All-round Sport.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 283, 26 December 1895, Page 4

All-round Sport.

[By

Vigilant.)

ATHLETICS, Etc. THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. The following are the entries for the various events to be decided at the New Zealand championship gathering to-day (Saturday)/ to which I have appended my anticipations :— 100 Yards Handicap. —A. J. Patrick, J. H, Hempton, Wellington ; A. Jones, Auckland; W. Hayward, H. H. Piercy, E. A. Robinson, L. W. Harley, W. Balch, L. Broad, Canterbury; W. F. Kingston, Dunedin ; Mowbray, West Coast. The Wellington crack, Hempton, should win if well, with Patrick next best. 250 Yards Flat.—-L. Broad, E. A. Robinson, H. M. Reeves, W. Balch, Canterbury ; Mowbray, West Coast; W. F. Kingston, Dunedin; A. Jones, Auckland; A. J. Patrick, D. L. Brown, Wellington. Broad, Reeves, Balch, and Jones read best, and for two I take the Aucklander and Reeves. 440 Yards Flat.—W. A. Low, Dunedin ; T. Roberts, Auckland; J. D. Thompson, Nelson; A. M. Stuart, Wellington ; J. F. Grierson, H. M. Reeves, K. Bassett, W. Balch, Canterbury. W. A. Low, of Dunedin, should account for this race, with Reeves, the old Canterbury runner, close up if in form. 880 Yards. —W. A. Low, Dunedin ; A. M. Stuart, Wellington ; AY. F. Grierson, D. Wood, C. R. Clark, K. Bassett, Canterbury. Low should place another winning bracket to his credit in this event, with D. Woods as his closest companion. One Mile. —A. Davis, M. O’Connor, Auckland; S. Hawthorne, A. W. Bell, Wellington ; D. Wood, C. R. Clark, W. J, Piercy, H. W. Thomas, Canterbury ; W. F. Bennett, Dunedin. O’Connor, Davis, Wood, and Piercy are .the pick of the bunch, and I take O’Connor to win. Three Miles.—A. W. Bell, S. HawtbcfTne, Wellington; D. Wood, AV. J. Piercy, H. W. Thomas, Canterbury; AY. F. Bennett, Dunedin; A. Davis, M. O’Connor, Auckland. This should produce a good race between Bell, Hawthorne, Davis, and O’Connor, with Hawthorne for choice, O’Connor next. One Mile Walk —A. Brady, F. 11. Creamer, Auckland ; G. W. Smithson, Canterbury ; J. Maxwell, Dunedin. Our mile champion has not been able to obtain leave, though I think we can safely rely on Creamer to carry off first honours. Three Mile Walk. — Creamer, Auckland ; Smithson, Canterbury, Maxwell, Dunedin. This is the best of good things for the Aucklander, who should find no difficulty in disposing of the two southrons. 120Yds Hurdles.—W. H. Martin, T. Roberts, Auckland; H. S. Bailey, Wanganui ; R. Cole, Gisborne; H. H. Piercy, J. Moir, F. S. Harley, Canterbury. W. H. Martin should repeat last year’s performance, with T. Roberts and Moir, of Canterbury, as his nearest companions. 440Yds Hurdles.—F. 11. Harley, Wellington ; W. H. Martin, T. Roberts, Auckland; J. Moir, F. S. Harley, H. Wilkinson, Canterbury; P. Macassey, Dunedin. AH going well I cannot see anything to beat the Australasian record holder, Roberts, who should be followed closely by AY. H. Martin, with J. Moir third. Long Jump.—J. L. Ryan, Hawke’s Bay ; F. Brown, R. Gore, AVellington ; H. H. Piercy, J. Moir, L. A. Cuff, Canterbury ; P. S. K. Macassey, Dunedin. The Long Jump does not contain a particularly brilliant lot, but of those engaged I like best R. Gore, of Wellington. • igh Jump. —H. S. Bailey, H. L. Kingsley, AV anganui; P. J. Brown, D. AV. Westenra, Canterbury ; F. E. Johnstone, Dunedin. For this event I like best H. S. Bailey and P. J. Brown. Pole Jump. —H. L. Kingsley, Wanganui ; R, Hunter, Nelson. Hunter, who recently established a record of 10ft 6 3-Bin, should account for this, though Kingsley may be depended upon to give a good account of himself. Putting the Weight—C. Louisson, P. J. Brown, Canterbury ; W. C. Rhodes, Wellington. Rhodes must be about the hardest man to beat. Throwing the Hammer. —C. Louisson, J. F. Wachsmann, and P. J. Brown, Canterbury; W. C. Rhodes, Wellington. This; contest contains a poor lot, the best of whom is Rhodes.

