CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 347, 18 March 1897, Page 2

CYCLING

[Bv

Rim.]

Auckland, October 27th, 1896. To the Proprietors, Sporting Review, Auckland. Dear Sirs, —I have pleasure in advising you that the Sporting Review has been appointed the Official Organ of the Auckland Cycle Club. Yours faithfully, J. P. HOWDEN, Sports Secret ary. So the Enfield Challenge Cup has passed out of the hands of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, and into the hands of E. Reynolds. And he certainly deserved it, for though the handicapper in giving a limit of st»oyds tried to place it beyond his possession, he got there in thn easiest of fashions, having everything beaten at four miles, and doing the final mile just as he liked. Good boy, “Teddy!” A. 0. Edwards and Jack Green, the well-known English riders who recently arrived in Melbourne, ride Simuson machines, fitted with Simpson chains and Dunlop tyres. They go where they are sent, and only had two or three days’ notice of their trip to Australia. They think Australia a fine country, and are chiefly struck by the price of grapes. Definition of a scorcher, according to a policeman : —“Never older than 25, and seldom younger th in 18. He is a straighthaired. thin-jawed, wild-eyed idiot, with his back humped like a mad tom-cat’s tail, who tears down the pith without any regard for the safety of others. He is nearly always long in the legs and thin. Somehow your fat man is not much at scorching.” A. A. Brook gave the handicapper a severe shock in the Three-Mile Handicap, which he won from end to end, never giving his opponents a chance. He is only a young ’un, but gives promise. Thomson had a soft thing in the TwoMile Handicap, but thought it was such a “dead-bird” that he eased up in the last round and allowed Graham (who won) and Henning to catch him napping and get there before he could pull himself together again. His face was a study when they flashed past him, and I don’t think he understands how it was done yet. The schoolboys gave the novice riders a shaking up over the mile as regards time, they doing 2min 46sec as against 2min 59sec, which, allowing for the 25yds start Graham (winner of the boys’ race) had off Crozier (scr.), would not make much difference in the times. Regarding the adverse criticisms of Reynolds by a Wellington writer, the Napier Daily Telegraph defends Reynolds and remarks : — “ It seems a pity that no athletic victory can ever be gained fairly and squarely by any Aucklander in the Empire City without an accusation of unfairness being thrown at the performer.” The Sportsman thus deals with the present Australian champions:—“Porta 1, Martin 2, Walne 3. Doesn’t read well for an Australasian championship. Italy 1, America 2- Where’s Australia, anyhow ? Ken Lewis beat Martin in the match, and has fancied himself a good deal on the victory. Where is he since ? Can it he that we have no native champion anywhere ? It looks like it. Parsons ought to get well soon ; he seems to be pretty much wanted. Parsons goes into hospital soon to be operated on. When he does perhaps somo of his detractors will believe he has been ill.” In describing a recent meet of lady bicyclists in one of the Home connties, a local paper stated—“ . . . and among other fair well - known wheel women present we noticed several pretty girls whose charming costumes set off their figures admirably, concealing nothing calculated to please the eye.” The last sentence is. I think, interesting, and makes one yearn to be present at one of those “meets.” Lady Henry Somerset is an ardent advocate of cycling as a health-giving pastime. She cycles a great deal herself, and is the president of the Mowbray House Cycling Association.

The Adelaide officials created a precedent by stopping a race while it was proceeding. This was done in a heat oi the International Mile, when Ken Lewis, Relph, Granter, and Sampson rode at snail pace for half the distance, when they were suppressed. Though Lesna, the Frenchman, is a marvel behind pace, it would seem that he lacks the finishing sprint indispensable to the successful racing man. He now holds the following paced Australasian records, established from a standing start: Half mile, 53 4-ssec; one mile, lmin 49 3-ssec; two miles, 4min 8 l-ssec; three miles, 6min 1 Osec ; four miles, 8 min 20sec ; five miles, 9min 59sec; ten miles, 20min 7sec; twenty-five miles, s'4min 3 l-ssec; and one hour, 27 miles 1162 yards. Frank W. Shortland, the retired longdistance English amateur champion, has joined the Mounted Yeomanry, and now spends his holidays on a real charger, instead of the steel steed on which he has won so many battles.