Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 600, 28 February 1929, Page 6

Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Coming Events Satui'dav, March 2.—Henderson Club, Henderson Domain. Wednesday, March 6. —One mile handicap, Domain. 5.45 p.m. Saturday, March 9.—Meeting East Tamaki Club. . Satui'day, March 16.—St. Pati'ick s Day Sports. Saturday’s Meeting , According to the large numbers which have entered for the various events, the Henderson Club’s meeting, which is fixed to take place at the Henderson Domain on Saturday, is receiving every support from amateur wheelmen. In all, over 20 entries have been received for the three events, a half-mile, one mile and two miles. The earth track, which up until recently was not really fit to race on, is now reported to be in a fine condition and well can a good afternoon's racing be expected.

At a general meeting of the Manukau Club, to be held at the end of this week, the road race programme which has been tentatively drawn up by the executive will be presented to th,e club’s members for their confirmation.

The Manukau Club’s run next Sunday will be to Milford. Cyclists will meet at the Domain at 9.45 a.m.

Three cycling events, a one, two and three miles, are featured on the programme issued by the St. Patrick’s Day committee for the meeting to be staged on the Domain on Saturday, March 16.

East Tamaki Club The annual sports, gathering of the East Tamaki Club is fixed lor next Saturday week. It is intended at this meeting to rehandicap winners. Such a move is no doubt something new to most of Auckland’s cyclists, but this action on the part of the club’s officials has no doubt been prompted by the results of last year’s cycle events when the East Tamaki rider, J. Whitten, starting off a good handicap fnark, clinched every wheel event on the programme. The present amateur rulings permit a handicapper to rehandicap any competitor who manages two races in sueession, but a more stringent ruling than this, if carried out, would prove a popular move.

No Waiting The Tamaki Club's meeting has always proved immensely popular among Auckland cyclists and this is shown usually by the large muster which at tends. Apart from the fact that the meeting always promises some good racing, the club’s officials make a point of awarding the trophies immediately after the various events, and this alone is quite a big draw card to competitors. Many cyclists have experienced the disheartening feeling of having to wait an indefinite period for their trophies and such has proved to be the case, more with meetings held in the city than out.

J. A. Dykes in Auckland Now included in the quota of Auckland’s crack cyclists is J. A. Dykes who hails from Hawera, where he ranked as one of the foremost riders. Some idea of. his ability on the track is in the fact that at the West Cottst championships, staged at the Cook Garden track at Wanganui, reputed to be the finest cycling oval in the Dominion, he rode a good second to the crack Wanganui rider, D. Adamson, in the three miles event. Fie is now a resident in Auckland. Last week he started in a half-mile race at the Domain and in the final, riding from a virtual scratch mark of 35yds, managed to catch the field with a furlong to go, but he was unable to get through for a place.

Auckland to Wellington H. G. Brewin’s successful attempt at lowering the time registered by Alex Sutherland in June, 1927. of 73 hours for the Auckland to Wellington journey of 474 miles is no doubt a ride worthy of merit. How long his ride of 65 hours will remain a record would be difficult to say, but the fact that he was delayed for five hours by a serious blow-out at Pahautanui, about 24 miles from Wellington, is sufficient proof that he could have further reduced the figures had not this misfortune overtaken him. To have travelled 450 miles and then, when so near his goal, to have come to grief in this manner, must have been very disappointing. Brewin is the first amateur rider to have ridden from Auckland to try for the record and more merit is attached to his ride by the fact that he had never previously performed any lengthy trips.

L. Nelson has already notified his intention of trying to reduce Brewin’s figures from Auckland to Wellington, and intends leaving the Post Office, Auckland, at midnight on Tuesday evening of next week.

LES WILSON, the energetic secretary of the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club is undoubtedly one of the hardest workers for the game and one of the most popular officials in Auckland’s cycling circles.

Last Evening’s Events Out of the field of 13 which started in the three-mile handicap promoted by the Manukau Club at the Domain last evening. Jack Wade, who recently returned from the New Zealand championships at Wellington, where he managed the half-mile title, came away to win with comparative ease. He was, however, severely cautioned after the event for cutting in too soon at the beginning of the last lap and thus interfering with as least three riders Dwight, Cleaver and Hope, who fell on the bend. The final placings were: H * scr - R- G. Foubister, J 80yds, 2: b. Baird, 200yds, 3. Time,

There was also a field of 13 in the land Athleti c and Cycle Club’s 1.000 -metres race staged at the Domain last evening. Early in the last lap the scratch pair, Hayes and Lindop, were well back, but the former jumped away to overhaul the field and go -rough to win by two lengths. Inches separated the next two placed men. Result:—S. Hayes, scr, 1; R Clarke, 50yds, 2; K. J. Mathieson. 20yds. 3. Time, 2.20 4-5.