Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 192, 3 November 1927, Page 7

Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

By

“VELOS.”

The 5£ mile open event decided at Manger© on Saturday proves that the capabilities of many of the amateur riders belonging to the Manukau Cycling Club have never been fully gauged. The race looked a good thing on paper for the scratch man, Byrnes, but as it turned out, he could make no impression on the 10s riders in front of him. These two riders, Galbraith and Casey, in turn, could not pick up the 10s they had to concede Gainsborough, Brewin and Platt; so as far as the back markers were concerned, they rode with their own bunch the whole journey, and Byrnes, being on his own, had a lone, hard race. The winner, R. Hall, won fairly comfortably by a length from R. Foubister (30s), and S. Lichfield (40s). A TASK FOR THE HANDICAPPER The result of the race goes to prove that the handicapper has a hard task in front of him to put these riders in their proper places. Velos would not like his job. R. Hall is a tough looking rider. His win on Saturday over two such seasoned performers as Foubister and Lichfield stamps him as a rider considerably above the ordinary. It may have been his day out, but a performance like Hall’s usually has something at the back of it. R. Foubister and S. Lichfield, who ran second and third, put up a fine performance. Coming from the 30s and 40s mark respectively, they had had luck in meeting a strong finisher like Hall. There was very little between these two at the finish. MUTUAL HELP

C. Gainsborough, the fastest time winner in the 5£ mile event, had a good passage. His co-markers Brewin and Platt, helped him a lot. Had it not been for the solid work done by these three riders, Casey and Galbraith would have caught them for sure. The winner of the 22 mile event L. Wilson rode most of the others around liis mark to a standstill. Starting back on the 2m mark, he had a solid lot of good pacemakers with him, in W. Dwight, Mathieson, Stewart, and Iv. Rowe. This bunch gradually overhauled the field and had things pretty well their own way over the last mile. Wilson, who rode well, finished very strongly, winning by a length. Addison (4£m), sprang a surprise on, Mathieson (2m), beating him by half a length for second place. The winner rode a great race, doing more than his share of the pacing and finished quite fresh. WILSON IN FORM L. Wilson, who won the big event, is recognised as one of the best riders in the Manukau Club over a distance. Saturday’s race just suited him. The riders on the mark with him had to do their bit. although he did more than his share of the hard work. When it came to racing he had it on the rest of the field. He rode a great' race on Saturday and won easily. P. G. Addison and K. J. Mathieson were a pair of tired riders when the finishing line was reached. The former is new to the prize list, and by beating a rider of Mathieson’s calibre, he showed improved form. H. Dwight added another fastest time to his season’s list. He went over 21 miles an hour for the full 22 miles, which, considering the day. was a very good go. BLANDFORD PARK The opening of Blandford Park shortly is being eagerly looked for-

ward to by riders, both cash and amateur. Permits have been applied for, from both governing bodies, and as soon as they have been received the opening programme will be announced. The first meeting will be held on a Saturday afternoon, as it is not intended to put on night meetings till the warmer weather sets in. The grass track will take some getting ready, but with favourable weather it should be fit for use in a fortnight. In the meantime training can be indulged in at the Stadium. The championship meeting to be held at the Domain on Saturday in aid of the Mayor’s unemployment fund, promises to be a great success. The mile championship of Auckland will be the star item on the programme. Big entries have been received, all of Auckland’s leading amateur pedallers having paid up in the three principal events. Given a fine day, the meeting of Byrnes, Wade, Wilson, Galbraith, Casey, Dwight, Foubister and Lichfield in the one mile championship, should be worth going a long way to see. FAST TRAVELLING The 1927 cash road racing season closed on Saturday at Mangere, with a 7 mile “short limit” handicap event. Twenty-six riders faced the starter, which constitutes a club record. The feature of the race was the riding of S: Hayes (scratch). Giving away* up to 3m start, it looked an impossible task for any back contingent, but Hayes and Prior rose to the occasion and came first and second. The time, lsm 21s, is also a record for the distance. A. White, who started off scratch, was shaken off in the first mile by the other two, showing what speed they were travelling at. S. Hayes, the winner, also won the time prize. He has been an * unlucky rider this season, striking punctures and chain trouble in two of the club’s races. He went over miles an hour all the way on Saturday, which is his best performance since he came to Auckland two years ago. F. Prior, who went off the mark with S. Hayes, put up a good ride. He was the most unlucky rider in the race. To have won the race meant the winning of the Challenge Shield for run-ner-up in most points during the season, but in running second he missed it by one point. F. Lowdnes looked the winner when the top of Mangere Tlill was reached, but the scratch riders got to him a hundred yards from the finish, and that was the end of F.L. He had to be content with third money. The first amateur to join the cash ranks is D. Hope. He made his first appearance as a cash rider on Labour Day at Papakura, and scored one win and two seconds out of three starts. Hope was one of the best junior riders in the Manukau Cycling Club, and he is a distinct loss to the club. TROPHIES PRESENTED The presentations of the Pardington Challenge Cup to A. White for most points won during the season in road races held by the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club, and the Pardington Shield to the runner-up, H. Pelham, took place after the finish of Saturday’s race. Riders took the opportunity to thank Mr. Rae for the use of his sheds during the season. The following points have been won by the different riders in the Auckland j Athletic and Cycling Club’s road races ! during the season:—A. White,. 34; IT. Pelham, 16; F. Prior, 13: J. Henderson, 8; J. Blyth. 8: D. Storey. 8; J. Dean, 8; S. Hayes, 7; R. Pelham, 7; K. Rae, 7; F. Lowdnes. 6; G. Mathieson, 5; N. Healey, 5; P. Rickman, 5: W. Francis, 5; A. .Sutherland, 5; F. Stansfield. 3; A. Brennan? 3: H. Rhodes, 3; G. Reid, 3; W. Bryce, 3: G. Matthews, 2; J. Rothwell, 1: A. Jackson, 1; T. Kennedy, 1.