CYCLING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20456, 8 November 1934, Page 11

CYCLING NOTES.

(By

WHEEL.)

Contrary to expectations, a large number of riders turned out for the opening of the amateur track season at the Halswell Domain last Saturday. Some good racing was witnessed, and fast times were registered by the winners in the heats and finals of the quarter-mile and half-mile handicaps. E. A. M’Kaskell, by winning the quartet-mile handicap, lived up to his reputation of being one of the best quarter-milers in Christchurch. As a cash rider M’Kaskell was hard to, beat over this distance. Lack of sufficient training seems to account for his failure in the longer distances. B. Haskins, who was second to M’Kas. well, is shaping well as a track rider. It seems that in Haskins the amateurs have a most promising cyclist. G. R. Giles, riding from scratch, proved that he still reains his track form. He won in the good time of 63sec. His work on the road this season has been disappointing, but it looks as if his track performances will make amends for this. The appeal by W. J. Lamberton against the Prebbleton Cash Cycling Club’s dismissal of bis protest against L. G. Thomas for alleged interference at the finish of the fifty-mile Canterbury road championship held on September 8, will be heard at “a special meeting of the Centre to-night. A meeting will be held at Timaru on January 1 in connection with the South Canterbury Caledonian Society's jubilee celebrations. Invitations are being issued to all cyclists and runners who have competed at the sports, to attend a re-union. Now that there is a lull in racing it would be interesting to see an attempt made to lower the unpaced record from Christchurch to Dunedin. The Christchurch cash rider, L. G. Fleming, recently registered new figures for the distance, the 23S miles being covered in 14 hours 25 minutes. There are several riders who should be capable of lowering Fleming’s figures. In spite of the notification that English Park was opened for training, not one rider, amateur or cash, took advantage of the opportunity to train. It now appears as if the park will not be available for this purpose unless the controlling bodies themselves take it over for the season. Cash cyclists are having a quiet time, there having been no fixtures since the Labour Day sports at Southbridge and Ashbrirton. Several riders have requested the writer to run sweepstake road races each week. Steps have been taken to arrange evening sweepstake races, and the first of the series will be held at Mairehau next Thursday evening. The event will start at 6.15. Cash novice riders will be provided for with weekly road races, the events being open to riders who have not won £2 or over in a cash race on the road or track. The opening race will be held next Thursday at Mairehau. ♦*S «*• •*« The official placings and riding times in the Victorian Centenary Thousand were as follows: Riding time, lirs. min. sec. H. Cruise (Victoria) 53 50 33 1-5 1 H. G. Watson (N.Z.) 54 2 42 3-5 2 R. W. T.amb (Vic.) 54 7 20 1-5 3 R. Arnott (Victoria) 54 8 14 4 N. Bosari (Italy) .. 54 19 27 2-5 5 A. X. Ralston (Dunedin) finished twentieth in the championship, his time being 56hrs 29min 33 4-ssee. The other New Zealander in the race. L. W. Hill (Christchurch) was forced to retire through a spill. The Avon Amateur Cycling Club will hold two track races at Prebbleton on Saturday afternoon, a half-mile and oneTn a recent article in the “ Sporting Globe,” Hubert Opperman, the wellknown Australian cyclist, severely criticised the Victorian Centenary Thousand. He stated that the race was a “ muddle from start to finish,’’ and that indications pointed to the fact that whilst riders were prepared to do their bit, were prepared to train, and to sacrifice, and to meet any conditions which might eventuate, the men they had empowered to control their spoi t were not handling their side of it as they should. “ I do not write this in a happy state of mind, for it is unpleasant to think that the wonderful opportunity which was given by the Centenary race to push the wheel sport further along the road of progress was not of value,” wrote Opperman. “ The inter-State and overseas riders and visiting officials were bitterly disappointed and will go back to their own centres again with the feeling that Victoria, regarded as the Mecca of the road game, has fallon from its lofty estate. The League of Victorian Wheelmen definitely fell down on its job. The inconsistency of the»r interpretation of the rules was something which shook the confidence of the riders in their decisions. Their attitude towards the visitors was astounding, and I take back my oft-reiterated statement that sport is the best link of friendship between all nations, after witnessing the manner in which Mithouard, Bosari and Chocque were treated.” Opperman then went on to quote several alleged glaring cases of inconsistency by the officials in giving decisions and interpreting the rules. Some of the inconsistencies quoted by Dpperman are as follows: Harry Woolrich finished the last seven miles of the stage to Bendigo in a truck and was allowed by the officials to continue the following day. Ern Milliken, after being left stranded without tyres on the Buffalo climb, was brought to the Chalet by motor-cycle and was not allowed to take his place amongst the starters on Friday. “ In all my experience of cycle racing,” wrote Opperman, “ I have never before this been asked, when seeking my placing in a bunch from the ludges, 4 Whose wheel did you finish on?’ ’Who was ahead of you?’ and finding that they had absolutely no idea of the general placings. The organisation on the Mount Hothani stage was woeful.” The handicapping system was also criticised by Opperman. who stated that the system was faulty, proved by the fact that C grade on two occasions secured the fastest time and B grade, who should have been speedier, seldom overtook or bettered the time of this strong bunch. FIXTURES. November 15—Sweepstake race, MaireDecember I —Rakaia sports. December 26—Oxford sports. December 26—Doyleston sports. December 26—Temuka sports. , January I—Dunsandel sports. January I—Timaru sports, j January 2—Cheviot sports. Amateur. November 15—Technical Club’s race, Knsor’s Rond. December 26—Halswell sports. Novice. November 15—Cash novice race, Mairehau.