Championship “Fifty”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 773, 20 September 1929, Page 6

Championship “Fifty”

Auckland Road Cycling Title Strong Field In Tomorrow’s Race TOMORROW the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club will conduct the 50‘ miles Auckland provincial amateur championship cycle -road race. The event will start and finish at the Logan Campbell monument, Epsom end of Market Road. The race will start at 2 p.m. and will be over the same course as last year’s championship race —from Kpsom to Clevedon and back. The first rider to finish is expected back about 4.30 p.m.

It is only three years ago since the 1 Alanukau Club inaugurated an annual < long-distance championship road race. Before 1926, no such race was ; held. The Alanukau Club commenced road races in 1925, but no championship was held that year. But in 1926, after a successfLil season of short road races out at Mangere, the club decided to concentrate on a big race, and chose a course .from Mercer to Epsom, via Tuakau, for the first long-distance championship. This first event, which was held on October 2, 1926, attracted I 19 starters, a splendid field, considering the bad weather conditions. The winner of fastest time, with which goes the championship title, on that occasion was C. A. Clarke, off 25min, who won the event and clocked 3hr 4Gmin for the journey, beating the late E. 1. Grant, off smin, by only 3sec for the honour. The 1927 championship “fifty” was the first over the Epsom-Clevedon and back course, and was contested by 32 riders. Heavy rain was again experienced on the day of the race, September 17. The event was won by W. Dwight, off Smin, and the title went to J. H. Wade, scr, who just out-sprinted M. P. Brynes, scr, by half a length, to clock the good time of 2 hr 24min 59sec. Last year’s race, which is fresh in the memory of many enthusiasts, was a regular triumph for J. Whitten. The race was held under ideal conditions on October 6 and 35 started. Riding from the scratch mark, Whitten went right through the field and obtained the lead at Penrose with three miles to go, after which he eased up slightly, yet was able to establish a course record in the splendid time of 2hr 16min. He gave away 15min to the limit riders in that race. Coming to tomorrow’s race, there are on the mark of honour, undoubtedly, five of the finest roadriders and long • distance exponents among the amateur cyclists of Auckland. A better and faster team of five, one can say without hesitation, no other province in New Zealand could possibly produce. On scratch are J. Whitten, the holder of the title; FI R. Dwight, winner of the club’s 11-mile road race championship this season; J. H. Wade, who was second to Dwight, when the latter won the 534 miler around five laps of the Alangere and Ihumatao circuits on August 17 last; L. B. Roberts, whose latest success was the winning of fastest time, and second place in the 25-miles race from Alangere Central to Papakura and back last Saturday; and Angus Alackie, the scratch rider of

the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club of Christchurch, who is at present in Auckland. Residential conditions do 1 - not allow of Alackie claiming the cham- . pionship title and blue riband, even if j he should get fastest time, which is ] very unlikely, as he will be riding in . strange company, and thus will be handicapped somewhat. The limit riders have 23min., but with such a formidable team on scratch this handicap, although Smin. more than that which was given to the limit men last year, will cause the back men little concern. One thing is fairly certain, and that is the middle markers will bunch early in the race. This will probably be in fatour of the scratch division, for Smin; only separates the four groups, 13 riders in all, between the 5m 40s mark and the 10m 40s mark. The championship title goes to the rider registering the fastest time, irrespective of the handicap mark from which he starts. But that the champion will come off the mark of honour is a foregone conclusion this year.

J. Whitten, as the holder, cannot bo considered the certainty he was for last year’s race. FI. R. Dwight, who fell when going well in last year’s race, provided he does not repeat such performance on Saturday will, according to general opinion, be Whitten’s strongest rival. Then, again, J. IF. Wade and L. B. Roberts must be considered for the title, especially the former, for he has won two “fifties” over the Epsom-Clevedon the 1927 Auckland and the 1927 New Zealand championships. In the 534-miler on August 1< last at Alangere. Wade came a close second to Dwight, who won the race. To silt the championship title down to one rider, then J. Whitten must be favoured. In the last 534-miler out at Alangere on September 7 he won and clocked a course record in 2h 33m 54s when riding off the 2min mark, and beat FI. R. Dwight (scr.). by Ira 12s on actual time. The result of tomorrow’s race will undoubtedly be eagerly awaited by all cycling enthusiasts throughout New Zealand; for a big effort will be made to have the two fastest riders sent away to represent Auckland in the New Zealand “Fifty” at Christehurch early next month.

TE AWAMUTU BOWLERS From Our Own Correspo?ident TE AWAMUTU, Today. At a committee meeting of the Te Awamutu Bowling Club it was decided to hold the official opening of the 192930 season on Saturday, October 1 2. j The club decided to again hold a ! tournament on Labour Day, with simi- ! lar trophies as those of last year.