MOTOR-CYCLE RACING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 101, 23 January 1920, Page 8

MOTOR-CYCLE RACING

By Telegraph-Special Correspondent. Palinerston TCorth, January 22. The annual races of the Manawatu Motor-Cycle Club were held at Awapuni Racecourse to-day, and attracted over 2000 people. Some good sport was seen, and in spito of the rather, buiupy grass track good times were made. Principal interest centred in the riding between Percy' Coleman and L. Maugham, wJio, although heavily handicapped, wero placed in the big events, riders'of .less calibrc having little chance in most events, in spite of big starts. In tlie eight-mile open handicap Colpniiin and .uimflwm were conceding 145 yards. The iimil man, Sykes, who ultimately won, having done two miles before the scratch men started;' At the conclusion Coleman had: beaten Maugham, but could not quite eaten Sykes, who won by'about a quarter of a mile, with E. Jones (145 yds.), third. IMio time for the race was 9min. 4G 2-ssec. Coleman's time was 7min, 2 l-ssec. In tho ten-mile open handicap ColeUiii'iiim liaji-nam (s.w.) conceded ISOsec. to Jones, the limit man, and passed him at the end of the sixth mile. A big struggle then ensued between the -two scratch men. Coleman eventually got away, and finished 100 yards in front of Maugham, with Jones well back. Time, 12miu. 24sec.. Coleman's time was 9min. isec. Most of the entrants scratched lor the 15-milo open handicap, leaving only six startere. Coleman, who was conceding 15scc. to Mangham and 300 each io Jones and Hudson, caught Mangham at the third mile, and from then o» they had a ding-dong go until the thirteenth mile, when the limit men were passed. A desperate race ensued between the two cracks, but Coleman drew away at the finish, and won by a qiarter of a mile, Jones being half a nnle behind Mangham. Time, ibmin. 15sec. Coleman's time was 13min. 15sec.

In the eight-mile open handicap a fair field faced the.starter, Coleman conceding Maugham Ssec., and Jones, the limit man, 145 sec. This was Hie best race of the day. The back-mark man lmd no difficulty in dealing 1 with the others, but could not overtake Syl'cs, who maintained his lead to the finish, and beat 'him by about a quarter of a mile,' with Mangham oloso behind. Time, 7min. Ssec.

Coleman and Manghara essayed to lower the former's llviijs heavyweight grass track mile record of 49 3-ssec., but the former only did 52 4-ssec., and Mansham took o-Jsec. Dawber, Gnisford, Sykes, and Sweeney endeavoured to lower tlio niidclle-wciglit mile flying record of 57spc., made by the first-named, but Dawber could not do better than 62 4-ssec., Gaisford HI 3-ssce., Sykes li 7 3-Ssec., anil Sweeney G9 4-ssec. In tlio five-mile handicap, H. Jones, sseo., was first, and Osgood scr.J, second. Time, Gmin. 46 4-ssec.

Six-milo handicap—Sweeney (lOsoc.), 1; E. Jones (35socJ, 2; Osgood (SOsec.), 3. Time, "niin. 24sec.

Consolation handicap, five miles— Mnngham, 1; (iaisfonl, 2; Osborne, '3..-