Personalities In N.Z. Sport

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 743, 16 August 1929, Page 7

Personalities In N.Z. Sport

Jim Lindop, Crack Auckland Cyclist

WINNER of the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club’s championship lor the past two seasons, and one who has figured repeatedly this season as a clincher of fastest times. Jim Lindop is one of Auckland’s leading professional cyclists. During his six years at the game he has established a wonderful record of wins in both track and road races, lie was born on the \\ est t oast, and first took up cvcling there in '923. He had no luck at all in his first but in 1924 lie came into the limelight as a frequent winner at sports meetings at Westport, and in the Hokitika and Bttller districts. He came to Auckland from the West Coast two years ago.

In his six years’ cycling, Lindop has competed in a total of 130 track races, and has scored 43 wins, 16 seconds, and 12 thirds. He has taken part in 38 road races, and secured five wins, ten fastest times, one second, and three thirds. His lists of performances take up about three yards of closely written foolscap. Lindop also took part in the famous Timaru -Christchurch road race over a distance of 112 miles two years ago. On that occasion he punctured when ]eading the 105 starters, and after riding for 20 miles on a flat tyre carried out repairs three miles from home, and rode in twenty-first. No fewer than 19 riders passed him during the race. His time was 6hr 15min 48sec. He also took part in the fegmont j-oad race on one occasion, but found jt hot work riding on the asphalt roads ot the district. He did the 95 miles }n 4hr 41min. Lindop came to Auckland from the •Toast some two years ago, but for the first six months did very little riding. Last year he started in the Hamilton-

; Auckland road race, gaining fifth ! place, and second fastest time. He I missed the fastest time by 14see. He has scored several fastest times in events this season to date, and car- | ned off the Auckland Athletic and ! Cycling Club’s championship over a I 10-mile course. Last season, when I the championship was over a 14-mile course, he also won the event. Lindop went in for track races chiefly on the West Coast. On an average, lie scored a first in every third race, and was placed in every’ second race. Jim considers that his hardest race was in Greymouth four years back, over a mile, when he missed first place and a £SO prize by half a wheel. ! Last Raster Lindop paid a visit to • the West Coast again, and rode in eight races, the majority of which he won. With Lindop, cycling was never anything more than a sport, and during his six y’ears at the game he has crowded in a tremendous lot of it. He considers that the prize money is better on the Coast than at Auckland, and that the sport is also more popular there.