CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1021, 30 September 1909, Page 10

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

At the Crystal Palace, on August 5, B. H. Hogan, of the Bath Road C.C., beat all the existing tandepipaced tricycle records from six to fifty miles inclusive. Hogan was inside record at six miles in 14min. 25sec., and he covered the fifty miles in 2hrs. Bmin. 54 l-ssec., which was 18min. 51 l-ssec. better than the lecord set up by E. J. Steel at Putney on September 20, 1894.

A splendid performance was accomplished on August 6, by the brothers A. and C. Richards, of the University Cycling Club, in a successful attack on the London to Brighton and back unpaced tamdem record. The riders had a strong wind to combat from London to Brighton, but completed the double journey in 5 hrs. 5 min. 23 sec., beating the record set up in 1906 by J. C. Paget and M. R. Mott, of the North Road Club, by 3min. 57sec. The time was taken by Mr. W. L. Woolveridge, of the Roads Records Association.

The Dunlop Rubber Company are in receipt of a cable from their Melbourne house advising that the New Zealand riders, G. Meharry (Hokitika) and G. Fitzgerald, at present in New South Wales, receive thirty-nine minutes handicap, whilst J. Orlowski and J. Dempsey, both of Christchurch, are handicapped to start off the thirty three minutes mark. Meharry rode overland from Hokitika on Monday last and he, with Orlowski, left by Friday’s boat, via the Bluff, for Melbourne.

For the first time in the history of cycling, either road or track, throughout the World, 500 entries have been received and paid for in connection with one race. The honour has fallen to the Dunlop Rubber Co.’s great annual road race from Warrnambool to Melbourne (165 miles), which is set down for decision on Saturday, October 2nd. Even this great entry would have been considerably exceeded only that the Dunlop Company, in order to prevent the field becoming

unwieldly, decided on closing nominations when 500 were to hand. Such was done, a considerable number of Victorian riders unfortunately being too late. As it is, even now, when ail inter-state entries are to hand, the total number of nominations will more than exceed 550, which means probably well over 450 acceptors and close on 400 starters. Such a field will tax even the Dunlop Company’s wellknown organising abilities to properly handle, check and feed, and if the populartiy of this great event keeps on growing, it looks as if the “Waranambool” will have to be split up into classes. The growing popularity of this great race is told in the following figures. In 1903 there were 105 starters; in 1904, 125 starters; in 1905, 156 starters; in 1906, 206 starters; in 1907, 235 starters; and in 1908, 304 starters. Last year 253 riders finished within the time limit of 10% hours, and received medallions, 11 covering the 165 miles under 9 . hours, whilst 8 negotiated the course under 8 hours.

A particularly fine motor cycle performance was established in the Victorian Motor Cycle Club’s 50 miles race, which was decided over a 25 miles out-and-home course, which had to be negotiated twice. L. Benn, in receipt of 4 minutes start, covered the “fifty,” including having to ease up for three turns, in the exceedingly fast time of lhr. smin., t qual to a sustained speed of over 46 miles an hour. This is the fastest “fifty” yet registered by a motor cyclist on the road in Australasia, and the merit of the performance can be gauged by comparing Benn’s figures wilh J. B. Derosier’s Motor Cycle Track World’s Record of 4 Bmin. 21sec., established on the fine banked track at Los Angelos (California) last April. When •ne takes into consideration that Benn had to practically stop three times to turn back in the opposite direction, and the fact that he had to ride up hill and down dale, and ease up for road inqualities, it will generally be conceded that Benn’s performance (ridden on a 3% h.p. Triumph, 84 bore x 86 stroke) is the more meritorious of the two. Benn won easily by three minutes from H. A. Tilburn (time lhr. Bmin.), G. Overgaard finishing third in lhr. 12min. 15sec.

. The Bathurst-Sydney race was decided under perfect weather conditions; out of 110 entrants, 69 faced the starter. A good race resulted in in a win for H. Lundie (3 6min.), who negotiated the 133 miles in 7 hrs. 3 3 min. 20sec. Two brothers, in A. C. and F. D. Walcott, put up a great ride by finishing second and third respectively, the last-named, who started off 25min., establishing fastest time, viz., 7hrs. 24min 10sec., which is only a few seconds outside G. Hbrder’s record for the course. * * * •

A hundred miles on an out-and-kome course has been ridden in competition on English roads by C. Moss in the splendid time of shrs. (• min. 40sec. This is a particularly tine, p ; forriiance, and is the fas;?--, run tv. its kind registered on EigKso leads.