Cycling.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 198, 10 May 1894, Page 11

Cycling.

All the ’cyle events on Saturday were well contested. The track was of course too ;heavy for anything like good time, and was a greater handicap to wheelmen than runners. Cycling is coming into great favour with those who patronise our amateur meetings, and all that is now required to make the pastime as popular as it is in Southern cities is a good cinder track. Although both cyclists and runners are equally anxious to possess one, and notwithstanding that the Review, in common with the other Auckland journ’als, has been constantly pointing out the necessity of such a track, no action has been taken in the matter. In no city in. New Zealand are athletic sports patronised as in Auckland, and in no city is such poor encouragement offered to raise the standard of athletic performances. <

With the limit start in each event, Allen annexed both the mile contests on Saturday. Allen is the makings of a good rider, and displayed excellent judgment. Coubrough also carried off a double, in the mile combination and cigar and umbrella events. In the former event Coubrough just won after a great finish with Henning. It is a long time since Selby had a win at any of our meetings, and I was pleased to see him get home in the three-mile handicap. Selby is undoubtedly an enthusiastic rider, and it is such men who deserve to win. The Wheelman says “ that Ken Lewis of Christchurch recently did a mile in 2min 18 2-5 secs.” The N.Z. amateur record for this distance is 2min 26 3-ssecs, and is held by A C. Wilmott. At the last meeting of the New Zealand Cyclists’ Alliance the following records were passed : —Three miles : R. Crow, Dunedin; time, 7min 56 2-sth sec. Five miles: R. Crow, Dunedin; time, 12min 43 l-sth sec. Ten miles: R. Crow, Dunedin; time, 26min 49sec. An application for a record of 1 hour 12 minutes 55 l-sth seconds for 25 miles, by T. C. M. Rallinshaw, was held back pending the production of a certificate showing the correctness of the track. Before leaving for home (writes the Naj rier correspondent of the Wheelman) Pilkington, one of the Auckland team, I made two attempts to lower the quartermile record, but unfortunately fell on each occasion. The first trial promised to be a phenomenal one, as he went off at a teriffic bat and quickly overhauled his pacemaker, who he was conceding about 40 yards start, but, just as he got into the straight, his machine flew from beneath him and brought him down a nasty cropper. His pacer continued on, and crossed the line in 35 3-sth sec. Had Pilkington kept up he would have got well inside 35 sec. A similar mishap befel him in his second endeavour, his wheel again turning turtle about 50 yards from the finishing mark. His machine got somewhat twisted, but the rider escaped any serious injury, an at- -

tack of gravel rash being the only result of what might have been somethiner worse. “ Pilkie ” had a host of sympathisers, who regretted his extremely bad luck. The Aucklander made himself exceedingly popular while here, and his efforts at record breaking deserved a better fate. He will, D.V.. of course, be seen at the next championship meeting, and with a little more experience will, I feel certain, make all the present champions go all they know to beat him.