Tlift, Athletic Club were favoured with feather for the sixth, carnival oL.Saturday last, and a consequence s, large>aitendance was present at the marine The gathering .was undoubtedly tfie most successful that has yet been held under the auspices of the above club, and judging by the interest that was centred in the fixture it should certainly be safe to predict a promising future for the Shoreites. Mr R. Wynyard, the Club’s energetic secretary, and the managing committee, conducted the meeting to the entire satisfaction of everyone present, both as regards the afternoon’s racing and the comfort and convenience of their patrons, therefore a word of praise must be given the officials upon whom the onus of the work fell. Mr Geo. Mills had the track in capital order, and fast times were the order of the day, though of course it must not be forgotten that the limit and long-start men won the majority of the events, which fact accounts in a great measure for the splendid clocking recorded. Hunter’s Brass Band played a number of favourite selections during the afternoon.

Everything in connection with the Caledonian Society’s monster sports gathering is going smoothly and satisfactorily, and it is expected that the largest attendance that has ever visited that body’s popular annual fixture will be present "at the Domain on New Year’s Day. Messrs J. Stewart, senr. (president), McKinnon, Thomson, Euston, Jennings, Stewart, junr. (secretary), Fraser, and Michaels (treasurer) are the gentlemen on whom the responsibility of the preliminary arrangements and sports programme falls, and that they will have everything in “ apple pie” order when the day comes goes without saying. The entries on the whole are much larger than at any previous meeting, and some very interesting racing is to be looked forward to. In the Caledonian Handicap (three distances) the entries totalled forty-five, which is three in advance of' last year’s figure, and although the acceptances had not been published when those columns closed, I shall venture an opinion that F. Surman will be the hardest man to beat in the handicap if his leg does not go back on him, with Somers next in demand. , ‘ ,

CYCLING.

Dacre, who was on scratch in the Roadster Maiden Race, soon overhauled his men, and about half way through the third lap had assumed the lead. AYhen the home turn was reached' he came away and won easily by about twenty yards from Campbell. He also rode second in the two mile event, and third in the mile handicap. Reynolds rode with splendid judgment in the Two - Mile Handicap on Saturday. AYhen the mile and a half was reached the spectators could see that the race was practically over, and at the mile and three-quarters he was on Dacre’s wheel, AYilkinson third, and Henning fourth. Opposite the starting-post the champion passed Dacre, and came home the easiest of winners by something between twenty and thirty yards, Henning third. Reynolds also rode second in the five miles.

Harper, who won the one and five mile events in good style, pedals nicely, and should make a really good man. He He has plenty of the necessary propelling power, and is undoubtedly a stayer. Trigg and Surman were out again, but failed to do anything of note. Surman managed to get placed in the five mile event, but Trigg was not in the hunt; in fact, he does not seem quite up to last year’s form, and certainly has not im-

proved. At Paris on October 27 “Jimmy’*. Michael, the light-weight AYelsh wonder, defeated Gougoltz, one of the finest of European riders, in a match, the best two heats out of three. Gougoltz won the first race over a mile, but in the second ) (in which the distance was five miles) Michael proved an easy winner by a lap. The last event of ten miles fell to little Michael, who passed the line several laps to the good.

At the present rate of progress cycling will assuredly overshadow athletic spdrts. These .-gatherings at present include a few bicycle races, but in a year, or so ;it will be the other way about, and cycling clubs will include a few athletic events to fill up their programme.

