CYCLING NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20509, 10 January 1935, Page 14

CYCLING NOTES.

(By

"WHEEL."

Now that the holiday fixtures are over, the majority of amateur and cash riders are having a spell a strenuous week. Good racing was a feature of the * sports meetings held by both codes, \ and the standard, generally, was high. 1 Although there were not many backmarkers, several of this contingent com- ‘ pared favourably with the best riders of ' past years. During ' the past season, a great in- . crease in the number of amateur riders ‘ was witnessed, due largely to the recruiting officers of the clubs in the vicinity of the city. In addition, a certain amount of rivalry between ama- i teur clubs had the effect of substantial- , ly increasing the membership. The amateur sport was more liberally j catered for than was the case with the cash code, a series of weekly road races having been held throughout the winter months. During the summer, track meetings were held at regular intervals, and brought out several promising The amateur ranks were greatly increased by the conducting of novice road races. Three novice clubs operated in Christchurch during the past season and staged successful events. One novice club, with a membership of about forty, joined up with the Amateur < Centre. These clv*bs proved to be an ideal recruiting ground for the centre. The cash centre, by not catering for beginners, has not progressed to the same extent as the amateurs. The novice clubs, which are composed of neutral riders, are being formed and sponsored by cash officials, yet only a handful register as cash riders. Unless the matter of bringing out new riders is taken up seriously by the cash authorities in the near future, this sport will suffer. Apart from the big championship road races during the winter months, the cash riders were more or less neglected. Sweepstake road races held weekly attracted good nominations and the. riders agree that these events did a great deal of good as training rides. Those who competed in the sweepstake races were not penalised for wins. The outstanding amateur riders during the past year were:—F. J. Grose,. G. R. Giles, R. B. Blakeway, E. W. Stevens and A. N. Shulz. The best cash riders were:—W. Good, H. J. Smither, R. S. Weir. B. Pither, B. G. Thomas and S. W. Weir. It is generally acknowledged that Christchurch cyclists would hold their own with any track riders in the DoThe standard of racing at the Prebbleton Amateur Sports Club’s annual meeing was high. Good times were registered. The back-maikdrs were given a hard task and were successful in the two-mile race only, which was won by E. W. Stevens (scr). Stevens has been riding consistently. He is capable, rides with good judgment, and has a useful finishing sprint. D. Wild, winner of the one-mile handicap, made full ue of a liberal start. It was one of his best efforts. In winning the half-mile handicap, M. Hegarty gave a good exhibition and finished with a sprint worthy of a much more experienced rider. Frank Grose did not show up to advantage, his best effort being third in the one-mile handicap. He appears to be much more at home on the asphalt. With a meeting to be held at Cust on Easter Saturday, and the Kowai Club’s fixture at Sefton on Easter Mondav, cash riders are well catered for locallv. and the majority will compete here instead of going to the southern meetings. An evening track meeting will be held at Papanui Domain on Monday. January 14, by the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club. Racing will start at 6.30. B. J. Scuffle, who won the three-mile handicap in slow time at the Cheviot sports, has not yet recovered his form of a few years ago when he was a popular figure on the English Park track. j.j • Hubert Turtill (Greymouth). who is now in Melbourne, has been riding particularly well. Recently he won a fivemile scratch race in good style from F. W. Stuart. Jack Fitzgerald being third. Ben Hill had a puncture when in a liandv position. Bater on at the same meeting Turtill, with the other riders in a one-mile handicap, was called off. but in the re-run. was just beaten hv inches for first place in one of the best finishes of the day. Fernand Mithouard, the popular French cyclist, who competed in the Victorian Centenary Thousand and who has returned to France to fulfil engagements, thinks that Australia will have to apply Continental methods to track and road events if it hopes to keen abreast of the times. Mithouard said that the recent Centenary Cycling Derby proved beyond question that this popular type of race had a distinct public anneal and that the time was opportune for build- — ing a modern cveling track, preferably a six-lap board structure. He also nationaf talent \vas° necessary. Cycling in Timaru is well supported by cash riders. A series of road races held recently attracted big fields. The outstanding rider is K. J. Sparks.