Hawkes Wins Twenty Miles Cycling Race. O'Gorman Is Fastest

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 170, 21 July 1942, Page 7

Hawkes Wins Twenty Miles Cycling Race. O'Gorman Is Fastest

The cold, wet conditions last Saturday severely tested both the enthusiasm and stamina of the 45 amateur riders who rode in the Auckland Centre's events.

Four junior teams lined up for the annual championship. This year the mileage was cut down from 25 to 15, and the Manukau circuit was used. Manukau started two teams, which were challenged by one from Northern and another from Lynndale. Wilson, Ashton and Bishop led Manukau's No. 1 combination to victory even after losing captain Hills in the first two miles with a broken chain. The No. 2 team also lost Herrick (broken handlebar), but Naulls. Tyler and Bartley carried on. taking 45.4 against the winner's time of 44.15. The rules demand that three finish, and the time of the third rider will determine the result. Therefore both teams had to ride cautiously. Jones, Gibson, Caudwell and Pascoe teamel lor Northern, while Meredith, Ringrose, C&rnell and McArthur represented Lynndale. Grit And Determination The combined race of 20 miles (four laps) was decided in a downpour. A. Pearce. Manukau junior; was first off. with 12 minutes' start. O'Gorman, Shilton, Stonex, Hill and Hills were on scratch. Retirements were heavy. All were soaked to the skin after five miles. It needs grit and determination in such conditions; 16 of the 29 starters had both, and finished. Two riders predominated progress throughout. One was G. A. Hawkes. the winner (off 2.0) and J. O'Gorman (scr.), fastest. Hawkes started with Lloyd, but after ten miles he went away on his own. He reeled off a wonderful last lap to pass six riders and win by 35 seconds. His lap times were 14.48. 14.32. 14.35 and 14.43. It was a popular win for this retiring cyclist, who first came into prominence last year when he won the Ellis Cup 40 miles* event. Last Saturday he lost time honours by three seconds, and many consider he was retarded by Lloyd's pacing on the first lap. The abnormal conditions were right against Lloyd, who retired at half-way. Junior Covers 40 Miles C. A. Flinkenberg and W. Tyler rode with real merit for juniors. The former took the lead after seven miles and only lost it to Hawkes in the final mile. Tyler rode in the junior 15 miles prior to starting in the combined event, yet the 40 miles of riding appeared to be well within his powers of endurance. Neal. fourth. Weber, fifth, and Garrod. sixth, provided the best team work in the race. R. Dyer paced along with L. Laloli for ten miles, and then tore away from his Northern clubmate to eventually finish 40 yards ahead of J. O'Gorman and over a minute before Laloli came in. Whitley is a veteran of many tough races in the rain, and he had a good partner in Junior Meredith for 15 miles. O'Gorman gave a convincing acount of himself, and left no doubts about his superiority under adverse conditions. At the end of ten miles he and Stonex were well ahead of the other scratch men, and a lap later O'Gorman was alone. He larked in 14.7. 14.37. 14.42 and 15.9. taking 58.35. He has now raced in four open events and been fastest in three, consistency equalling that of L. H. Dwlght in 1933, J. Brown in 1935. C. P. Cochrane in 1936, Triner in 1937 and Langridge in 1938.

The next fastest scratch man was J. Hill, in 58.30. Shilton and Hills took 61.1 while Stonex retired.

The annual" race of 25 miles for the Picknell Memorial Cup will be held by the Manukau Club on Saturday, while Northern and Lynndale Clubs have a combined race of 20 miles on the former's course. H. M. Dye won the Picknell Cup last year, when Hawkes finished second. Next Centre races will be the junior unoaced title event and a senior 24 miles on August 1.