CYCLING AND MOTORING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XX, Issue 1129, 30 November 1911, Page 9

CYCLING AND MOTORING.

Ivor Lawson, the crack American pacing cyclist, was aboard the Zealandia when she called at Auckland on Thursday, enroute to Sydney. Lawson is visiting Australia to compete in the two big Six-Day bicycle races, one of which takes place in Sydney, and the other in Melbourne. For the first of these big contests the first prize is £7OO, second £>2oo, third £5O, fourth £3O, fifth £2O, and in 'addition to these, a special prize of £lO will be allotted to each completing the journey, and riding a minimum of 1800 miles. The race will be open to riders from all over the world, but the entries are limited to 40 teams —each team to be represented by two riders. The prize money will be paid to the first, second, and third teams.

A. J. Clarke, the famous Australian cyclist, who has been riding with marked success in the States, will also take part in the Six-Day cycle races.

In connection with the Six-Day race in Melbourne,. which will .be held at the Exhibition Building in. February next, a carnival extending over a full week, day and night, will be inaugurated by Mr. J. D. Williams, of amusement fame. The prize money, 'amounting to £l5OO, will be lodged one month before the meeting in the hands of trustees, and will be divided into two amounts —£1000 for the six days’ event, and £5OO for track races. The latter will include the famous Austral Wheel Race and other “Austral” fixtures, and as L.V.W. rules prevail, and Mr. R. M'Cullagh is secretary to the ruling body, the big handicap will retain all its prestige.

The six days’ contest will be for teams of two men, who will be housed and fed by Mr. J. D. Williams at the Exhibition free of charge. These riders will take turn and turn about on the tfack for any period of time by mutual agreement up till twelve hours —the limit for continuous rid-i.--g by one man, no two men of one team being allowed on the oval at the same time; the first prize to go to the team covering the longest distance in the six days and nights. The contest is expected to prove very exciting, when one knows that most of the speediest riders in the world will be competing. Names like Ellenguard, Ivor Lawson, Gordon Walker, Mitten, Rutt, Goullet, Fogler, MacFarland, and Major Taylor are ones to conjure with, especially when the Australian contingent, headed by champion A. J. Clarke, is added.