CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1026, 4 November 1909, Page 12

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

TiMARU TO CHRISTCHURCH ROAD RACE. BRIDLIAjNT win for P. O’SHEA. J. AIRNST REGISTERS THE FASTEST TIME. The weather was almost perfect for the Timaru to Christchurch cycling- road race on Saturday. Melville Hill, the starting point, was crowded with spectators, and the competitors were dispatched well up to time. It was not until Geraldine was reached that bunches of competitors were found, and here L. H. Tozer (Temuka), A. C. Walker (Wellington), F. L. Knowles (Addington), W. Price (Belfast), and H.

Galletly (Styx) formed the first school. Tyre troubles were frequent up to this point, and quite a number, including A. G. Donald, J. Shand, W. Walsh, and J. Ready experienced flat tyres. Between Mayfield and Ashburton the leading division was encountered. The bunch was rather a big one, and at tins particular point included G. H- Birch, P. O’Shea, L. Maw, Morris, J. McTeague, Hills, F. W. Crossman, W. Walsh, and F. R. Jones. The latter and Birch were doing the greater portion of the pacing, and all were going at a very steady gait. They reached Ashburton at noon, and a little later W. Goodall, who was with them, was accidentally knocked over through colliding with two other competitors, and. sprained his ankle. The leaders had a tremendous break on the remainder of the field, their nearest attendants being E. Walsh, F. WCrossman, W. Garrett, W. Arnst H. B. Pointon, J. E, McCarthy, and M. McTeague, who were about four miles behind. The back-markers in the meantime had been having a fairly bad passage. Henderson punctured within two miles of Timaru. J. Arnst had a blowout after leaving Temuka, and just after leaving Winchested he punctured a tyre. Both accidents cost Arnst ten minutes. After crossing the Rakaia Bridge, J. Arnst, A. B. L. Smith, R. Rodgers, and Meharry rode within a reasonable distance of A. Birch and J. Coulter, who were both on the three minute mark. At Selwyn the leading division had dwindled down to G. H. Birch, P. O’Shea, Morris, L. Maw, and J. McTeague. They rode at a very slow pace from this point to the. Plumpton course. • * Coming into the straight the men made a last supreme effort. O’Shea shot out of the ruck, and finished in brilliant fashion twenty yards ahead of Maw, who in turn beat Birch by a bare length. Morris finished'ls yards behind Birch. W Hill finished alone a few minutes later’ followed shortly afterwards by F. W. Crossman, W. Walsh, and W. JGarrett. Little groups appeared at odd intervals, but it was fully a hour before the substantial majority of the field was accounted for. Birch (32min.) was the only one of the back-markers to run into position, but the redoubtable Jack Arnst (scratch), who gained l 'twelfth place, put up the fastest time (6hr. 34min. 2osec.) O’Shea’s (45min. handicap) riding time was 7hr. 6min. 55sec.; L. Maw’s (39min.), 7hr. Omin. 26sec.;. G;_ Birch’s (32mm.), ,6hr. 53min. 57sec.; E. Morris’ (45min.),. 7hr. 6m. 57sec.; J. McTeague’s (37min.), 6hr. 58min. 58sec.; E. W. Hill’ (38min.), Thr. 3mm. 20sec. • The fastest times recorded were:—J. Arnst, 6hr. 34min. 25sec.; A. Birch, 6hr. 37 min. 25 2-ssec.; J. Coulton, Shr. 37min. 26sec.; OR Rogers, 6hr. 41min. 25 3-ssec.; A. B. Smith, 6’hr. 44min. 25sec.; A. Humm, 6hr. 44min. 26 4-ssec.; - G.- H. Birch, ©hr. 53min. 37sec. The order of the finish of the first 15 men was. as follows: —P. O’Shea, Sydenham, 1; D. Moir, Dunedin, 2; G. H. Bir-cih, Fendalton, 3; E. M. Morris, Kaiapoi 4; J. McTeague. Harwell, .5; E. W. Hill, Moeraki, 6; F. W. Crossman, Hinds, 7; W Walsh, Papanui, 8; W. .G. Garrett Ashburton. 9; M. McTeague, Spreydon, 10; A. B. L.' Smith, Waikari,'. 11; J. Arnst, Christchurch, 12; A. Birch, Fendalton, 13; J. Coulter, Palmerston North, 14; A. E. Parkes, Hunterville, 15. . The executive of the Timaru .to Christchurch cycling road race met to consider a request from the secretary of the South Canterbury : centre of the League of Wheelmen to hold an inouiry into.. an allegation that R. Arnst, after withdrawing from the contest, and travelling some distance in a motor-car, had remounted his bicycle and paced J. Arnst, . who covered the distance in the fastest time. It was found that the regulations . did not cover the point at issue, and the matter was dismissed.