Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 72, 16 June 1927, Page 13

Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

By

“VELOS”

Road racing was advanced another : Stage on Saturday by the Manukau I “V cl ibg Club holding a time trial for junior riders under 16 years. A race | at this kind tests the ability ot any rider, who has a fancy for road racing. Saturday's trial proved conclusively hat we have in Auckalnd boys of 14 and 15 who can maintain an average : speed of over 20 miles an hour round the Mangere si-mile course. This is 1 speed that to keep it up for any j length of time means that some of i these boys are "super-boys."

A C. Steen, the winner of Saturday’s trmi. is a very wiry little customer. He is in great form at present, and had no trouble in putting 17sec behlf, and A - Sercombe’s time, for th a miles - There were six starters, t -A. C. Steen and A. Sercombe are wo of the scratch riders in the junior events of the M.C.C. every Saturdav. They have been riding together in all the junior races this season, and they also have had some great finishes for fastest time. The honours are fairly even with these two boys up to now, but Steen seems to have excelled himself on Saturday, beating Sercombe by I7sec.

The result of the sealed handicap in connection with Saturday’s junior time trial event was as follows: L. Penfold 1. C. Constable 2, A. C. Steen 3. Penfold has had his first win this season, and he thoroughly deserves it. He has been a consistent performer in the M.C.C. junior races every Saturday. C. Constable is another boy who rides well. He has a good chance of securing a win any time now. LIMIT MEN AGAIN Weather conditions were against good racing at Mangere on Saturday. A cold bleak afternoon, with threatening rain up till 2 p.m.. kept many would-be starters away. There was, however, a field of 21 starters in the 17-mile open handicap. M. P. Byrne, scratch, did not ride, and “Con.” Gainsborough, another consistent performer, had a day off. Both were interested spectators. Starting well to time the limit riders again made no race of it, winning by nearly two minutes. The placed riders in the open handicap were: W. Dwight (smin), 1; IT. Donkin (smin), 2; P. Platt (tUmin), 3. The winner rode a heady race, and over the last 100yds was never troubled, winning by two lengths from H. Deakin, who beat P. Platt by half a length. The time, 47min 55sec. was a fair ride considering the day. Fastest time fell to F. J. Casey, who beat his co-marker, H. Dwight, for the coveted honour by about three lengths, in a very fast finish. Casey’s time was 46min 3sec. Those responsible for making Saturday’s open race fast were: G. Rollinson, H. Deakin, L. Devlin. W. McCallum. P. Platt and A. C. Noble. These riders never hesitated to come through when it was their turn, and the way they did their bit made things most difficult for the back markers. Several riders will no doubt receive the attention of Handicapper Tolley prior to their next engagements. There is no doubt that in quite a number of ■cases, riders have made big improvements in their riding. These, brought back to a mark where they will still have a chance, should make better racing, all round. ‘SHOOK OFF!” J. C. Stewart had a new sensation on Saturday." He complained of being off. He certainly was—“he got shook off.” H. Brewin, who received a nasty fall at the finish of a race two weeks back, made the pace so hot that J.C. could not foot it with him. Probably the best bit of pacing seen on the Mangere" course was on Saturday, when F. J. Casey, H. Dwight and Les Wilson got together. These three riders rode a desperate race in their endeavour to pick up the handicap, but despite all their efforts the smin bunch won with just on 2min to spare. F. Grogan, on smin 30sec, had the bad luck to come down near Robertson’s Road corner. This spoilt his chance. He was in a good position when he fell, but when he picked himself up, he found there was a hopeless gap of 300yds in front of him. He received minor cuts and abrasions. CASH CYCLING NOTES The committee of the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club decided to abandon its road race on Saturday at 12.30 noon. The heavy rain falling at that time made things look bad for the afternoon, but by 2 p.m. it had cleared and several riders made their way to the starting post, only to find “Race Abandoned” posted up. Allan J. Brennan, who met with an accident in a relay race held by the A.A. and C.C. a fortnight ago, was on the Mangere course on Saturday, having made a wonderful recovery. The genial Allan will again be seen in .action at Mangere within the next few weeks. Frank Prior, who has been suffering from the “flu,” was one of those who made the trip in the rain on Saturday. Prior should be in the money during this road racing season.

