CYCLING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 156, 4 July 1934, Page 5

CYCLING

i WANGANUI ROAD AMATEURS

NOTES AND COMMENTS. T. Pidwcll is the most improved rider tho club has produced this season, having struck form in no uncertain manner, as is shown by his performance on Saturday. Riding from the 1.40 minute mark he had the race well in hand on reach Sparrow Clilf on the second lap. His ability to take good, fast, hard laps stood him in good stead, and he never even looked like being lieaded off at any stage in tho race. When fit and well he is a model of consistency, although at the beginning of the season his chances of striking form seemed to bo hopeless owing to complete lack of training during the summer months. L. Sullivan, who finished second, rode with T. Pidwell throughout the entire journey and demonstrated his ability to ride from a back mark. If this rider still continues in the same manner as he lias done duri'ig his first season at pedalling, he will soon find himself on scratch as Lis name has been in prominence in almost every C. LoVcridge rode his best race to date. Despite the fact that he was caught by T. Pidwell and L. Sullivan seven miles from home he refused to be shaken off and finished with them only being beaten in the snrint because of lack of experience. This rider has a long wav to go, being only a junior, yet he can hold his own with some of the older members of the club. R. Orlowski found his gear too small Io cope with the larger gears of his comarkers when the back wind was reached across the Kaimatira Road, being the first to retire In tho race. L. Anderson should l>c on scratch as :t, is only for the lack of a good comarker Io produce a fastest time-get-ter. His ability to ride with the scratch men was demonstrated, after they caught him. by taking his share of the pace-making oi the way home. He was only headed off in the sprint by the narrowest of margins. W. Pidwell and G. Constantino, off scratch, each rode a hard race, all but riding through the field, Pidwell finishing in fourth place. Constantine displayed complete lack of judgment in the sprint when he was left at the start bv three lengths, Pidwcll stalling off his challenge a few yards from the line to win by half a wheel in a well-judged effort. L. Gcorgetti roue himself to a standstill in his effort to keep a wav from tho scratch men, being finally obliged to retire. M. Walsh suffered a bad spell in the first lap but recovered in tho. second. Knging on to the uOscc. bunch for the best part, of eight miles. Tho detailed results are as follow: T. Bidwell, lmin. 4050 c.. 1: L. Sullivan, Irnin. 40sec., 2; C. Loveridge, 4mins., Fastest times arc:—W. Pidwell > scr.) 44.54, 1; G. Constanein (scr.), 44.54 1-5, 2; L. Anderson (50sec.), 54.44, 3. The conditions were the w-orst encountered for the last few seasons. A cold south wind and hail falling most of the time combined with the very slushy state of the road to make conditions decidedly unpleasant. It. says much for the sport, when nearly the entire club turned out for a race that could hardly be termed enjoyable. The rest, of the series nf teams races will be held on Saturdav afternoon, starting from the Royal Hotel at 2.30 p.m. Members of the club will regret to learn of J. Wade’s mishap when playing soccer and sincerely hope for bis speedy recovery.

the English athlete, who holds the world and Olympic record of 1 min. 49 7-10 seconds'for 800 metres. As the two local clubs expect to be rep rose nt cl at the Otago crosscountry championships on August 11, the Invercargill Club in the senior and St. Paul’s Club in the senior and junior events, it is interesting to note tnnt the course will be that used for the New Zealand cross-country championship of miles, the junior event being over one lap, a distance of just over three miles. The Otago centre has not found tlic fixing of a date for tho New Zealand cross-country championship an easy matter. The rules stipulate that it should be held on the last Saturday m August or the first Saturday in September, and the race was originally set down for August 25, which was approved by the New Zealand Council. It wns found, however, that this date clashed with the Otago-Southland Rugby match, and the New Zealand Council approved of the race nwng held on September 1. The centre, however, is unable to secure tho course at Wingatui on September I, and has now mane a request to the council for the race to he held on August 18. In view of all the circumstances, the council may see fit to waive the formalities and let the race be run on a date on which there would be no counter-attractions. A committee has been sot up by tho Otago Centre to make the arrangements for the championship race, and was to moot on July 2 to complete matters. It has been suggested that on the occasion of the New Zealand cro.-s--country championship, a one and aquarter mile handicap should be decided at Wingatui. as was done in 1929, when tb big event was last staged hero, and the Harrier Subjoinmittee is to consider this proposal.