Cycling.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 193, 5 April 1894, Page 9

Cycling.

My anticipations for the ’cycle events to be run in connection with the North Shore Athletic Carnival are as follow :— One Mile Novice. —W. W. Phipps, 65yds, 1 ; A. J. Simmelhag, 30yds, 2; P. Smith, scratch, 3.

Two Mile Handicap.—This is certainly a badly framed handicap. In a 1£ mile handicap which Surman won at the Auckland, he gave the following starts : Pilkington, 75yds (unplaced); Henning, 80yds (third). With a half mile further to go. Pilkington is now brought back to 50yds, and Henning to 65yds. A. E. Smith had 70 yards, aud is now on the 160 yards mark, while P. Smith who had 130 yards and failed to get a place, is brought back to 100 yards. The handicapper has evidently got mixed up with the two Smiths. In the previous race Firth had 100 yards and Coubrough 120. Both were unplaced, yet Coubrough is now on the 140 and Firth on the 200yds mark. Simmelhag had 300 yards and was beaten by Surman in 1£ miles, yet he has now only 240 yards in 2 miles. Phipps conceded Patterson 10 yards in 1| miles, both were unplaced, and Phipps has now 30 yards from Patterson. Unless the handicapper rejoices in the possession of some knowledge not generally enjoyed, I fail to see how either Pilkington, Henning, P. Smith or Simmelhag have a possible chance. Surman, Firth or Phipps should win. Five-miles Handicap.—l will select A. E. Smith, 380yds, 1 ; A. F. Firth, 440yds, 2 ; Surman, scratch, 3. The three Auckland cyclists, Messrs. Surman, Pilkington and Henning, who visited Napier to assist at the Autumn Meeting of the Wanderers bicycle sports, have no reason to complain of their trip. In the two-mile scratch event our men filled the three places in the order in which their names are written above. In the one and a half mile handicap, with a start of 50 yards, Pilkington romped home in the fast time of 3min 53sec. It is interesting to note the advantage which a cinder track possesses over a grass track for recording fast times. With a start of 75 yards at the recent Auckland carnival Pilkington was unable to place himself in a “ go” over the same distance, the time being 4min 24 3-ssec. In the five-mile team race (three aside) the Auckland contingent were again successful. Surman finished first, followed by Pilkington and Henning, thus scoring 15 points. Gay, Bissell and Cowell, the Napier representatives, secured second, fourth, and sixth places respectively, and gained 6 points. Surman also started from scratch in the five-mile bicycle handicap (for roadster machines scaling 321 b and over), but could get no nearer than fourth. His time for the complete distance was ismin i7sec.