The Auckland ladies whom Professor Carrollo has been coaching are said to be rapidly attaining proficiency in the art of wheeling,and the Professor is sanguine of a ladies’ club in the near future. ' Idfs Martha White, of New York, who is 8d y?A rs bf a ge, rode two miles bn a bicycle recently, accompanied by her two grand-daughters, aged 15 and 18 years. Mrs White has caught the cycling craze, and has a fancy for “bloomers,” ahd says that is she lives till next season and the fashion does not change, she will adopt’ this ungraceful costume. jDhaidpion Zimmerman has a great track record. In 1893 “ Zim ” won 101 racbs out of 111 starts. In 1892 he started in 100 events, 34 handicaps and 66 scratch races, winning 75, second 10 times, and third 5 times. He is 26 years of age, 6ft in height, has the appearance of being “ spare built,” but weighs 12st. lie has Won close on 400 races since he first started cycling. ’’ Sir James Eerguson, formerly Governor of New Zealand, is now a cyclist. Recently he came into collision with a London cab. Collapse of the ex-gov. and his machine. The (German Emperor is about to take to bicycling, and a track for his private use is being laid down at Potsdam.

Mr R. P. Clarkson, hon. secretary to the Manawatu Cycling Club, having been appointed headmaster to the Normanby School in the Egmont district, the club will lose the services of a very capable man. ZHis experience in cycling matters has been of considerable assistance to “bike” men in Palmerston North. How- ' . ever, as Mr Clarkson will be enjoying the Christmas school vacation we hope to hear of him being present at the Palmerston North Club’s bicycle races on January Ist. The Mile Championship of the World, which was muddled at Cologne, was run over again on the Seine track, Paris. Banker, the American crack, was the only starter, and consequently had a walk over in 2min. 40 2-sth sec. In the 2,000 metres international scratch race, run on the same day, he defeated Martin and three other well-known riders by a few inches. There is no question now about the superiority of J. W. Parsons over any other Australian riders in paced races, i . To overlap such men as Martin (who has beaten Zimmerman), Harris (ex-cham-pion of England), Porta (long-distance ( champion of Italy), and Megson, in 2£ miles is simply marvellous. And the quarter-mile behind a triplet which the

young Victorian cut out in 28 4-ssec is also a wonderful achievement. .This is an Australasian record, the next best being Zimmerman’s 30 l-ssec. Harris holds the English record with 27 l-ssec. and J. 8. Johnston the American and world’s records with 24 ,2-ssec. Considering that Parsons quarter was done on grass and without banking he may well be ranked in the very first flight, and could be relied on to hold his own anywhere. It is doubtful if handicapping for cycling races by allowing so many yards start will long be continued, at any rate in New Zealand. How is a rider able to gauge his chance in a race on the “ distance ” system of handicapping ? If this were performed by “ time,” i.e., so many seconds start, riders would then be able to arrive at some conclusion by taking the time put up by winning performers, reckoning their own handicap and “ trial.” The “ time ” system of handicapfhng is found to work admirably for trotting races; in fact, it has superseded the “distance” system. — (“Gipsy King.”) Our sporting contributor, “ Gipsy King,” suggests that if Messrs J E. Henry and J. O. Evett, the principal handicappers for horse-racing clubs in the North Island, could be induced to

take an interest in cycling that their services would be invaluable as handicappers for cycling events, by reason of thenumber of cycling meetings they would be able to "attend while travelling to and from race-meetings. He mentions that Mr Henry has already mastered the art of riding a “ bike,” but so far as we know Mr Evett has not yet made his appearance on a “ two-wheeler ! ” Both gentlemen take more than a passing interest m other branches of sport beside horse-rac-ing- ' • A parliamentary paper recently issued gives much interesting information respecting the occupations of the people of England and IV ales, obtained from the last three censuses, and this serves to show the remarkable development of bicycling; for whereas in 1871 the makers and dealers in bicycles and tricycles numbered 12 only, twenty years later this class had increased to 11,000, and no doubt at the present time it far exceeds that number.

News of the defeat of Zimmerman by J.-W. Parsons at Adelaide was cabled to England, and on October 30th the following challenge appeared in the Sporting Life : —“ Seeing that Parsons was successful in lowering the colours of merman recently in Australia, C. E.