One of the hardest nuts to crack in the cash ranks this season will be

CYCLE ROAD RACES

“Putty” 'White. This rider has shown a big improvement in his ra.cing during the last month. In fact, “Velos” takes it on himsetlf to say that there 'will be two new men. on scratch in the A.A. and C.C. road races very shortly, and they will be Frank Prior and “Putty” White. CANTERBURY ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP The 30-mile road championship of. Canterbury was held last Saturday in fine but cold weather. The scratch division were Phil O’Shea, A. C. Ritchie and J. H. Selvister, three of Canterbury’s best. They found the lmin men, which included C. Austin and C. Bright, too fast for them. Austin, who has defeated O’Shea on the track last season, gained the coveted honour. The result of the race was: H. O. Connor, 7min, 1; S. Arnst, 7min, 2; S. A. Jordan, 7min, 3. Time: lhr lOmin 3sec. Fastest time and Canterbury championship: O. Austin, lmin, lhr 4min 46sec. Putting in four hours’ training on the Newark cycle track, and 30 to 40 miles on the road per day, is the work that New Zealand champion, Willie Mackie, is doing in the U.S.A. to get fit. He has raced on two occasions, but the best he could do was to run fourth in a heat in a field of nine. He also started in a five-mile scratch race in which there were 60 starters, but he pulled out before the finish. He is to be given a chance by J. Chapman, who controls the two tracks, Newark and Madison Square, behind the rollers. His opponents will most likely be Giorgetti, Hawking or Jager, three top-notchers. Saturday, September 10, is the date decided on by the North Canterbury Centre of N.Z.A. and C.M. for the holding of the Timaru-Christchurch road race. This will give the New Zealand representatives plenty of time to get. to Melbourne for the Warrambool to Melbourne event, which is set down for October 8. As the Canterbury race carries with it something like £ 300 in prize money, some of our local riders should be attracted. Victoria must have a wonderful road racing season in front of it. In Melbourne there are 600 riders racing on the roads round about the city every Saturday. With such a number competing, there should be something doing when the big events come along later. The Warrambool to Melbourne race on October 8 promises to be the biggest event ever held in Australia. AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON A record has been established by A. Sutherland between Auckland and Wellington for the first time in the history of cycling. The ride was more a test of endurance than speed, as the conditions were such that many were of the opinion Sutherland would not get through. The time taken to do the journey, 72 hours, works out at about six miles an hour, including all stops. This shows what the rider had to contend with. His intentions were to average 10 miles an hour all the way, but it can be better imagined than described how he put in the long 100mile rides in the dark, over roads covered in mud .and slush. Between Wanganui and Wellington he ran into sleet and hail and when pushing his hardest on his cycle, he was frozen stiff. On more than one occasion, he had to get off and walk, to warm himself. The loneliness of the journey, and the official car, carrying the special food, etc., breaking down and having to be abandoned, did not add to the pleasure of the trip. Sutherland says ho would not come at this ride again for £I,OOO. He has, however, broke the ice by establishing the record, and it is on the cards that before the end of this road racing season an attempt will be made to beat that time.

EVENTS AT MANGERE Two cycle road races will be decided at the Mangere course on Saturday. The Auckland A. and C.C. will hold a 20-mile event, and the Manukau A.C.C. a 27-mile unpaced time trial and scratch handicap. The following handicaps have been declared: — Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s 20-mile road race.—Sutherland, Henderson, scr.; Prior, Hills, 30sec.; White, lmin 30sec.; Rae, Healey, 2.30; Mathieson, Lownes, Storey Brennan, 3.0; Stansfield, Dufty, Archer, 3.30; Reid, Pelham, Kennerley, 4.0; Richman, 4.30; Jackson, Rhodes, Francis, R. Pelham, Matthews, 5.30; Gallagher, Dean, 6.30.

Manukau A.C.C. 53-miles junior race.— R. Foubister, A. Steen, A. Sercombe, scr.; O. Rose, D. Ching, 30sec.; L., Aldred, F. Pinker, C. Henwood, C. Constable, C. A. Hughes, S. Litchfield, L. Pinfold, lmin; E. White, A. Powell, H. Brown, B. Stokes, 1.30; H. McKenzie, T. Cox, J. Keane, A. Rose, C. Maxwell, 2min.; A. Reed, 2.15; T. Munro, 2.30; E. Tolley, 2.45: W. Johnston, 3.0. Post entries will be received up to 2.30 p.m.