POVERTY BAY CYCLING CLUB

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 57, 8 March 1901, Page 3

POVERTY BAY CYCLING CLUB

A SUCCESSFUL MEETING.

The Poverty Bay Cycling Club held their inaugural gathering at Gregg’s paddock, Childers Road, yesterday, and all things considered are to be congratulated upon its success. The after-noon was fine and the attendance large, upwards of five hundred persons being present. The racing track was in fairly good order, and seeing that it was the first meeting of the kind that has been held on the ground, the going was very good. The Cycling Club are to be congratulated upon their enterprise in going to the expense of making such a fine track, and great credit is due to Mr Andrew Gregg for the successful manner in which the track has been laid down. The racing yesterday afternoon was full of interest, and many of the finishes were attended with much excitement. The officers of the Club who formed the Committee deserve much praise for

the way in which they worked, Messrs Cruikshank, the energetic secretary, and Eure and Warren, being particularly to the fore. The bulk of tho work fell on Mr Cruikshank, but he proved more than equal to the task, being untiring in his efforts to promotethe success of the meeting. Messrs R. Miller and T. Steele acted as

judges, and during the day were called upon to decide some very close finishes. Mr W. Miller gave every satisfaction as and invariably got his fields away splendidly. The duties of timekeepers were ably discharged by Messrs Seymour, W. Fraser, and Wakelyn, whilst Messrs Becre, Tattersall, and G. Stevenson acted as lap scorers. Tho clerks of the course wore Messrs Ranger, Gregg, and Ferris, and the umpires Messrs H. Miller and Jameson. Mr W. J. Ranger, the treasurer, gave a helping hand and materially assisted towards getting the afternoon’s programme through in good time. The City Band provided the music, playing a number of choice selections, which were much appreciated. Tho following are tho results :

Half-mile Dash, first prize £2 2s, second £l. First heat. C. Burton, 30yds 1 M. Randrup, 30yds ...- ... 2 Bradley, 40yds 3

Also started : C. Kirk 60yds, R. McGillwray 75yds, S. Drallin 28yds, and W. Andrews 50yds. Kirk held the lead until the straight was entered, when the field closed up. Passing tho pavilion Burton ran to the front, his nearest attendants being Randrup, Kirk, and McGilliwray in tho order named. The pace was a cracker along the back, and although Randrup put in a strong challenge at tho home turn, he could not get on terms with Burton, who won in good style by a length. Time, 1.7 l-sth.

Second Heat. M. Bennett, 35yds ... ... 1 C. Crone, 50yds 2 W. Drallin, 50yds 3 E. Rico 85yds, Tinson 90yds, Muir 00yds, also started. Rice made the running for the first round, having a few

yards lead of Bennett, after whom came Muir. Crone and Draflin moved up in the last round, and with Bennett fought out an interesting finish. The Danncvirkc representative was, however, too strong for his opponents, and coming away with a grand dash in tho straight won by a length from Crone, who beat Draffin by a length for second honors. Time 1.12 4-5. Half-mile Dash : Final. C. Burton, 30yds 1 Bradley, 40yds 2 M. Randrup, 30yds 3 Also started: Bennett 35yds, Crone 50yds, Draffin 50yds. From an excellent start Crone dashed to the front, and made the pace a clinker for the first quarter-mile. Coming into the straight Bradley and Burton came through, and a ding-dong race to tho post followed, Burton winning by something over half a length. Time 1.9 1-5. Maiden Handicap, 1 mile; first prize £2, second £l. First heat. IT. Warren, 60yds 1 I’. Crone, 60yds 2 J. Georgcson, 75yds 3 - Boyle (57yds) and Thatcher (scr) also

started. Boyle mado tho running, followed by Warren for the first round, but in the second lap lie gave way to Georgcson, who was a length in front of Warren. The field closed up in tho run along the back stretch, but Warren was first in tho straight, and riding a strong race throughout, won easily by two lengths. Time, 2.57 2-5. Second Heat. Hill, scr 1 lv. McGilwray, 30yds ... 2 W. Robertson, 65yds ... 3 Other starters : Tinson (65yds) and E. Rice (60yds). Robertson led at the finish of the first lap, and was in front as the men dashed past the post at the end of tho second lap. Hill, the scratch man, took command in the run along the back, and was never nfterwards headed, winning easily by two lengths. Time, 2.55. Maiden Handicap, final. P. McGilliwray, 30yds ... 1 11. Warren, 60yds 2 Hill, scr., 3 Also started: P. Crone 60yds, Gcorgoson 75yds, and Robertson 65yds also competed. Crone and Warren got the best of the start, but they wore soon overhauled by Hill, who in company with McGilliwray carried on tho running to tho homo turn. An interesting finish followed, but Hill and Warren could not got on terms with McGilliwray, who won comfortably by two lengths. Time 2.49 3-5.

