CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 25 July 1929, Page 3

CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIP

COURSE CHANGED SEHIOIJS DEVELOPMENTS POSSIBLE (By Telegraph—Special to "Tha Mail") CHRISTCHURCH, 24th July. Trouble is looming in cash cycling circles. The information that the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union has granted to the Taranaki centre the privilege of holding the Round-thc-Moun-tain race this year as the New Zealand road championship has come as a bombshell to Canterbury for the North Canterbury centre's Timaru to Christchurch road race litis been recognised as the national title event for many years. The Timaru to Christchurch race has always been regarded as. the greatest cycling event of New Zealand, and until recently it ranked second only to the Warrnambool to Melbourne race of any events in .the Southern Hemisphere. The course is a much harder one to lide than the round-the-mountain course, and fur many years now the race has carried the highest place honours of any in New Zealand. It is possible that the withdrawal of the official title will rob the race of the three or four backmarkers from the North Island who come down each year in quest of the championship, and these take away a good deal of interest. The North Canterbury centre will not lose the title without a protest. It is believed likely the centre will insist on the running of the Timaru as the Dominion title event. If the centre and the union cannot arrive at an agreement on the question Jt is possible there will be a somewhat serious development.