CYCLING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20361, 19 July 1934, Page 15

CYCLING NOTES.

BY

** WHEEL.” |

The strength of the amateurs in Christchurch was demonstrated in no uncertain fashion last Saturday when «H« nt 4 y " three riders —the largest field H 1 aa amateur contest for some the starter. The race was t & - a obtain extent by a scries ac is ,dents which, no doubt, affected th S,, chances . °f several riders. The handicapper over-estimated the powers of the scratch men, who were hopelessly out of the handicap. A featlie eve i lt J^ as t,le exceptionally **®t tune recorded by the back-markers. Hiding with a favourable wind on the ??Pfr rete ., they registered a speed of thirty miles an hour.

The first and second places in the handicap were mie.l by ex-cash riders. A - M Kaskell. first place, has been riding tor several years, his chief success being second place in the 1927 Timaru to Christchurch. Although he is not a strong rider M'Kaskell has a useful finishing sprint. C. M'Alister, second place, also rode a good race. He has not had the racing experience of M’Kaskell, but has proved himself a capable rider. M'Alister gained experience as a novice, after riding as an amateur.

- P. Berry, third place, has not had a great deal of experience. Although he found , *\, is co-markers, M’Alister and M Kaskell, too good for him, Berry gave a good account of himself. He shows promise of, developing into a useful rider.

K. Karaitiana, who continues to show good form, could not “ foot it ” with the placed men in the final sprint. J. C. Murray won both junior and senior championships. He rode splendidlj*. finishing his ride with the sprint of a champion. Murray is without doubt a rjder above the average. J. L. Richards, second fastest time, was expected to ride a good race and to he well up at the finish. Unless he can improve his finishing sprint he cannot be expected to win road championships. Brake, who gained second fastest time in the junior championship, has shown consistent form. Riding from the 1 min mark, he gave a particularly fine performance.

Cash cyclists are slow in coming out this season. The Mairehau Sports Club received little support for its opening race last Saturday, only sixteen competitors putting in an appearance. The back-markers showed good form and gavr* a good exhibition. They were onlv beaten by two riders. L. W. Hill W Good. H. Smither and R. S. Weir teamed well together and fought out the final sprint.

J. H. Xewiove thoroughly deserved his win. It was his second appearance in an open road race and lie showed that he had put in some solid training. Newlove rode in from Dunsandel for the race and returned on his cycle. He made his first appearance in open company on tlie track at Dunsandel on January l, when his riding created a good impression. , T. Darling found the winner too good for him in the final stages. Darling and Newlove teamed well throughout. Jf keenness counts. Darling should have a successful future. .. L * Rill, third place and fastest time, rode a really brilliant race. He did not leave the issue long in doubt, wining the final sprint decisively. Hill leaves for Australia next month. He should nold hts own against the best Australian riders in the shorter distance road events. H. Smither made his first appearance on the scratch mark in an open road race, and his performance fully justified the confidence placed in him. It will not be surprising to see him win road championship honours this season. Ron Weir, who did not. ride Impressively, does not appear to be fit yet. j; j,* Judging by the poor support accorded novice races recently, it appears as if the promoters of these contests would be justified in giving the riders a spell. Last Saturday’s field was larger than has been the case in previous races, hut unless more novices are forthcoming it would be better to drop the races for a few weeks. K. Shanks, who gained fastest time, is an outstanding novice. These races have done a great deal to improve his work. A. Brough, the winner, riding from the limit, led for the whole distance. He is a newcomer and hi§ splendid effort ranks him as a most promising cyclist. M. C ox. second place, i* also a beginner. He teamed well with Brough, but found the latter too strong for him in the sprint. v Judging from the number of riders on the rounfrv roads, prospects for the coming road season appear bright.

J. W. Jordan, who rode successfully on the road two or three years ago, is again getting fit for the long-distance road races. He has put in some longdistance training and recently showed good form over the trip to Ashburton and return. Jordan Is being trained by his brother, Sid. Centenary Thousand. The Centenary Thousand, which is to be held in October over a course of nearly 1100 miles around Victoria, and in which the Dominion will be represented by a team of riders, is; to be run under a new system, a group handicap, the prizes for which total £1342. The mode of conducting will be as follows: The field will be divided into four groups, which will be termed A (scr), class B, class C and class D, The scratch group will comprise first-class men only and will concede starts of so many minutes daily to each group, the B, C and D groups each receiving starts. The groups to start en bloc. The scratch group is expected to comprise fifteen Australians and New Zealanders and some visiting riders.

The race will be in the nature of a pursuit event, as in each of the seven stages each group will endeavour to overtake those in front. The winner of a stage will receive a cash prize of from £3O to £SO. Points for each day’s racing will be allotted as follows: First 130, second 120, third 310, fourth 100, fifth 99. sixth 98. The rider scoring the highest aggregate points for the full course will be the winner of ■ the handicap section, for which the first prize is £SOO. The championship section will be won by the rider from any group establish- [ in<y fastest aggregate time for the fvll course, the prize for which is £SOO and 1 a gold cup (value £105), provided he does not win first prize. A really outstanding winning performance will probably return the champion over £IOOO. A ! sum of £250 will be given in daily group prizes, the amount to be spread 1 over seven days. Each rider who com- • pletes any daily stage within a liberal time limit and does not win a £1 prize • will receive a bQnus of 10s. riXTumjß. July 21—Cash road race, Mairehau. July 21—Kaiapoi amateur road race. July 21—New Brighton and Avon inter-club race. | July 28—Amateur road race, llangiSeptember I—Seventy-mile amateur September 15—“ Round the Gorges” October 20—Wellington - Palmerston amateur race. October 20-27—Victorian Centenary Thousand. SUSPENSION LIFTED. Criticism of Cycling Centre’s Action. The action of the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Athletic, Cycling and Axemen’s Union in lifting a rider's suspension within a few weeks of its imposition was criticised by Mr G. Henderson at a meeting of the centre last evening. He said that he was growing tired of belonging to a centre that was making itself a laughing stock through its policy in regard to suspensions. After the Cheviot meeting two riders had been suspended, one man being told to stand aside for nine months: but at the previous meeting of the centre his application to have the suspension lifted had been upheld. Now the other man was reported to be making a similar request. That was only to be expected. The centre would have to stick to its decisions or the sport would quickly deteriorate. .Mr C. Bright said that the centre, by its action in imposing a suspension for a definite period and then lifting it. showed itself to be weak-kneed. The rider in question was guilty of a serious breach. Suspensions should be made to run their full terms. Mr J. Smith said that he had moved the lifting of one of the suspensions, and in fairness to the other rider he would move that his suspension be also 1 if te.d. Mr Henderson rose to a point of order that there was no correspondence regarding the subject before the meeting. The secretar y (Mr P. C. Lucas): I have the letter in my car downstairs. It’s only an oversight that it is not here. Mr Walter: Mr Henderson is right. We have nothing official before us. Mr Smith then gave notice to move i at the next meeting that the suspension i of the rider in question should be lifted. =====