CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 222, 19 September 1928, Page 13

CYCLING.

AMONG THE AMATEURS, WHITTEN'S GOOD REDE. J. Whitten, one of Auckland's representatives in the New Zealand 50-mjle amateur championship, run at Wellington last Saturday, put up the best performance of his career Starting off 2m, not 8m as reported, he rode the distance practically unpaced, as T.ukey I and Grose only caught him when Hearing I the.finish. When it came to the final sprint, fche Auckland rider simply made hacks of the two Christchurch cracks, and beat them home by six lengths, finishing in fourth place. It was unfortunate that Whitten was oa a 'mark, otherwise the championship most certainly would have come back to Auckland. J. H. Wade and H. Dwight, the other two representatives, had bad luck, the latter puncturing, and the former taking cramp early. Saturday's amateur event, a 28-mile open handicap, again attracted a large field of contestants. Thirty-five ridere faced starter Wilson, and although, the placed men were on long marks, the race throughout was a very interesting one. The absence of the three Auckland cracks, Wade, Whitten, and Dwight— who were competing at Wellington—to a certain extent detracted interest from the race, but the finish for fastest time, though not of the Wade type, was a good one just the same, resulting in F. J. Casey, 2ni, scoring the honour. C. L. Russell, the winner, put in his claim in the fourth lap, and picking up the limit riders in the last, went on to win in good style. He has been a consistent starter at Mangere in most of the Manukau Club's races this season, but up till Saturday had only one third to his credit. His riding''on Saturday was a big improvement on anything he has shown at Mangere. C. Harris, who finished second, "was unlucky to get beaten. He was at the head of the front bunch for four laps, putting in some fine pacing. This told on him over the last hundred yards when Russell came at him, but he .lasted long enough to beat W. Boreland, who finished third. The latter has at times shown, some rare turns of speed, but he docs not seem to be able to catch the judge's eye further up than third, as he has had two of them this, season. F. J. Casey was the popular fancy for "fastest," and he duly landed. He has been showing greatly improved form. during the last three Saturdays so his win was not unexpected in certain circles. It is interesting to note that the first rider to finish was more than two minutes ahead of Casey. There were several minor accidents at Mangero on Saturday, caused more or less by careless riding. Foubister fell and Fletcher, who was following close, went clean over him without coming off his machine. McDonald, Fisher and Russell, the winner, were interfered with, losing spokes. Riders deserving of special mention for pacing solidly during the 28 miles, were Casey, Pinfold and S. Baird, while the "sitters in" are too numerous to mention. Something must be done to collect these riders and give them an enforced holiday sooner or later. I The Manukau Amateur Cycle Club is holding an 11-mile consolation race next Saturday. Rumour hath it that it will be staged early so that riders can meet the Hamilton to Auckland race at Papakura, and follow it to the finish at the showgrounds. Riders aro particularly ■ requested to keep well away from the competitors in the big race, as the rule in reference to "outside assistance" may be applied if any likely suspicious circumstances arise. The New Zealand 50-mile amateur championship was decided at Wellington on Saturday over a course from Jervois Quay to Mungaroa, the greater part of which was tar sealed and level. The winner turned up in L. G. Lukey, Christchurch, who beat F. Grose, Christchurcli, in 2h 8m 355. Lukey's win was not on- ; expected, although there were many I who thought Grose would beat him. The timo must constitute a New Zealand amateur record, as an average speed , of over. 23 1-3 miles an hour was maintained all the way.