Barden is prepared to ride Parsons, miles with pacemakers for £2OO a . side.A deposit to the Sporting Life will meets with prompt attention.” No reply seemsi to have been made yet by the Australians. The new Simpson lever chain, which is causing such a revolution in speed, is described in Cycling as follows i— —TTpop. the outside of an ordinary chain is fitted a series of large teeth. The front chain wheel remains as it is. The teeth on the back wheel are removed, the chain travelling across a smooth surface. Now comes the notion. The teeth of the chain come into contact with a correspondingly toothed wheel, which is so contrived that although fixed to, and actually forming part of, the existing back cog, it takes the chain at its outer side —that is to say, the chain travels inside it instead of but, as is at present the case, the result being, so the inventor claims, that the leverage of the chain upon the driving wheel can be increased to an unlimited extent, and a chain is constructed which leaves the wheel in a remarkably smooth manner. Messrs Leitch and Pellant rode a mile on a tandem machine fitted with the new chain in Imin 39sec, and covered the quarter-mile, flying start, in 20 3-sth , sec. They also completed the half-mile in 44 4-sth sec.

An Australian critic says that Martin, the Yankee, knows absolutely nothing about “ scientific” bicycle riding. It is “ Scotch navigation,” sheer strength and pluck, that wins Martin his races. He “ pedals flat-footed, wobbles his handlebar, and shakes Sheol out of his machine —but he wins all right.” At Zimmerman’s big carnival of Saturday last the champion met with a double defeat at the hands of Pither (the exNew Zealander) and Walker, of Victoria, and in both instentes the events were one-mile scratch races. Public opinion is that Zimmerman cannot sustain an extended spurt, as in both races he had gone some distance away fram his field, but was caught and beaten in the run home, Pither winning his race by about a couple of yards, and Walker doing the trick by a few inches. After the Invitation Race Zimmerman undertook to lower his own half-mile A.ustralasian record of Imin 2 l-ssec, and this he did most handsomely, cutting out the distance in 58sec, finishing twenty yards in front of the pacers. The following are the details : —Open Handicap, one mile : Martin (America), scr, 1; Walker (Victoria), 40yds, '2; March (Victoria), 100 •yds, 3. Won easily by two lengths. Time, 2min 21 4-fiiec. Either andZPqrta

niTTTTTTTrfTTi'T*—r~irT~-Tr**.r" *“•*"*: 'r** **'“ *. n ~- w'yi i also competed*.—-Invitation Scratch Race, one mile: .Either .(New Zealand), 1; Zimmerman, 2; Martin (America), 3. Won by a good two yards, little or nothing between <sec<Mxd third. Time, 2min 33 3 : ssec,—lnternational ScratchRace, one mite: Walker (Victoria), 1; Zimmerman, 2;< Martin (America), 3. Won by 6 inches after a magnificent finish. ’ Time, 2min 31 2-ssec. The bicycle girl stood at St. Peter’s gate. With a perplexed look, and his keys shifted round to the back of his belt, . the Keeper of the Doorway, venerable and tottering, bent towards her. “ I don’t see how we can manage it, madam,” he finally said. “We have nothing on hand but the conventional robes cut Grecian style on the bias and absolutely undivided.” “ Yes,” she murmured, her hands falling helplessly against her bloomers ; “ I remember now, It has always been said, “ There shall be no parting there.” And with a bitter cry she lighted her lamp and prepared to flee into outer darkness.

YACHTING.

A number of manoeuvres, (under the control of the Commodore) were gone through by a fair muster of yachts in

the harbour on Saturday. Rather late in the season for an opening ceremony, and the majority of yachtsmen preferred a cruise. It was amusing to see the flyers shaking in the .wind with the “ brake ” on to prevent them passing Viking. The breeze was too light for the 20-rater. The 20-rater Thelma, built by Bailey Bros., won her first race last week at Lyttelton. She is a great deal fancied down that way. Bailey Bros.’ new 5-rater, Ida, was launched on Saturday last, and was out in the afternoon. She appeared to conduct herself well, and is a big powerfullooking boat, with a good free-board. Compared with the boats recently built, she has a long floor and deep fore-foot. Her sails are made after the new diagonal fashion. The new boat was getting the water at a great speed on Sunday afternoon. The harbour has a bare look at present, most of the yachts being away for their holiday cruise. A number of the larger boats have gone to the Barrier or up North. Petrel won the third of the series of handicap sweepstake races, inaugurated by the North Shore Sailing Club. Hinemoa, scratch, gave -winner 40min.