Track Cycling Enthusiasts Prepare For Busy Season Approaching

Chronicle (Levin), 19 October 1949, Page 7

Track Cycling Enthusiasts Prepare For Busy Season Approaching

With the track cycling- season due to open on October 31, cyclists in Levin will be starting to limber up again in readiness for the hard months ahead. An added incentive for local riders will be the Empire Games and although not everyone can hope to reach such high spheres, all will doubtless be trying hard.

Proceeds for the first night's meeting are to go to the St. John Ambulance Brigade's fund and it is hoped that the public will play its part in making the opening night a success. Local riders will get plenty of competition this season, for the Levin trapk will draw riders from Otaki, Foxton, Shannon and as far south as Wellington. Two valuable additions to the Levin club this season are H. Watson and T. Searanke. Watson,

formerly of Foxton, was ri'ding weil last season and under the good conditions he will experience on the Levin track it is hoped that he will continue with the good work. Searanke has just completed a successful road season and shows promise of recordI ing some good times on the track. ! Another rider who has done well on the road is the back-marker, H. Donovan. He has seven fastest times to his credit with bright prospects of gaining further laurels on ihe track. The two Wellington riders who will be uslng the local track will get kb'en opposition from sprinters D. Yeates and O. Connelly. Still a junior but one who will soon be chasing senior honours is the youthful P. Elliot, who was placed second in the Palmerston Noith-Bulls race. This rider, who still hss four years as a junior, holds the highest points for the season. Another young rider who holds the points record with

Elliot is A. Rolston, who has developed riding strength since last season. Last season's winner of the five mile race at Paraparaumu and the McLeod Memorial Cup at Otaki, R. Harper, should be worth serious consideration this season. M. Harper, one of the club's best sportsmen, should be in the running for some placings this season. S. Bonner rides a fair race if he can manage to keep his machine

up the right way. Lightweight wheels imported from England should improve his pace this season. The club has its element of rugby enthusiasts in N. Parker anu K. Broacmelt. HJwever, 'football boots must give way to lighter wear as the cycling season comrnences, and boih these riders show promise of prowess on tiie track as well as on the footbail field. H. Finlayson is a newcomer this season. With a little training he should be well to the fore among local riders. S. Cootes is another new rider with plenty of pace. A bit more stamina to finish tha. last sprint will put him among the place-getters. A young junior who shows interest is N. Rolston. He has plenty of pace for his years. The club is hoping to see the old-timer, R. Hornig, at the starting post again, , together with G. Tatana and I. Capper.