ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 483, 26 October 1899, Page 6

ON THE WHEEL

I By

Cyclos.

At the Crystal Palace last month, E. Bonhours (France) won the Century Cup, 62 miles 246 yards, in the remarkably fast time of Ihr 48min 50 2-ssec.

At the London theatres bicycles are now stored for patrons free of charge. On Monday evening, October 16th, the Palmerston North Cycling and Touring Club held an enjoyable run to Stoney Creek. The roads were in good order, and a large number of cyclists took part, among whom were a number of ladies. The League of Queensland Wheelmen’s recent meeting was a failure, from a financial point of view. The club lost £l5O over the meeting. The loss is attributed to want of proper advertising. N.Z. clubs take note. At the Newcastle Carnival on Saturday, October 7th, O. S. de Lissa won the Five Mile Amateur Championship of New South Wales, and the Two Mile Intercolonial Scratch Race.

In the Maiden Handicap at the Newcastle Carnival, W. Phillips, of Maitland, fell and broke his collar-bone.

The road race, held under the auspices of the Wollongong branch of the League of Wheelmen, resulted in a win for A. Rixton from the mark. The race was from Wollongong to Dapto. On Saturday afternoon, October 16th, the Thames Cycling and 'louring Club held their opening run. The gathering was a very successful one, over 100 cyclists taking part. Miss Constant won the first prize (a gold brooch presented by Mr A. Kohn, of Auckland) for th« best decorated machine.. The second prize was won by Miss E. Ashley. Miss Spter won the fir.-t prize for the best decorated girl’s machine. One of the finest matches of the year was that recently contested between Paul Albert, the German, and Bourillon, France’s champion. The keenest possible rivalry existed between the two men, and Hanover was the venue selected. Four heats of various distances from 1000 to 2000 metres were down for decision. In the first race the men watched each other very carefully, and Bourillon forced Albert to take the lead. The German went out on his famous long sprint, but Bourillon held on to him comfortably, and, jumping at the right moment, secured a clever victory by a length. In the second heat the Frenchman led the way at a good pace. At the last lap Albert leaped unexpectedly, and quite took the Frenchman by surprise. In his haste to pursue he slipped his pedal and sat up, leaving Albert to finish alone. The third contest was the finest of the series. Albert again made pace, and at the critical moment both men sprinted, Bourillon gaining an advantage of a yard or so. Albert drew level, and they raced neck and neck till about fifteen yards from the tape, whed the Frenchman again pushed forward half awheel ahead. By a splendid effort, however, the German drew even, and they finished a dead heat The three foregoing matches left the result equal, and the final was awaited with feverish anxiety. Bourillon refused at first to ride, as he said but three heats were to have been ridden. After a lot of persuasion he mounted and rode the race of a very vexed man. He paced all thewHj, and had no dalliance. When Albert went out for the finish, Bourillon suffered him to get a slight lead, but in

the straight he came to business and sprinted in such a way as to beat Albert by a length. Bourillion rode Dunlop tires.

The costliest cycle in the world has just been finished at a gun factory in Vienna. It cost 500,000 gulden, which, is about £5,500. It was built to the order of a South African diamond king, who intends presenting it to his wife as a birthday gift. The frame and handles are inlaid with diamonds and other precious stones on every possible part. Miss Ellen Terry is not a little proud of the fact that she was one of the earliest champions of feminine cycling; also that for several years she presided over a prominent ladies’ cycling club. Those who have seen this graceful actress, and marked her womanly characteristics, agree that she gives the lie direct to those traducers who assert that cycling tends to the generation of a masco-feminine sex. When the motors are in Sydney it would be a good idea for the Dunlop Tyre Co, to obtain the use of the Sydney Cricket Ground, and allow the cracks to have a tilt at the Australasian mile record, which stands at Imin. 38 2-5 sec. flying start, made by Platt-Betts in ’97 ; and 1 min. 45 sec. standing start made by Don. Walker in ’9B. Martin, Walker, Parsons, or Walne should be able to set up new figures behind the motors.

Two American riders are about to start out on what is surely the most hazardous trip evtr undertaken by a cyclist. They will journey from the North to South of America, that is, from Klondyke to Cape Horn, over some of the roughest country in the world.

On the subject of mixed riding a writer in the Manchester .Athletic Neivs says :— A great deal is being made about the proposal to allow amateur and professional riders to compete together, and some writers appear to think that such a couise would revive interest in cycle racing, but these writers do not show where the increased interest will come in to the spectators. At first it might be a diaw to see Summersgill and Jack Green compete in a mile race, but after a week or two the novelty would wear off, and leave us in the same position as we are in now, with the exception of the pro., who would have and opportunity of spoiling the amateur racing, just as he has spoiled his own. If tire public do not want professional cycle racing, and the feeling up and down the country is pretty unanimous on the point, why not let it die a natural death ? It is simply suicide to the sport to mix the classes, and it is bound to throw the ruling amateur competitions into the hands of the A. A.A., for no matter what the N.C’.U. may do amateur racing will always be kept alive, either in one form or another, separate and distinct from professionalism. What a splendid opening there will be for any youth who fancies going in for racing if the would-be reformers succeed with their programme. He will at once mix with the pro. who races for cash and makes what he can, and have the further felicity of doing buisness with the bookmaker on strictly up-to-date lines. Tho old love of sport, when men race in their spare time for a prize, would take a back seat, and the public in the meantime would in all probability allow the competitois and promoters to enjoy their exhibitions themselves.

