ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 662, 6 November 1902, Page 6

ON THE WHEEL

F. A. Drury put up a motor bicycle, record last week from Goulburn to Braidwood and back, a distance of lOS miles. He started from Goulburn at noon, and got' back at 5.16 p.m. The stoppages on the way amounted to about 25 minutes. The road was in fair order.

Three American racing cyclists have been attracted to Sydney by the big handicaps this season, and entered for all events to be run at the carnival. They are : W. Hooper and “ Major ” Marshall and Handcock. Hooper and Handcock are good handicap riders, while “ Major ” Marshall is a coloured rider, and has a good record.

The final of the first motor bicvcle race in Australia was decided at the League s meeting in Adelaide a few days back. " he event resulted in a win tor F. R. Burden from J. Bullock and AV. Baulderstone. The five miles were covered in 9min tssec.

J. Platt-Betts, the little English crack who was out here some four years back, has ’absolutely retired from the racing track, upon which he has established ..o many world’s recorcfe. Betts is now learning the mysteries of motor mechan ism, with a view to turning

T. Linton, the English cyclist, wellknown throughout the cycling world as one of the finest riders who ever sat on a racing machine, has sustained serious injuries through a fall at Leipzic, Germany. Fears are entertained that Linton's career on the racing, track is over. Amongst Linton’s latest performances were the feats of covering 45 miles 1034 yards in 60min., and fifty miles in saxty-five minutes.

in conversatign with a Sydney reporter “Ma;or” Marshall, the coloured handicap rider, who arrived from America in company with J. K. Hancock, a Canadian racer, in the Aorangi on her last trip, said one of the facts that chiefly imjmcssed him was (he- great number of bicyclists, racing in Australia. Tic circumstance that over a 150 men had entered for the carnival opening on the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 1 filled him with .astonishment. “In the United States, ’ he said, “we have really feyver racinsg men than you have here, and of course the prizes are very much smaller. I’rizcs of 500dol. for handicaps such asi are common with you here would be regarded as very large in America, while a prize of 5000dol. such as you are giving in Sydney in March has never been beard of for one race in the United States. Another reason why we have not so many men racing is that our top-notchers such as IMajor 'lay--lor. Kramer, and others of a few seasons ago like Bald, Cooper, Sangar, and Zimmerman, are so much better than everyone else that the other riders have no chance with them, and they quit the game The racing in .America is reduced to a science, and there is a good deal in it besides speed. A match race between two men like Kramer and Major Taylor is. as full of moves as a game of chess. The

final burst of speed with which one or the other of them wins the event is a revelation. and never fails to rouse wild enthusiasm among' the spectators.” Referring to different riders Marshall said he regarded Major T.aylor as the fastest sprinter the world had ever, seen, the next best man being Frank Kramer, although the European champions, Jacqdelin, Eljegaard, MornO, Rutt, and Arend were all wonderful finishers. Asked as io his. own’ prospects, Major Marshall said he had \ made the tour with the object of winning races, though he was afraid he and his American confreres would find the Australian riders harder nuts to crack than th</y anticipated. He expressed great appreciation of the fine track and up-to-date arrangements on the Sydney Cricket Ground. ,

The distance it is possible to travel on a motor ear in a day under ordinary conditions has often been discussed. The report, therefore, of the attempt of the Victorian chaffeur, Mr James, in this direction may be of interest. “ Tangent ” writes, of it as follows: —Having accomplished so much under most adverse circumstances, it was a great pity that the 24 hours’ motor cycle trip attempted by Mr H. R. James on Friday night and Saturday over the Western diserict roads had to, he abandoned, owing to wet roads between Camperdown and Warrnambool, light showers falling throughout the night, Mr James reached Warrnambool (165 miles) at one o’clock on Saturday morning, the. run taking 9 hours, including stops for refreshments. After- leaving Warrnambool on the return journey, the roads became very slippery, the motorist falling twice, but without; serious damage. Terang (195 miles) was reached at 2.56 a.m., 10 hours 50 minutes after leaving Melbourne. Owing to the state of the road/ and the impossibility of covering the /-oute mapped out, Mr James decided to (liscont inue the trip and go back straight to Melbourne, instead of making the detour to Hamilton and back. After waiting for some hours until the roads had dried, the motorist’started back, and Melbourne was reached a few minutes after 4 p.m. Some 335 miles had been covered in 24 hours —the actual time on the rdhd being 17 hours. Mr James thinks that under favourable conditions from 450 to 500 miles can be motored in a full day, and intends making another attempt next month.

As they won virtually every event 'tnT~~'r the programme, Victorian riders have nQ cause for dissatisfaction at the result, of j, the racing held under the auspices of the League of South Australian Wheelmen, which concluded its - spring meeting on. Saturday, when there was a large attendance to witness- the sport, which included the ten-mile Australasian championship' and final of the first motor race held in . Australia. The,League will make a profit of £2OO over the meeting. A most interesting feature was the exhibition of motor cars and velocipedes. Every style of bicycle fori the last forty years was shown. .

The Ten-Miles Championship of Australasia was won by D. J. Walker, of Victoria, who made the trip in 24min 40 sec. Two other Victorians in G. R. Morgan and J. Filsell filled the places.

I was not impressed with the riding of any of the Loys at the High School Sports. Some of the schools have a few really promising youngsters, who in time will be among the very first flight, but apparently there are none of this class at the big school at Remuera. The displays were very tame, and in marked contrast to some of the pedestrian events.

The Adelaide “ Register ” states that Mr B. Thompson, a well-known Adelaide motorist, intends making an attempt to beat the Broken Hill express from Adelaide to the Burra, A distance of 101 miles, which t akes the express 311 r -Itimin to negotiate. Mr Thompson drives a 41-horse-power De Dion Swift voiturette, and his attempt to race the train should afford interesting reading, .although he is undertaking a big task in endeavouring to average nearly 27 miles an hour for 3£ hours on the rOad. The motorist intends leaving Adelaide at the same time as the Broken Hill express, viz., 4.50 p.m., and will select a moonlight night for his run.