Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 434, 16 August 1928, Page 9

Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

By

“VELOS.”

Next Saturday’s fixtures are: Manukau Amateur Cycling Club’s 50-mile open handicap, and Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s 25-mile handicap event. Both races will start from the usual places, the former at 2 p.m., and the latter at 2.30 p.m. The racing over the week-end was again well up to standard. In both cash and amateur events records were established. In the former, Frank Prior “stepped on the gas” to the extent of doing 20 miles in 50.26 3-s—a club record, and incidentally an average of over 23 miles an hour. IT. Bwight went 64.20 for the 25 miles, also averaging over 23 miles an hour. Both these performances are good, and though weather conditions were most favourable, they will take some beating. UNSPORTSMANLIKE RIDERS In last week’s Alanukau Amateur Club’s race to Papakura, there were more complaints made about riders refusing to take their laps than “Velos” has ever heard before. This sort of thing does not improve the racing, and no doubt Secretay Wilson will have something to say about it. if it goes any further. If a rider dodges doing his bit, or in other words, “refuses to take his fair share of the pacing,” and it can be sheeted home to him, he should be given to understand in no uncertain manner that his presence is not desired at Alangere. of until last Saturday, S. Kay suddenly comes into the limelight by romping home in the Alanukau Club’s open handicap race to Papakura and back. In yvinning, Kay. who started off the 9m mark, put up a very fine finishing effort. He was well placed and well paced over the return journey; so much so that when it came to racing he was the only rider in the picture. His finishing sprint was a fine effort, and if he can reproduce it he must win again soon. DWIGHT AND WHITTEN “Hen” Bwight put it all over “Jerry” Whitten for fastest time, beating him down the hill home by three lengths. While not wishing to detract from Bwight’s win, “Velos” has seen this same “Jerry” Whitten finish a whole lot faster than he did on Saturday. G. P. Clarke, who rode second, beating C. Harris, off the same mark, scored his first trophy this season by beating C. Harris off the same mark in a ding-dong finish. Both these riders showed considerably more than average pace on Saturday, so that it would be no surprise to see either of them in the prize list again soon. F. J. Casey went faster when he had Galbraith and Gainsborough in the finish on Saturday than he has all the season. He also won the B class medal presented by J. C. Stewart. RACE OF THE YEAR The chief topic, of conversation among cash cyclists is the Hamilton to Auckland road race. Already quite a number of local valuable trophies have been received, included in which are two racing cycles, one donated by the Farmers’ Trading Co., and the other by Hope, Gibbons, Ltd. There are other small donations given by the retail cyclo trade of Auckland and supporters of the game, which is making the prize list quite a respectable one. When finalised, there is every possibility of a programme being submitted that should make all cash riders get into their best shape for September 22. As the collectors’ lists will not be in before the end of next week, the official programme will not appear before then, but riders can depend on good prizes being given. A FINE RACE Time trials and sealed handicaps are never very interesting, but Saturday’s Auckland Club race was an exception. The interest in the meeting of Auckland’s two best “pros.” (Frank Prior and Slater Hayes), over an unpaced 20 miles, was great, as both had their following. The former carried too many guns for Hayes, winning somewhat easily at the finish. It was a desperate grind, and though Prior won and established a record, it was by no means certain it will stand for long. W. Francis (Papakura), who won the sealed handicap and also ran third in the time trial, won the special prize given by Mr. AlcQuilken for the former event. When fit Francis is a hard man to beat, and his ride into third place in the time trial, only 2.2 behind the winner, proves he was well treated in the handicap on 3m. J. Henderson and K. Rae, who finished second and third, were on the 3£m mark. They had no chance with the winner, being more than a minute to the bad when times were reckoned out. BETTER SUPPORT SOUGHT A meeting of the committee in charge of the Hamilton to Auckland road race was held on Alonday evening, to receive the reports of those canvassing. Regret was expressed at the smallness of some of the trade’s donations, the committee being of the opinion they were unnecessarily small. It was decided to redouble the canvassing effort, and to approach all cycle traders in the Auckland Province, asking for their help so that this year’s event will be up to the standard of previous years. A pleasing ceremony was performed at the finish of the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s 20-mile sealed handicap on Saturday, when the trophy won by W. Francis, was presented to him by the donor, Air. McQuiikcn. *