CYCLING.

Waikato Times, Issue 12445, 30 November 1912, Page 3

CYCLING.

Frank Kramer, the world's champion racing cyclist, has tinally signed to ride in Paris 'during the winter months. Kramer will make his fi-st appearance at the indoor track, Paris or. January 12th, and will ride his last race March 31st, returning for the American season, which opens in April * * * * It is also announced that the Australians, A. Grenda, E.Pye,, P. HehiT, G. Walker, have "signed on" to compete in the annual New York 6days bicycle .race to be neld from December 9th to 14th, so that :t is hardly likely that these riders will be seen in Australia this season. * * * * *Messsrs W. Storey and C. S. Olancey. two American motor cyclists., have set out from Philadelphia with the aim of making a complete round of the world in a year. Their route will intip.de fourteen European countries, one African and four Asiatic, besides including the Philippines, Hawaii, and a new route back across the United States. Their mileage will be 5500 miles in Europe, 400 in Africa, SCOO in Asia, and 3(500 in America, making a total of nearly 14,000 miles by land besides 15,000 by water, all to be covered in one year. * » * * A. T. Goullett, \tbe Australian rider, finished up the season at Salt Lake City in fine style. With Clark, Helier and Walker, he finished first in the team race, Australia v. America,, and then won the one and three miles handicaps from scratch. In the first event Goullett set up a world's competition mile record of 1 min 47 3-i sec.?. He is due to race in Paris very shortly. * * * \ '* An ocean to ocean motor cycle relay ride across the American Continent was held last month. The 4000 odd miles of country between New York and San Diego (California) w£,s divided into sections of about 100 miles each, over which three motor cyclists had to race with a leather wallet containing a message from the American War Department. Day and night, wet or fine, the chain of motor cyclists had to proceed across the United States. The vent attracted considerable ininterest in America, special permits being granted along the route to enable fast times to be negotiated. There is little doubt that the idea of this big relay ride emanated from the successful event .organised on similar lines by the Dunlop Rubber Co. from Adelaide to Sydney last April. At the time the American Press gave considerable publicity to the Australian event. The average speeds recorded by the three divisions in this ride—cyclists, mo-tor-cyclists, and carists being pitted against each other, over the 1149 miles course—were cyclists 1&§ miles per hour ; motor cyclists 22 1-6 miles per hour, and carists 24 miles per hour. The weather conditions for the Adelaide-Sydney event could hardly have been worse, heavy rain falling along most of the route. ' It will interesting to see how the average apeed of the American motor cyclists will compare with that established in Australiaf The result of the American Trans-contin-ental Relay Ride should be to hand by the next mail. * * * * The Bendigo-Melbjourne road race, the last important event of the Australasian road racing season, was held recently, and was a big success in every way. Prizes, to the value of £2OO were donated for the event, which drew a big acceptance, of which 120 riders faced the starter. The weather was cool with a strong 'head wind, which militated against fast times being recorded. The contest resulted in a magnificent finish—l". W. Savage «(32mins) just winning on the poet by a wheel from K. Bacon (29mins), with P. Tieraey (S2mins) third. The winner's time for the 90 miles was shrs 20mins lCsecs. Don Kirkham fscrl again demonstrated what a fine rider e _ is by recording fastest time, covering tae course, which wa.s heavy

after rain, in shrs l'smin-s 43secs. Dunlop tyres carried off the prize honors, including the first four men and fastest time. The course was patrolled by a corps* of motor cyclists, to guard against riders receiving outside pace.