Open Bump Handicap, first prize <£3, second <£llos, third 10s ; II- miles. M. Bandrup, 60yds 1 C. Burton, 60yds 2 M. Bennett ... 3 Also started : Bradley 140yds, C. Crone 160yds, Thatcher 130yds, C. Kirk 185yds, W". Draifin 130yds. The men on the back marks evidently set out with the intention of getting' places, Bandrup, Burton, and Bennett raced along together in steady style. Each man who was passed had to drop out of the race, but tho last three carefully rodo wheel to wheel. Dratliu soon dropped out, and Bradley was also displaced, but liuug on for a while to give Kirk a bit of pacing. Kirk kept at it gamely, and made the pace very warm, but the outsiders knew too much for the local man, and when the time suited them, in tho last lap, they streaked past, all close together. Bandrup came along on the outside and won by a wheel, with Bennett a good third. Time, 3.46.

Boys’ Handicap, half-mile; first prize A 1 second 10s.

Beay, 40yds 1 Cox, 50yds 2 a; Georgeson, 20yds 0 Also started: Murtagh, 50yds; Rowland, scr, not going out. ' Tho race was a gift to Beay, who rode d dashing race, and won with ease, though Georgeson, with his heavy handicap, made him go very hard for tho first lap. Time 1.18. P.B.C.C. Championship, one mile; first prize gold medal, second silver medal. .Maxweil*" ... ' 1 C. Kirk 2 C. Crone 3 Other starters: W. Andrews, W.. Hill, E. Bice, H. Warren, J. Muir. The race was a very pretty one! Kirk took the lead, and the wheelmen were clustered together. This order was maintained, with slight variation, for three laps, and then Maxwell shot to the front and won with ease. W. Andrews finished fourth. Thne, 2.58 3-5.

Poverty Bay Wheel Race, two miles; first prize ;£loBandrup, 70yds ... ... 1 Burton, SOyds ... ... 2 Bradley, 195yds ... ... 3 In the first heat the result was : Randrup 1, Bennett 2. Bradley 3. Rice made a very hard race of it for several laps, and was warmly cheered, but,he had not much hope against tho men with greater experience. Maxwell, who was riding well, and would have got a place, got shut out when rounding, the bend for the final sprint. The time was 5.47. -.ln the second : heat the result was: Burton 1, Kirk 2, S. Draffin 3, Time 6.19. Kirk made the pace, but Burton held the race safe, There was aa exciting

finish, Kirk only being beaten by half a wheel.

In the final there was a slow down directly the advance men had been caught. Kirk did not start. At one stage the Dead March might safely have been played. There was a good sprint in the last lap, Randrup being a couple of wheels to the good. Bradley was alongside the second man, and, as some one said, was beaten by a whisker. Ladies’ Bracelet, II miles. C. Kirk, 120yds 1 W. Andrews, 100yds 2 H. Warren, 220yds 3

Other starters : C. Crone 80yds, E. Rice 200yds, W. Robertson 220yds, J. Muir 220yds. This was an excellent go. At the halfmile Kirk was in the lead, and varied places with Andrews and Warren. In the final sprint Andrews came up with a great dash, but Kirk was not to bo caught napping, and getting in his sprint, won by a wheel, Warren being a good third, and Rice, who had ridden a very plucky losing race, being fourth. Time, 3.59 4-5. Club Handicap, 2 miles. Kirk, 60yds 1 Andrews, 40yds 2 MeGillivray, 105yd5... ... 3

Other starters: Crone and Hill, scr; Warren and Rice, 120yds; Boyle and Teuson, 130yds ; Muir, 140yds. This was tho most interesting race of tho day. When they had fairly got settled to work, Andrews, who had dashed off at a fast pace, was well among the leaders, while MeGillivray and Kirk battled along steadily in tho rear. At the mile Crone was steadily gaining, but Warren touching a nasty spot, came a cropper, with Crone on top of him. Neither was hurt. The final was a very pretty one. Andrews made a beautiful sprint, and apparently had the raco won, when Kirk made a pretty spurt, and just beat Andrews on the post, MeGillivray being a good third. Time, smin 37 l-sth see.

Open Handicap, 5 miles. C. Burton 1 M. Bennett 2 G. Bradley 3 There were seven other starters. On the previous racing it was clear that victory was confined to Randrup, Bennett, and Burton, and they raced together all tho way. The other starters wero soon dispensed with, excepting Kirk and Bradley, who wero very popular with the spectators, and got warmly cheered as lap after lap they bustled along. The old hands, however, kept a steady pace, and steadily closed in at tho finish. To prevent the dead march style of racing a time limit of 131 minutes had been fixed, the men timing themselves so well that they finished just five seconds under the limit. At the socond to last lap Kirk got back to the other three, while Bradley wont away, but Kirk came on again with great dash. A furlong from the post he was done with, and Bradley was soon caught. In the last round Randrup, who would probably have won, foil. Time, 13.25.