Fast Cycling

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 443, 27 August 1928, Page 7

Fast Cycling

Records Broken on Mangere Speedway FRANK PRIOR IN FORM Saturday was a record-smashing day on the Mangere cycling speedway. The first to go was the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s record number of starters, which rose from 22 to 27. The next was Frank Prior’s record-breaking ride of 49 min 31 1-5 sec over XL9 miles in the Auckland Club’s open handicap. The last was J. IT. Wade’s great time of 57 min 51 sec in the Manukau Amateur Club’s 22-mile event. The handicappers in both events gave the scratch division almost impossible tasks, with the result that they were never in the hunt. The following are the results: Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s 19 miles. —W. Archer, 4min, 1; J. Henderson, 3min 30sec, 2; R. Barry, 6min 30 sec, 3; K. Rae, 3min 30sec, 4. Time, 52min 4s. Fastest time, F. Prior, scr., 49min 31 l-ssec., a record for the course, beating the previous best by 36sec. J. Deans, who was having his last ride, and Matthews, were the first away, and as usual led over the first lap, closely followed by a big bunch of middlemarkers. The second lap saw three bunches operating—the middle with Henderson, Rae, Potter, and Barry, pacing wel; the back with Francis, Healey, Mathieson, and Strong, gradually overhauling the leaders; and the scratch, with Prior, Hayes, and Lindop (Imin) in hot pursuit. Over the last lap the positions remained unchanged. The front bunch, having a comfortable lead, were never troubled . Xearing Mangere Hill 10 riders were together, and stayed there to the finish, where Archer, riding a welljudged race, came bn the scene at the right time, and beat the fast-finishing Henderson by a length. Barry was close up third, with Rae fourth. F. Prior beat S. Hayes by a length for fastest, establishing a record. J- Blvth fell in the first lap, spoiling any chance he had. MANUKAU AMATEUR CYCLE CLUB 22 Miles, Open.—J. Leather, 9min 30sec, 1; S. R. Gatland, 9min 30sec, 2; G. Francis, lOmin, 3; W. Clarke, lOmin, 4. Time of winner, 63min 56sec. Fastest time, J. H. Wade, scr., 57min 51sec —a record. The race can be described as a runaway victory for the four placed riders, who were out in front. They were never in danger at any time of being caught, thanks to their fine pacing work. When it came to racing, Leather simply romped away from the others, winning by 10 lengths. Francis and Clark struggled home with a length between them. Wade again beat Byrnes for fastest time by a wheel in a ding-dong finish.* J. Whitton snapped his crank early in the race, and retired.