The following entries were received on Saturday night last for the second-class scratch race, to be run at the Auckland Cycling Club’s sports on Saturday next: —C. R. Waddel, F. McMahon, P. A. Smith, J. H. Mason, A. E. R. Harrison, F. Draffin, '£. W. May son, W. Marshall, W. Jamieson, K. H. Davis, and G. R. Wilkinson.

The Wellington Cycle and Athletic Club has decided to affiliate with the League of New Zealand Wheelmen and the Caledonian Association. The following officers have been elected : —T. W. Leslie, captain; A. Sutherland, deputy captain; li. A. Hanna, secretary ; and D. McPhee, treasurer.

This week’s mail brings reports of the Grand National Championship Meeting of the League of American Wheelmen at Boston, U.S.A. The Americans appear to favor the short distances for their championships’ This year these events were restricted to quarter mile, third mile, half mile, one mile, two miles, and five miles. As this meeting was held shortly after the World’s Championships at Montreal, Canada, most of the champion representatives of Great Britian, the Continent, Canada, and the United States competed, as well as our own Ben Goodson, of Sydney. He was riding in exceptionally good form at this meeting, winning the third and half mile Grand National Championships, and being placed third in the five mile, and fourth in the one mile. As usual his mount in these races was the MasseyHarris bicycle. We also learn by this mail' that he was awarded the special medal for riding the fastest mile in competition at the World’s Championship meeting. The Auckland Cycling Club holds its carnival in the Domain next Saturday afternoon. There should be a large attendance of spectators to witness the sports. Among the many competitors at next Saturday’s carnival will be A. E. Wall and W. J- Jones (Christchurch), J. Chalmers ( Wellington), and E. Reynolds and W. Tierney (Auckland). The American cyclist, W. Martin, annexed the one mile championship of Australasia, at the Sydney Agricultural Grounds, on the 7th inst. The final

brought out the following field :—A. CForbes, J. Megson, W. Martin, Don Walker, B. W. Lewis, and S. E. Gordon. Martin won by a foot, Gordon being second, and Megson third. The time was 2min 21 3-ssec. Amongst the competitors in the heats were Hunt and Jones, of New Zealand.

The council of the League of N.Z. Wheelmen is to be asked by Canterbury athletes to give its assistance in forming a new body of government of athletic sports, if the N.Z. Amateur Athletic Association keeps to its decision of refusing to recognise the League’s amateurs.

A. and F. White and D. McKay, who are on a cycling tour round Australia, are having a bad time of it, judging from the report of their journey from Camooweal to Powell’s Creek, published in the Australian Cyclist. They encountered huge sandy deserts and rough plains. At times they were sorely in need of water, and the thermometer often registered from lOOdeg. to li2deg. in the shade. It took nearly three weeks to complete the journey, which is about 400 miles. At one stage of the journey they were twenty-one hours without food or drink. At Castle Creek the wells were found to be dry. and Frank White had to push on to find water. The other two were left behind, they having collapsed for want of food and water. Frank White, after riding sixty miles, found that he had lost the track. He walked all night, and found water at ten o’clock next morning. Later in the day he struck the cable line, twenty

miles south of Powell’s Creek. He pushed on, and eventually reached the cable station at Powell’s Creek. The manager of the station sent out pack horses, and had A. White and McKay brought in next morning. The party are now resting at the cable station, where they intend staying some time. Sixty miles is considered by expert riders to be a fair day’s journey when out touring. A cyclist at Brighton has recently been fined £B—in default, six weeks’ imprisonment —with £9 costs, for reckless riding, by which he collided with another cyclist, causing him injury. W. Martin rode a 120 gear machine in the recent championship event, held in Sydney.

If your hands become sore through riding over rough roads you should open the tube valves and let some of the air out of the tubes. The tyre can be pumped up again when the bad road has been passed. Just give this a trial. In the five miles motor-paced race, held in Sydney on Saturday of last week, Martin easily defeated Megson. The time was 9min 59sec.

The Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club held its opening run on Saturday afternoon. There was a good attendance, about 300 cyclists taking part. The procession started from the corner of Symond Street and Karangahape Boad, proceeded along Karangahape Road and Ponsonby Road to the Three Lamps. Returning by the same route, they journeyed out to Ellerslie Racecourse, via Symond Street and

Newmarket. On arrival at Ellerslie a short sports programme was gone through. The first event was tilting the ring, which brought out a large field, and was won by J. Davis in 11 sec; J. Lecky was second with 4 rings, in 12 2-ssec. The next event was the tentpegging competition. This was won by George Henning, with 8 pegs, in 14 2-5 sec, Upton and Wynyard-Joss being second and third respectively. During the afternoon Mr George Henning gave an exhibition of trick riding. He performed some very difficult feats, many of which were new to Aucklanders. Afternoon tea was provided for the ladies. Mr George Henning acted as captain in a very creditable manner.