CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1123, 19 October 1911, Page 13

CYCLING AND MOTOR NOTES.

WA RRN A M BOOL-M ELBOJU RN E. RACE. A GRAND FINISH. Two hundred and eighty-three started in the Warrnambool to Melbourne road race on Saturday. The weather was fine, and though there were blinding clouds of dust, the roads were good to Geelong, but afterwards patchy. A great finish resulted. Collins 34 mins, Tebbs 42, Lessing 40, Hughes 34, and Slaney 44, al! Victorians, finished in a bunch, Collins securing the victory by half a wheel in Bhrs. 45 min. llsec. Lessing entered a protest that Collins caught hold of his saddle in the final sprintCollins denies interference. The protest will be heard by the League of Wheelmen. P. O’Shea, of New Zealand, who started from scratch, made fastest time, Bhrs. 18mins. 44soc. O’Shea, who also made fastest time in the Christchurch to Timaru road race in September, was the only New' Zealander to occupy a prominent place.

The Warrnambool race was a great success, and attracted such a tremendous crowd that the police could not control them after the arrival of the first batch of riders. The event has grown too big, so much so that the Dunlop Company state that they will not again finish the contest in the city. Several riders met with bad falls during the progress of the race, but a fractured collarbone to a Victorian rider was the most serious result. O’Shea’s winning of the blue riband and the Australasian road championship was most popular, and he received a great reception on his time being announced. The first eight riders were Victorians. First, second, third and fourth, and fastest time prizes were won on Dunlops. It is estimated that close on 100,000 people witnessed the race from start to finish.

An announcement which will relieve the minds of many intending competitors in the forthcoming six days’ race in Sydney during the first week of next year, has just been made (says Sydney “Referee”). It is that the promoter, Mr J. D. Williams, will house and feed all competitors free of cost. The lighting or the track is to be wonderfully brilliant. As these races will be run continuously both day and night for six days, the problem of lighting has been no small matter, but arrangements have just been concluded with Messrs. Noyes Bros, to install a powerful electric light plant and traction engine, capable of lighting the track like day. In carrying this into effect as many as 440 metal filament lamps each of 50 candle power will be suspended over the track, 4 feet apart, each lamp being fitted with a powerful reflecting shade, to concentrate the light on the riders and track, and at the same time to shade the spectators. No risks are being run of any mishap to this electric plant,- as a special series of wires

is also being run from the tramway power station. The management anticipates that the entries for the Six Days’ Race will be so heavy, that only riders whose previous records stamp them as top-notchers, will have to be accepted. Mr Williams, who is at present visiting America and the Continent, has made contracts with a number of International riders of the highest calibre.

In a recent motor cycle petrol consumption trial, held at Glasgow, a remarkable achievement was accomplished by the winner, whose performance was equal to covering 277 miles to a gallon, and that on a 3 % h.p. engine, which weighed well under 3121b5. This is surely a record!

A Six Days’ Motor Cycle Reliability Trial has just been successfully concluded in England over a distance of 1,012 miles, and as a result of the returns the average touring motor cycle appears to be deficient in two respects, viz., the necessity of proper arrangement for control of ignition, and the fitting of stronger and larger-sized rims to wheels. As regards the former, it was found that on many of the steep and rough hills that had to be ridden under observation during the trial, riders in many instances dared not let go the handle-bar to retard ignition when the engine was knocking, for fear of failing, the consequence being that several riders lost gold medals, simply because they did not have the control mounted on han-dle-bar, from which point the spark can be easily manipulated without trouble. Both these points are of particular interest to motor cyclists in this country, in fact these two deficiencies are very apparent on most of the motor cycles seen on our roads.

The fifth annual Victorian Cycle Traders’ 100-Miles’ Road Race was held last Saturday, and produced a splendid contest. The race —held over a triangular course from Essendon to Lancetield, thence across to Carlsruhe and back to Essendon, via Woodend and Gisborne —was won by L. Clarke (off 28 mins.), from J. Beaslep (9 mins.), and H. Donald (17mins). The winner’s time was shr. 2 3mins. 3 2 sec. Fastest time was established by D. Kirkham (scratch), who finished fourteenth, and covered the “century” in smr. 4mins. 4secs. Kirkham is riding in wonderful form just now, only a fortnight back he scored second and

Wives of great men oft remind them They can make their lives sublime, Smoking pure tobacco only—- “ Royal Standard” all the time!

fastest time in the JN.S.W. Dunlop Road Race from Goulburn to Sydney, and with decent luck he looks like carrying off the blue riband in the “Warrnambool.” Both the winner and Kirkham rode “Dunlops.” The event attracted a big field, 212 riders facing the starter, out of whom about 150 will receive time medallions for covering the 100 miles in 6hr. 15min. or under.