers for cyclists. The numbers, winch will be Worn in all road races conducted by the centre, mav be obtained from the secretarv, Mr P. C. Lucas.